TPGK on Paired Board - Facing Turn Lead after Flop Checks Around
Stakes: $2/$3 NLH with $6 Optional Straddle
Hero's Effective Stacks: $300
Hero (BTN): K♦ Q♥
Pre-flop:
UTG limps, UTG+1 limps. Hero raises to $15. SB calls. UTG calls. UTG+1 calls.
Flop: Q♠ 8♥ 8♦
SB checks. UTG checks. UTG+1 checks. Hero checks.
Turn: 6♣
SB checks. UTG checks. UTG+1 bets $40. Hero?
Questions:
1. As the pre-flop raiser, is checking here standard?
2. Is KQo too weak to continue here, given that there are still 2 players behind me?
4 Replies
Standard call. He can be value betting worse.
KQ is marginal, even from the button. If you play this hand, raise bigger pre-flop. I imagine that 15 is probably standard, but you have 2 limpers. People don’t limp intending to fold to a bet, so you have to go bigger, maybe a quarter. They still might not fold, but they will give you credit for being stronger than you are.
Why/How can you not bet the flop?
What are you afraid of?
A check shows weakness, but you’re not weak
Are you seriously afraid someone has AQ or an eight. You can’t find out checking.
You bet because:
Decent chance you have the best hand
Only way to find out if someone has a better hand is to bet
Think about it - what info did you gain when you checked. I’m the FreeCard guy, but this is not the time to take one.
As played, your weak check is going to induce a stab on the turn, so villain could have anything. I don’t like raising now, but it’s still a pretty good option. Call and evaluate the card and what the others do.
1. The standard thing for a PFR is a continuation bet. You should know that.
2. Players miss the flop 68% of the time. You hit it. Why are you focusing on being behind? With this mindset, please fold KQ pre-flop and wait for aces where you’ll probably be ahead.
Are you sure KQ is marginal in this scenario?
the amount of times the word "standard" appears in this thread is absolutely infuriating. There are too many variables in poker for anything to ever be "standard". Don't ever do something because it's "standard". Do it because of some reasoning that tells you it's the maximum EV play against your opponent's perceived range.
If you think a play, or a bet size, is "standard" then you're just being lazy. That's lazy poker analysis.
