QJo flop OESD - raise or call?

[Fiddler]

No reads.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO folds, Hero calls, <font color="CC3333">SB raises</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (10 SB) 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 6/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, SB folds, BB folds, UTG folds, MP3 calls.

Bet didn't come from the best position for me but I raise expecting to get at least some callers... oops...

Turn: (7 BB) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
MP3 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls.

River: (9 BB) K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
MP3 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls.

Final Pot: 11 BB

In this case it looks like calling the flop and raising the turn would have put more money in the pot. I was surprised 3 players folded... What is the best way to play a flop like this? Seems kinda strange to expect $0.5/$1.0 PP players to fold for 2 small bets...

[Entity]

I almost always raise a flop like this. Raising will get you a free card a large portion of the time. Well-played IMHO; sorry you didn't get more money. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rob

[Shargaas]

With the bet coming immediately before you, I think the play is to just call and let people in behind you. You did expect callers and at this limit, cold-callers are not uncommon, but even so, your hand isn't made yet and you could fold out a lot of people, as happened here. Of course, if the bet had come much earlier, a value raise is justified.

[cold_cash]

The raise is good, and I think the flop bet came from the perfect spot.

[cardcounter0]

I don't see a problem with the raise, could have got you a free river draw if your straight didn't hit on the turn.

I think you just ran into no one having even a piece of the flop, except the original bettor, so they folded. It happens, those players might have folded to a single bet with absolute nothing in their hand.

It is better to raise and get more money in the pot, set up a possible free card on the turn if you miss, then to limp and hope people don't fold. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

[btspider]

[ QUOTE ]
The raise is good, and I think the flop bet came from the perfect spot.

[/ QUOTE ]

i agree. you were able to fold the PF raiser and improve your chances of winning with only top pair.

[tolbiny]

improve your chances of winning with only top pair

This is the most important part of the raise here- giving yourself up to 6 extra outs is huge in this situation. Going from an 8 outer to a 14 outer is big (although its probably more like a 12 outer)

[Kluddeludde]

Looks good and the raise on the flop is mandatory. You have two overcards, an OESD and the pot is big. Raise to increase your chance of winning it.

Kludde

[Sent]

[ QUOTE ]
improve your chances of winning with only top pair

This is the most important part of the raise here- giving yourself up to 6 extra outs is huge in this situation. Going from an 8 outer to a 14 outer is big (although its probably more like a 12 outer)

[/ QUOTE ]

As he said you raise here to give your Q or J a chance to become good outs so that if you catch one of those and not your straight you still have a chance of winning by forcing higher overcards behind you out on the flop.

-Sent