KQo UTG. How's my line?

[JKDStudent]

I was pretty new to the table, so no reads.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. MP2 posts a blind of $1.
Hero calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 (poster) checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB calls, BB calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (10 SB) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4/images/graemlins/club.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, SB calls, BB folds.

Turn: (6.50 BB) 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls, SB calls.

River: (9.50 BB) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 calls, SB folds.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

My main question is if I played this too straight-forward. Should I have attempted a checkraise on the flop? Turn? The single bet really isn't protecting my hand in that pot, but if I leave it up to the pre-flop raiser to bet out, there are two people trapped between us so raising doesn't protect me at all against them. Checkraise the turn? But I also don't want this to get checked through. Just not sure what my best line here is.

[shadow29]

I raise this pf every time.

You don't need to "protect" your hand, you're betting for value here. A flop c/r is fine though. Either way, I don't think that it makes that much difference.

[gopnik]

raise preflop, the rest is fine. Don't get fancy for no reason.

[aK13]

Raise preflop. No need to get fancy with the check/raise...just bet.

[sungod]

I like it except that I would raise this preflop.

[Grail]

Everyone saying to raise KQo UTG PF. Even with horrible position?

What about in the blinds, still raise KQo PF?

-G

[shadow29]

[ QUOTE ]
Everyone saying to raise KQo UTG PF. Even with horrible position?

What about in the blinds, still raise KQo PF?

-G

[/ QUOTE ]

The strength of KQo makes up for the equity deficit inherent in bad position.

From the blinds, it's personal preference, I think. Also depends on the limpers.

[AmarilloJim1]

I would raise pre-flop with this. nh

[JKDStudent]

Raise pf, eh? I suppose I'm still stuck in the mindset of the Crypto crazy tight games where if you raise KQo UTG, you're either getting the blinds, or getting called/raised by something that has you dominated.

Villain doesn't show 99, MHIG. This same villain limp re-raised 99 UTG awhile later. When I had KK in the BB. That was a nice hand.

[crumpentunt]

With the relative position of the pf raiser, protecting your hand here would be near impossible. Just bet out and hope for the best, and the hand plays itself.

[theghost]

pfr isn't mandatory in that spot, it depends on the table. (or your mood)

flop c/r is ok, betting is good too. the rest is fine.

[hicherbie]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise pf, eh? I suppose I'm still stuck in the mindset of the Crypto crazy tight games where if you raise KQo UTG, you're either getting the blinds, or getting called/raised by something that has you dominated.

Villain doesn't show 99, MHIG. This same villain limp re-raised 99 UTG awhile later. When I had KK in the BB. That was a nice hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

you say that like getting the blinds is a bad thing. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Shillx]

I would check/raise the flop although betting seems okay. Just don't check and call here. ABC play gets the money dude! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Brad

[Rosencrantz1]

I agree with the minority regarding PF: I'm just calling UTG here.

My only concern with c/ring with this hand on flop or on turn (given the lack of reads) is whether it might get checked around. Seems like a pretty passive table.

[aK13]

The most important question of your life:

What do you do with KQo and AJo in early position? (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Board=smallholdem&amp;Number=2486016 &amp;Forum=f3&amp;Words=ctrl&amp;Searchpage=0&amp;Limit=25&amp;Main=24 86016&amp;Search=true&amp;where=bodysub&amp;Name=19116&amp;dateran ge=1&amp;newerval=1&amp;newertype=m&amp;olderval=&amp;oldertype=&amp;b odyprev=#Post2486016)

[Vagrant]

If you raise KQo UTG everytime you are raising too much with it. Limping isnt incorrect at all. You might want to try a check raise on the flop(probaly 50-50 between check raise and betting out), but i would definately bet out on turn and river.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
If you raise KQo UTG everytime you are raising too much with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

No.

"The Holy Bible describes AJo and KQo as a beautiful hand with no death, sorrow, sickness or pain.

God tells us in the Holy Bible how simple it is to raise these hands in EP so that we can increase our winrate with Him in Heaven."

[aK13]

[ QUOTE ]
If you raise KQo UTG everytime you are raising too much with it. Limping isnt incorrect at all. You might want to try a check raise on the flop(probaly 50-50 between check raise and betting out), but i would definately bet out on turn and river.

