3-bet QQ in SB against large field?

[pokerhooker]

Live 20/40 game last night. I have QQ in the small blind.

MP1, tight aggressive player, open raises. 3 cold-callers behind. I think about 3-betting, and instead call. BB calls, as well.

Flop: A 9 8 rainbow

Checked to the pre-flop raiser who bets, 2 calls back to me, and I fold.

Obviously I'm posting this because my QQ ended up being good. I've been beating myself up about not 3-betting this pre-flop. I definitely do with KK, and just call with JJ. Thoughts?

Given that I just called, could I have played it any differently? I just don't see how I can bet the flop into a raised pot with 5 people with an A on the board. I can't call if raised, and if called, I think I have to check-fold unless I spike the Q... Comments?

[tighterr]

Three bet preflop hopeing for the original raiser caps it and narrows the field. Bet the flop, fold to a raise. Your hand is only good againts smaller fields so the three bet I feel is necessary.

[pokerhooker]

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Three bet preflop hopeing for the original raiser caps it and narrows the field. Bet the flop, fold to a raise. Your hand is only good againts smaller fields so the three bet I feel is necessary.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know this is read-dependent, but the problem with 3-betting out of the blinds was, with my image, the original raiser wasn't going to cap unless I was behind (AA, KK), with the exception of AKs (he'd just call with AKo).

I thought my best chance of narrowing the field would come if my QQ was an overpair on the flop, I bet out, and he would raise me with his (hopefully smaller) overpair, or AK for free cards, and force the field to call two bets.

Again, I think 3-betting preflop probably was the right move, and leading, but with the size of the pot, anyone with a pair is calling. An ace is raising, but so, too, would a straight draw.

It seems I have to invest a lot hoping not only my QQ is good at the time, but that it would also hold up.

[NMcNasty]

You absolutely must 3bet with QQ and JJ preflop. However its purely an equity raise, there's no strategic advantage to raising. If you get that flop after a 3bet you should still bet out. Call a flop raise, but check-fold the turn. Still if you really aren't sure if you're beat you can call down. The pot is large enough that you only have to win around 1 out of ten times to make calling down correct. You should even consider 3 betting 77 through TT, even though you might be checking the flop a majority of the time.

[pokerhooker]

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You absolutely must 3bet with QQ and JJ preflop.

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I will concede this (although I still find JJ borderline)

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You should even consider 3 betting 77 through TT, even though you might be checking the flop a majority of the time.

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But unless you're isolating a pre-flop raiser and narrowing the field with your middle pair, I don't see the benefit in 3-betting a large field needing to flop a set to continue with confidence, since most boards are going to come with overcards.

[NMcNasty]

You're right about the original raiser not capping except with AKs, KK, and AA, but even if the original raiser would cap with weaker hands (as he should) the rest of the field still isn't going to fold. You can't narrow the field preflop and you probably can't narrow the field on the flop. What you can do however is punish your opponents for playing weak hands by making them pay an extra bet preflop. You're 99% sure you have the three callers beat and you're about 90% sure you have the original raiser beat. Not raising could be costing you as much as 1 big bet.