Flopping Trips Short Handed

[telltale]

1-2NL Fulltilt Short handed table 4 people.
Me K6 in BB. Three of us limp in, and the Flop is KK5. Acting first I check and the button bets $40 into a $6 pot. I stop for a second then RR his remaining $39. He calls quickly and turns over 55. He wins the hand. I'm interested to hear what other short handed player would have done in this situation.

[amoeba]

I just fold. you have kicker problems.

you only beat k2 to k4, and I don't expect those to limp in.

[telltale]

The table is short handed, so the odds were remote that we both held a King. The possiblity that he held 65, 54, or even A5 seemed more likely to me.

[amoeba]

its not about how remote it is for him to have a hand that beats you.If his betting points to him having a better hand then you must resort to that.

Now having said that, do you really expect him to overbet a $6 pot with $40 with 65, 54, or A5?

Is he that LAG?

you didn't say anything about reads on him in your original post so I can only assume that he is at least an average 1/2 player.

If you were so sure he had a worse hand then obviously your line was correct as you got him to go all in. No need for question on here.

Since you posted a question, then obviously you are asking, how can I tell he had me beat?

Also, bet out on that flop instead of check raising. bet pot amount and fold to significant raise.

[telltale]

Thanks for the input amoeba I appreciate it.

[amoeba]

actually now that I think about it, betting pot and folding to a raise might not be the best line.

you'll only get called by somebody who beats you.

So your line of checking. Hopefully it gets checked through, then inducing a bluff on the turn might be another way of playing it.

But when he bets $40 in to a $6 pot, essentially pot committing himself, I would have folded my K6.

[LokiV]

If he holds A5 what exactly is going to call his wild overbet? A king or 55.

Always look to crack the obvious hands.

[TheTimeIsUp]

The overbet is a huge tell. Usually when this happens, he has the nuts or close to them, just remember that in the future.

[JasonK]

That's an easy fold. If you really think he would bet 6 times the pot with A5, 65, or 54 then I'm sure you can find better situations to take his stack.

[telltale]

Yes i think your right about that in consideration of his 40 making him "pot committed."

[telltale]

Yes i think that i should have let that one go.

[fimbulwinter]

[ QUOTE ]
actually now that I think about it, betting pot and folding to a raise might not be the best line.

you'll only get called by somebody who beats you.

So your line of checking. Hopefully it gets checked through, then inducing a bluff on the turn might be another way of playing it.

But when he bets $40 in to a $6 pot, essentially pot committing himself, I would have folded my K6.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree for a few reasons:

1. you'll likely get called or even (if it's me) raised by a 6. your bet looks like a 6, a K or a steal on a scary board.

2. he knows it's more likely you're stealing than betting a flopped big hand because almost all SS fish slowplay in this situation. this is yet another example of the fact that slowplaying is done far too often at these stakes. the other guy didn't slowplay here, nor should you.

3. it gives your future bets more folding equity. when people see me hammering hard on all streets with top set they start to get scared of my bets. you've got a big hand, bet such that you can play a big pot.

4. final point is that there are a ton of hands you kill which will give you action here. pairs >6, 6x, even ace high may make a play here giving you more money than you would have won slowplaying. the added danger is that if they have a set and turn/river their set, you're going to lose big like you did here.

to the OP: fold to the bet. you have very little invested. his bet screams "i can beat a king." against someone willing to bet that much into such a small pot, there will be many, many better times to get the money in against him.

fim

whoops- all my 6's should be 5's

[telltale]

Thank you. His bet should have rang an alarm in my head, but instead all I say was lettuce.

[amoeba]

I think the thinking going through his head was I'm not going to make any money if nobody has a king so I'll overbet and make it look like I'm stealing and hope somebody has a king.


now a better question is, what would you do if you had K6, and the flop came 6 6 5. I think if that was the case, I would have played it exactly the same way you did.

[amoeba]

fimbul, which line are you advocating? checking the flop or betting out and folding to a raise?

your 1st point seem to be against betting out and folding to a raise as you seem to indicate that you would raise me thinking I was bluffing. and I would fold my king 6 even though I have you beat.

So wouldn't that indicate that if I was playing against you, checking the flop is better?

[fimbulwinter]

oof- i re-read my post and realized that it was convoluted:

i think that the bet out option/fold to a raise is best against a normal player/non maniac as they will call you down with worse hands. even against an aggro-maniac, i think that betting and calling a raise is best here. he'll (I'll) raise here with so many hands (i almost forgot ace high as well) that it's +ev long term.

against someone like me (who you will know could raise here with ace high), I'd bet out and call a raise. once i see you've called the raise, i know my 5 is no good. against the normal party ATM/calling station, a raise here means your K6 is obliterated.

sorry for the confusion

fim