What would you do?

Here are some situations that get me into more trouble that they're worth. Usually, they arise if I post to enter a game or (more often) am trying to steal the blinds from late position and get called. Assume a fairly aggressive 20-40 game. Here goes.


You post in the cutoff as a new player and get dealt the powerhouse hand Tc4s. MP limper, you check, BB checks. 3 handed flop.


Flop: KhJh4h. Checked to you. What do you do?


Assume that you bet (a reasonable play here, IMO), what happens if:

#1a: You are called only by the BB and the turn comes a blank?

#1b: You are called by BB and turn comes a heart?

#1c: BB calls, and turn comes a card that "helps" like a T? How about the Th?


In each of these above situations, what do you do if he bets out? What if you are checkraised (assuming you bet)? Do any of these above situations change if the caller is the MP limper and not the BB? What if they both call?


In these hands where the pots are fairly small and you have a short-handed situation and tricky players with weaker than normal holdings, how hard should one play? I don't want to be known as a "folder" but I hate getting checkraised on the turn too. It's very difficult to evaluate whether I'm ahead or way behind and to have to call 2 BB to figure it out. Should I just abandon ship on the flop and start checking behind on the turn? I'll have to call a river bet just about every time, and free cards can kill me, but at least I can't get raised out of the pot. At best, I think I'm breaking fairly even on these plays with some huge swings. At worst, I may be losing my shirt and killing my earn. Just wondering, cause I'm Just Another Sucker.

Frankly, I don't think it is worthwhile getting involved in puny pots with no hand and no draw. I might toss in a flop bet if both opponents checked to me hoping to win the pot outright. But if I get played with, I am done with it. Save your money for better gambling opportunities.

Question for you here. I agree a flop bet is OK sometimes. But when you have absolutely nothing and no investment in the hand really, I think it's fine to make a "reverse image" play too. Observant opponents will observe if you pass up a few theft opportunities, and you might help yourself hijack a bigger pot in a dicier situation later. I like this better than image plays that cost a lot. Am I nuts?

why would you bet into two other players?


check and fold.

No, not at all. There is nothing wrong with just checking when you don't have shit.

Or when you do have shit.

Thanks for your responses. As always, Jim, your advice was great, and HDPM, I really like your comments about "image" plays.