Help needed with KK

[Pokermonger]

This situation happens often and I feel that I may be able to play it better. Thanks in advance for any advice.

$100NL, I'm in early position with KK and raise to $4. One caller in late position. Flop comes JJ2 rainbow. I bet $4 and the caller folds. What should my thinking here be? If he calls, I bet into him again on the turn and fold to a raise. If he raises me $4 on my bet on the flop I reraise $4 and then fold to any more aggression. If I check the flop, I don't know where I am in the hand. Is there any way to extract more money from him?

[DBowling]

I might be wrong here, but its almost like betting has no positive expectation, but giving a free card to beat you would be worse. On a JJ2 board youre not going to get called unless youre beat. But why give someone with Ax or a pocket pair a free card to improve to beat you? So youve gotta bet it out most of the time. Occasionally, against an aggressive opponent, i think you can check the flop and proceed on the turn. If he checks again, bet out. If he bets, youve gotta make a read and raise/fold, whichever you feel is appropriate. You gain all your information on the turn instead.

[Ghazban]

Assuming you're talking about Party's 100NL where the blinds are 1/2, I absolutely hate minraising KK (or any other hand for that matter) before the flop. It tells people you have a hand you like but doesn't make it expensive enough for them to try to outflop you.

It sounds like you're also betting less than half the pot on the flop. I would recommend betting 2/3-full pot (based on personal style) as your standard flop bet, certainly never less than half. In any case, if you're called on a board like that, you're likely to be up against either a jack or another pocket pair who is hoping you are just autobetting a missed AK/AQ. Prior observation of how your opponent has played other hands ought to help you figure out which.

[meow_meow]

Let me echo that sentiment, a min raise is bad.

Second, if I am your opponent, I probably would have called your preflop raise AND your flop bet with any pp. Actually, I probably would have played back at you for a pot sized bet on the flop with a pp, and flat called with a J.
This is a good example of why position is sooo important in NL.

[nicky g]

"On a JJ2 board youre not going to get called unless youre beat. "

Yes you are. AK, QQ, JJ, TT, and other big aces and lower pocket pairs will frequently call here.