very quick question....JJ in BB 1st hand

[Big Limpin']

Scenario:

First hand of a $11-$33 SnG. YOu are dealt pocket jacks in the big blind. 2 limps (@T20) and SB completes.

Check it along? Or raise it up?

My feeling is that neither is "wrong" so it doenst really matter too much i guess. The reason i post this is that its something i dont play the sme way as i used to, and am curious as to what others do.

[snowmen]

You should set how big would be the bet , but i picked up bet thinking about 3xBB . Thanks

[Big Limpin']

Pot is t80 at this point. If i were to raise, id probably make it 100 or 150 to go.

If you are doing 3BB, you'd have to expect to be called by several. I dont like the idea of building a multiway pot, out of position. IMO.

[Big Limpin']

Generally, if it is not stated otherwise, to "bet" means to bet 75%-100% of the pot, more preflop.

[adanthar]

You're going to get a lot of 'check and flop a set' answers. All these people are wrong, for the same reason that it's wrong not to raise AK here. Your hand is too good and has too much equity, and no, you do not make it up postflop (in fact, you invite yourself to lose your stack from the SB, who's completing 2 cards to flop 2 pair).

What you do have to realize is that, 44% of the time, there will be an overcard on the flop without you hitting a set. A Q is obviously less dangerous than an A or K, so you can bet that anyway, but if all 3 limpers call and an ace hits I'd just check/fold.

But you still raise, because this is the same play you make if you have AK spades and the flop is JT9 clubs - except that JJ will flop an overpair more often than AK will pair up *and* a hand like AT/88 may very well decide to raise you all in on the T62 board (bonus!).

One other thing: If you check, you must be prepared to fold the overpair to a lot of action. A lot of times, you'll be folding the best hand...and that's if you're good. A lot *more* times, you'll call the worst hand, because it's usually wrong to fold an overpair at low limits and very few people can do it well.

Play the hand strongly. I admit I play TT weaker nowadays but only because the risk of an AJ/KJ limp goes up. With jacks, most of the hands ahead of me would already have raised PF.

[Big Limpin']

Thanks. That was a good post.
I have to admit i have been checking this along lately, and feeling good about it, but i wouldnt have asked the question if i didnt have doubts. NOw im not so sure anymore. Gracias.

[snowmen]

So what is the perfect amount to bet in that situation? thanks

[adanthar]

At $5-10, the plan is to go all in, then pick up AA the next hand and do it again.

Otherwise, just make your standard raise. If there were 5 limpers instead of 2-3 I'd have said overbet.