[/ QUOTE ]

With decent postflop play against most party players up to 2/4, KQo is a raise UTG everytime in my book.

[Jakesta]

And what do you at Party 3/6? Limp it?

[aK13]

[ QUOTE ]
And what do you at Party 3/6? Limp it?

[/ QUOTE ]

You might need to vary your play a little more against tougher opponents, and (even though I've never tried 3/6) I'm inclined to think that it's either a raise or fold.

[IPSC]

Since MP2 posted, I would consider raising this preflop from UTG.

I'd play it the same way you did on the flop. This isn't the place for a checkraise for the reasons you stated.

Bet the turn, it would be a shame to give SB and MP3 a free card in a 6.5 BB pot.

[Rah]

I sometimes drop KQo from UTG and UTG+1. In a loose game, I limp or raise it. Autoraising is bad - KQo from EP is about as situational as a hand can be.

[shadow29]

[ QUOTE ]
I sometimes drop KQo from UTG and UTG+1. In a loose game, I limp or raise it. Autoraising is bad - KQo from EP is about as situational as a hand can be.

[/ QUOTE ]

U.G.H.

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
I sometimes drop KQo from UTG and UTG+1. In a loose game, I limp or raise it. Autoraising is bad - KQo from EP is about as situational as a hand can be.

[/ QUOTE ]

True... but the situation of "playing at microlimits" makes this an auto play. Raising is probably right better than 80% of the time.

[Fantam]

I think you played this hand as well as you could.

The trouble with trying to c/r the flop is that you could easily end up giving a free card to drawing hands that are currently behind you to draw out on you.

By betting, it was certainly possible that MP3 could have raised and faced SB and BB with calling 2 bets, improving your chances of contesting the hand HU.

When MP3 calls your flop bet, I imagine that he is more likely hoping to catch an A, than slowplaying AA or JJ. Its also possible that he is calling with QQ,TT or 99 in the hope that you might be on a straight draw.

I think you had to bet the turn, because the risk of giving a free card (as you suspected) was too high. SB had shown no strength throughout the hand by just calling. And MP3 had shown no strength since his PF raise.

So I think the line you chose was probably the best one that you could have taken, without any reads.

[Rah]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I sometimes drop KQo from UTG and UTG+1. In a loose game, I limp or raise it. Autoraising is bad - KQo from EP is about as situational as a hand can be.

[/ QUOTE ]

U.G.H.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what that means, but if you disagree, I would expect at least some argument. There are certainly situations where you don't play KQo from UTG, however not so usual at micro-limits.

[UncleSalty]

I disagree. If you are playing at a table where you feel the need to drop KQo UTG then you should:

1. Click the fold button
2. Unclick the AutoPost Blinds Button
3. Go find another table.

I think the hand is generally an autoraise when you are first to open the betting. You are only worried about domination if you get 3-bet, which should be rare. The hand stands up ok to several players if you flop a straight draw and has solid equity PF against a field of random hands.

[shadow29]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I sometimes drop KQo from UTG and UTG+1. In a loose game, I limp or raise it. Autoraising is bad - KQo from EP is about as situational as a hand can be.

[/ QUOTE ]

U.G.H.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what that means, but if you disagree, I would expect at least some argument. There are certainly situations where you don't play KQo from UTG, however not so usual at micro-limits.

[/ QUOTE ]

Say "ugh" out loud. That's my sentiment when I hear people telling others to drop KQo at a micro game.

Certainly there are times not to play KQo. Those times aren't in the micro games. Hell, at the 2+2 game in Atlanta (arguably one of the toughest limit games in Atlanta), I still raise this UTG.

There is just too much equity in KQo to be folding this. You are missing out on enormous amounts of expectation. Run PokerStove simulations. Even if you put half the field at 30 VPIP (which is low for .5/1) you still have an equity edge. Moreover, your equity edge against 9 random hands is getting close to 1.5:1 !!!! If that's not an edge you want to exploit, I think you should be playing chess.

[gopnik]

raise preflop, the rest is fine. You are not protecting, you are betting for value.