Drawing to overcards/on the button.

[TripleH68]

PokerStars 3/6 Hold'em (10 handed)

No reads. One of your more solid PS games. (Please don't tell me to find an easier game. At this point I only single table and I enjoy the challenge of learning to play in games of all different textures. Tx.)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif. MP3 posts a blind of $4.
<font color="666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls, MP3 (poster) checks, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (10.66 SB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG+2 checks, MP2 checks, MP3 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">BB raises</font>, UTG+2 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero...

Is this flop bet automatic?
If I am going to draw to overcards here should I be 3-betting this flop?
If yes what if BB caps?

[StellarWind]

The flop bet is fine.

Clearly you need to see the turn. I don't think the checkraise is likely to be a five from that position.

I don't think your chances of getting a free card or slim pot equity warrant 3-betting. Pretty self-destructive.

If you don't listen to my advice then you must call the cap. The pot odds are very high.

If you are lucky the intermediate caller will stop BB from betting the turn with a draw. For that reason it is important to call the checkraise in tempo. Anyway if you don't improve on the turn you're done.

[spamuell]

Hey Stellar,

I completely agree with all your comments here except:

[ QUOTE ]
in tempo

[/ QUOTE ]

because I don't know what you mean. Are you suggesting something about online time-tells? Would you mind explaining?

Thanks

[J.R.]

don't wait and make it appears as if you are considering folding/don't like your hand, as that may make the flop check-raise more prone to continue to push an unimproved semi-bluff on the turn.

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
because I don't know what you mean. Are you suggesting something about online time-tells? Would you mind explaining?

[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly what J.R. said.

It's one of the best time-tells in online poker. When you hammer someone with a semi-bluff and they call after a significant pause, it shows reluctance to call. You need to fire another barrel on the next street.

I sometimes fake this tell on the turn. If I've decided to call the river and I am certain that any hand that beats me will bet again anyway, I may hesitate in order to promote another bet/bluff by a weaker hand.

Disclaimer: &lt;standard warnings about misuse of online time tells, treating each hand and opponent as an individual, and the importance of using your brain while playing&gt;