meh....some kind soul guide me through my ignorance

[Alobar]

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, K/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG calls, MP folds, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (4 SB) Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, J/images/graemlins/club.gif, 6/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG calls, Button folds, SB calls.

Turn: (5 BB) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks.

River: (5 BB) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, SB calls.

Final Pot: 7 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 7 BB, between SB and Hero.</font>

[sammy_g]

SB has a Queen with a weak kicker and UTG missed his flush. How close am I?

OK so four people see the flop and it's a somewhat coordinated board. You have middle pair with an overcard and some backdoor flush potential. I think I lay this down on the flop. Someone probably has a Queen, and the pot's not large enough to chase.

Let's see what the good players say, though.

[Benjamin]

I'm tempted to raise preflop with the button not likeing his hand enough to raise and the SB limping in with probably any 2 cards.

I like the flop raise.

I'd bet the turn. A draw, a weaker jack, a pocket pair, or some other random garbage is more likely than a 6 or a Q. If raised I'd go into call down, because I'd expect to see a semibluff there fairly often.

I might check behind the river if I though SB wouldn't have gotten that far without likely having a queen. If I had him pegged as a typical 5/10 calling station I'd bet.

B.

[Benjamin]

Scratch the raise preflop ... I was thinking utg had folded preflop. With a draw heavy board I still like my other comments.

B.

[sammy_g]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd bet the turn. A draw, a weaker jack, a pocket pair, or some other random garbage is more likely than a 6 or a Q.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm curious why you think this. OK, the cold call by UTG on the flop screams draw, but I'm not sure about the SB. A Jack is mathematically less likely than a Queen since we already know where two are, and it's unlikely *both* SB and UTG have draws. SB would have folded a pocket pair smaller than a Jack unless he is superloose, but you never know at 5/10 6 max. He might have called the flop with either a Queen or a 6, which puts us way behind on the turn.

[jfresh]

could see SB with weak Queen; probably would've played it the same way as you, but maybe check- (call) river like a wimp

[Ponks]

Nice avatar/loc, how's the challenge going? :P

FWIW, I bet this turn and check the river through. Not sure if it's the best play, but I think it makes the most sense to me. If you get c/r, you can laydown and you still charge the draws the most. There is a straight and a flush draw, so I'd hate to give a free card.

Ponks

[Jeff W]

I believe a turn bet with the intent to fold to a raise is best. You may have a second best hand, but this is a coordinated board and you don't want SB or UTG to take a free card with a flush or straight draw.

[sammy_g]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, I bet this turn and check the river through. Not sure if it's the best play, but I think it makes the most sense to me.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree if you raise the flop, you should bet the turn also. I still fold on the flop, though. No one else seems to agree. You guys must think I'm weak-tight. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Either

(1) We have the best hand, and it holds up.
(2) We have the best hand, but a straight or flush or another draw gets there and we lose.
(3) We have a second-best hand and have to make two pair or trips to win.

Outcomes (2) or (3) seem pretty likely, and the pot is relatively small. It'll cost some more bets to see the river.

I'd like the flop raise more if it were heads-up or three-handed. When four or more players see the flop, I generally assume someone can beat middle pair and play it straight-forward.