65s flop

[Nate tha' Great]

Party 15/30. UTG raises and is cold called in two spots. My player reads are weak. In fact my whole game feels rusty. Five whole days since I last played hold 'em? Jeez. I call in the BB with 65s.

Flop A65 rainbow none of my suit

Bet or go for the check-raise?

[Clarkmeister]

Checkraise.

[ike]

I agree, you can probably get the whole field for 2+ bets on the flop and you almost certainly have the best hand.

[SGS]

I like going for a check-raise.

SGS

[mike l.]

he's cold called in two spots? that means there's at least one ace out there, probably more. since most players are dumb enough to get trapped for multiple bets drawing to two outs w/ something like QQ here now's the time to really job someone over w/ a checkraise.

the question really is whether to pull it on the flop or on the turn.

[andyfox]

"the question really is whether to pull it on the flop or on the turn."

That's another good reason to check on the flop: he can see where the flop bet comes from and make his decision accordingly.

[Doubling12]

Check because it will come back to you bet and raised...you can even call smooth-call there. Then hell, checkraise the turn.

[ike]

What does this betting pattern have to do with the hand. Yes that could happen but its really not particularly likely.

[Doubling12]

I figure UTG bets a large % of the time because he was the preflop raiser, and one of the coldcallers probably has an Ace and raises...why is that unlikely? I would bet a tunafish sandwich that this is what happened...

[3rdCheckRaise]

Most of "them" will autoriase if betted into when they were the preflop raisers, so i say bet since there is a high chance you'd be raised and get a chance to 3 bet.

[MrTeddyKGB]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree, you can probably get the whole field for 2+ bets on the flop and you almost certainly have the best hand.

[/ QUOTE ]
With this hand I would be more concerned with knocking out players than traping them to the end. Your hand is not super-strong here. I might bet out if i think it would be raised by an EP player or check-raise by a LP. Sometimes if a late position player bets I will wait till the turn to checkraise because 2 bets cold on the turn is more likley to get it heads up. The pot is getting large here, I think the focus should be winning the hand not going for extra bets.

[AceHigh]

Check/raise. Because you have to check/fold so many flops, I think you need to check/raise when you like the flop.

[skp]

I think the play of bottom two pairs would make for a good essay.

I drafted one a couple of years ago and sent it John Feeney for comment. I was going to send it to 2+2 to put up on this site (assuming it passed muster). John replied quickly with some suggestions but I never got around to touching it up. Now, I have to find the goddamn draft.

[J.A.Sucker]

Hi Mr. Tha Great,

I think it's close between checkraising and betting out and 3 betting. Those yahoos in online games tend to call two bets the same as one bet, so just try and jam it up with your good, but vulnerable hand. I may be wrong here, but I'm Just Another Sucker.

[Knockwurst]

I'd love to read this essay on flopping bottom two. And while your at it please offer some wisdom on playing AKo.

[DeeJ]

I don't agree with leaving a raise until the turn because the hand is fairly vulnerable despite being the likely best hand at the moment.

You aren't going to shift any decent ace so check-raise the flop and hope they don't hit a better 2 pair or trips on the turn, proceeding cautiously.