KQo vs loose-passives

Raise.

$15 minimum

Raise to 27 - 30

Last bet = 6. 3x last bet + all the calls and blinds. You have to make call stations pay big to see every flop where you can be the aggressor IP.

I'm happy to take the $12 post-rake pot pre or fight it out IP.

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This makes sense with a bigger hand. Yes, they are inelastic more pre-flop than any other time, but do you want to bloat the pot with this weak of a hand? You’re not happy, because two stations are never going to fold and let you steal.

Bet 15
No reason to turn this hand into a bluff pre-flop - let’s see what the board brings. We want value, so we can drag them to the river, and get paid. But when we miss - these are not the players to try and make fold.

Hand continues

V1 limps UTG. V2 CO calls. Hero BTN with KhQc Hero? Hero bets 15. V1 calls. V2 folds.

Flop (27): 9s7s4h

V1 checks. Hero? Hero bets 15. V1 calls.

Turn (53): Td

Check, check.

River: 84.

V1 checks. Hero?

AP check back. You have show down value with a K. He might have a ragged A, but his range includes a lot worse.

At this point, after the check on the turn, if he made a middling pair, he's probably calling any sort of < pot bet.

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Respectfully disagree. I try to make my pre action the same regardless of hand strength. These 2 Vs might be so unobservant to not notice that your sizing is a tell, but others at the table will.

If you only do the 3x+ rule with JJ+ you're going to be waiting a long time. KQ is a pretty good hand vs ATC. Unless the board is very wet, I would rather do a 50- 60% CB with a $90 pot than a $45 pot. Half pot because these low limit recs don't respect 30% CBs. All they are thinking is "small number".

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Minor correction:

River: 8c

This is a bad flop for your hand and range. I would x/f the flop and reevaluate the turn. River is T987, one liner to a J or 6. I don't mind bluffing here, 2/3 pot or greater.

I like Deke's rubric for opening limped pots. Also not varying my size based on hand strength, though I might based on position. I also might vary it if I'm only a smidge away from denying proper EV to things like low PPs. Rake-free pots are best pots. Also most Vs will hilariously overreact from having to constantly fold their trash, when they catch a hand they feel like going with.

Anyway, AP, x-back is fine for flop. Same betting sometimes gets an aggro response, downbetting gets it often IME, and same betting here is >b50. So check, see a turn, and see what V does.
AP, sure, pot control, see if we bink our gutter.

I think if you bluff at this, it's going to have be big. Bigger than b67. If you have the read they'll fold to that, OK. A 'loose station who overvalues their hand,' may not fold a 9 or a T to a pot-sized bet, even on a 4-liner. Especially to a perceived LAG.

H has 300 back, 84 in the pot, I might bet 90-100 and see what happens. Probably just checking back though.

i dont see much reason to cbet this flop

as played either overbet river or check.

This turned into a trivial hand
Agree with nitty check-back flop

As played, you’ve got $30 invested - just check-back.

Over-betting the river is more risk than I want. If I think villain sees the 4liner and is not tricky, looks disinterested, this is one time I might try a bluff. The loosest player will consider a fold without the straight.

A pot size bet needs villain to fold half the time. Not going huge against this crowd - someone calls with idiot end of straight.

This is just so much villain read to me.
Sometimes they’re literally holding their cards obviously ready to fold, so bet. If you can’t tell, I would check-back

So what are you suggesting pre? Fold KQo from the button?

Bet 15 (a standard size)
I’m suggesting not betting 30 pre-flop because it eases into that area where only better hands call - and there are a lot of better hands. I agree with the way OP played pre-flop.

I don't understand the $30 preflop suggestion. Two limpers put in $2 each, so there is $7 in the pot (plus our $2 before we raise) so $15 seems like a nice raise size.

Or did I miss somewhere there's a straddle?

As for postflop I am checking a lot but the cbet is ok if you plan to barrel a lot of cards and expect to get folds. Something tells me this isn't the right lineup for that move tho.
So I would shift to betting the stronger hands in your range including AK-AJ especially with backdoor flush draws. Your preflop raise is mostly for value and to setup easy commitment

This is just a bad flop for your hand and range. You should be done with it and OK with losing $15.

Results

Hero checks back. V shows K9o and scoops.

Preflop is fine

Checking flop seems much better both with this board and this opponent

Turn might be an opportunity to continue when the top card pairs, but a Ten may well help your opponent (could well be pair-plus-drawn now) and your own gutshot isn't worth barrelling. Good check back.

River looks like a decent bluffing opportunity with the one-liner - get all Ax to fold as well has hands like he actually had. But can see why you checked back.