Fundamental Question - KK Hand

[fnord_too]

2/4 game. I have a little over 400, villain has the same. I raise to $12 in ep with K /images/graemlins/diamond.gifK /images/graemlins/club.gif and get one caller two seats to my left. Villain is decent as far as I can tell, though I haven't played many hands with him.

Flop comes 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif, Pot is $30. I lead for $20, he raises to $60, I call. Pot $190.

Turn is 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif I bet $80, he pushes, I fold.

Is this a reasonable line? Being OOP with an overpair is a spot I am really unsure in. The board is draw heavy, so I really don't want to give 2 spades a free card, but I really don't like my situation. So really my questions are:

Should I just call the flop raise?
Should I lead the turn?
Should I call the push (A pair + a straight or flush draw is certainly possible here I think, though I think a set is more likely by a lot.)

Edit - This is a 10 handed game

[Big_Jim]

I think that your chosen line is a good one. It prevents hands like the aformentioned pair and a flush draw or straight draw from getting off cheap and gets a good amount of money from other overpair/top pair hands.

I think that the flop call is fine, particularly if you think that Villian may have a pair/flush draw kind of hand. Re-raising here gives him odds to push, which you will probably have to fold to, with just a pair.

As far as whether or not you can call the turn push, it's entirely read dependant, but I think he has you beat here. If he didn't flop a set, he likely has two pair with a suited connector. If he just has an overpair (TT-QQ) then he earned this pot with a ballsy play, as far as I'm concerned.

[NickPoker]

One thing I would suggest is a larger opening bet on the flop, into that draw heavy board I probably lead the flop for $40-50 to try to discourage draws. You may also consider betting a bit larger preflop, maybe $20, but that is getting pretty nit picky.

By the way you played it, I would just call the raise,like you did and check fold if a draw hits. IMO your $80 turn bet shows more weakness than a check. If you are going to bet you need to bet at least $150, and then you are close to committing yourself. To summarize, check fold the turn to a decent size bet. THe only thing you are beating IMO is a bluff, maybe a semibluff like 109 /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[augie00]

A turn gaybet is a good way to catch a hand like AK who was just fooling around on the flop.

I think this line is fine, and it's much better than check-calling to the river (which I have a bad habit of doing) since he probably has a set.

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I would suggest is a larger opening bet on the flop

[/ QUOTE ]

This brings up another fundamental question: Should I be varying my continuation bet size? I don't really. There is a small variance since I typically lead with less than a pot size bet, but the exact percentage depends on the size of the pot. (for instance, I usually bet 18 if the pot is 26, 20 or 22 into 30. The differences in bet size for a given pot size are very small and not based on my cards).

On later streets, I will vary my bets depending on opposition, board, hand strength, and stack sizes, but I was under the impression that varying it on the flop would give away too much information. I suppose varying it based on the texture of the flop would be ok though, as long as I do it if I am just conitnuing with air or I have a hand. Is that a common practice?

[mgsimpleton]

I think the key thing that a lot of people don't realize is they have to pick a hand or two they're representing... and your bet can be based on that hand...

So if you have AK but you want to represent AA and the board comes rags, you bet hard... but if it comes 228 raiinbow, a half pot bet is almost as scary as 2/3 because people might bet very littl eor even check on that board...

sometimes i won't even continuation bet because on that boardi imight check AA behind, so maybe check the flop and raise the turn...

so yes it should depend on the texture of the board and how you would play the hand you're representing. sorry if that's an obvious point.

[Bosox]

The preflop bet is too small. It's inviting a lesser hand to come in and break you (at least you were able to release it).
The flop bet could also be larger. Given that it was a relatively small bet into the pot, I can see him raising a fairly broad range of hands but warning bells should definitely be going off.
I do like the turn bet because it forces him to define his hand and you can fold to his push or he's folding if he has crap. You must make him pay for the draw. It's either that or check/fold.