How to play TPNK, street by street.

[kongo_totte]

I play NL $0.5BB and $1BB, and some homegames, and I’m not sure how to play TPNK. The situation comes up mostly when I play Axs (mostly w/ 100xBB stacks) or when I’m in the blinds.

When the flop comes A J 2r and I hold A 4 s, what is my move?

1. If there are 3-4 seeing the flop I usually pot it if checked to me and slow down dramatically if called. If raised before me (pot sized) I usually fold. On the turn/river I will fold to any reasonably sized bet.

2. If 5+ players see the flop, I usually check/fold if I don’t improve.

3. If it’s battle of the blinds, I will pot the flop and try to get to show down cheaply if called, either by block betting or checking if I believe it will be checked behind.

I know this is a rough generalisation and it depends on the type of opponents, but given that in all these situations there are no reads what so ever, does my plan look good? What would you do differently? How does it change if it's a pre-flop raised pot? Also, how does this change if the flop is 2-suited? (I usually play it about the same only a little more aggressive if it's 2-suited (maybe bet out on the turn aswell). Good? Bad?)

Any pointers will be appreciated

[PoBoy321]

The simple answer is:

Don't play Axs. I find that it's a hand that always gets me in trouble. Unless you hit your flush you really can't be confident in it. I used to play hands like that and got burned a lot when I'd have A7, the board would come AJ7 and i'm up against AJ. Basically, moral of the story is don't play Axs, and if you get it from the blinds, play it real slow.

[ipp147]

I always try and remember 3 things when I make a very marginal hand from the blinds,

I'm out of position the whole hand now

The pot is relatively small

People will have limped with anything.

I might bet out TPNK vs 1 opponent on an uncoordinted board but I don't go crazy /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[kongo_totte]

Is the common opinion not to play Axs w/ 100xBB stacks? I haven't got my PT-stats here (since I'm at work) but I'll check how my A Xs stats are later.

Poboy: do you think I should play A X even slower than I suggested when I get it in the blinds.

[PoBoy321]

No, sorry. The way that you say you play it from the blinds sounds good to me. Basically, my point was that when you're playing Axs, you're really drawing to a flush or two pair, and you can't always be too confident in your two pair. So there's really only 1 situation in which you're going to be confident in your hand, and that's when you hit a flush. And when you DO hit your flush, it's difficult to get paid off on it unless there's a lower flush out there because it's always so obvious when someone has a flush.