Trips out of the blinds - bet out or check-raise?

[ryanghall]

A fairly common situation in hold'em is to get to see a free/cheap look at a flop in the blinds with a less than great hand and hit trips.

My question is, what do you normally do in this situation?

The two most sensible choices are betting out and check-raising. I don't like check-calling and giving a free card.

I think I prefer check-raising in most cases, and here's why.

In most of these cases from the blinds, you have trips with a bad kicker. If you check-raise, you're usually going to take down the pot right there, which is fine. If you get called by a reasonable player, you must be wary. The check-raise screams that you have trips.

By betting out, you do not get this information. If a player calls you on the flop and/or turn and/or puts you all-in on the turn and/or river, you have a very difficult decision to make. Do they have the case card? A flop check-raise would have made you feel much better about this tough laydown.

A disadvantage to check-raising is obviously the free card problem if it gets checked around. You should have a redraw on the river, though, if someone hits a flush draw.

Anyway, I should know the potential problems of hitting trips in the blinds, I've had to fold my last 3 trips out of the blinds (all within half an hour) on the turn/river to all-ins. On each occasion, I bet out on the flop and turn.

So who agrees with me that a check-raise is usually best here for the purpose of getting information, depending on the circumstances?

[xorbie]

Depends on the flop.

33K and I have 39o in the BB, I lead out. Most Kings will call me.

337 and I have 39o in the BB, I check call. Let a PP bet it out, and possibly let people catch overcards.

3KK and I have K4o in the BB, I lead out and hope for a PP to call me. If called I check call the turn against most opponents and try to see a showdown, and fold to a lot of action.

[fimbulwinter]

[ QUOTE ]
A fairly common situation in hold'em is to get to see a free/cheap look at a flop in the blinds with a less than great hand and hit trips.

My question is, what do you normally do in this situation?

The two most sensible choices are betting out and check-raising. I don't like check-calling and giving a free card.

I think I prefer check-raising in most cases, and here's why.

In most of these cases from the blinds, you have trips with a bad kicker. If you check-raise, you're usually going to take down the pot right there, which is fine. If you get called by a reasonable player, you must be wary. The check-raise screams that you have trips.

By betting out, you do not get this information. If a player calls you on the flop and/or turn and/or puts you all-in on the turn and/or river, you have a very difficult decision to make. Do they have the case card? A flop check-raise would have made you feel much better about this tough laydown.

A disadvantage to check-raising is obviously the free card problem if it gets checked around. You should have a redraw on the river, though, if someone hits a flush draw.

Anyway, I should know the potential problems of hitting trips in the blinds, I've had to fold my last 3 trips out of the blinds (all within half an hour) on the turn/river to all-ins. On each occasion, I bet out on the flop and turn.

So who agrees with me that a check-raise is usually best here for the purpose of getting information, depending on the circumstances?

[/ QUOTE ]

totally depends on the board and players. against loose players on drawless boards, c/r is good, tighties on boards with draws, bet.

fim

[soah]

[ QUOTE ]
In most of these cases from the blinds, you have trips with a bad kicker. If you check-raise, you're usually going to take down the pot right there, which is fine. If you get called by a reasonable player, you must be wary. The check-raise screams that you have trips.

[/ QUOTE ]

As a general rule of thumb, any strategy which involves telling your opponent exactly what you have is horrible. Trying to exploit this information via third level thinking is doomed to failure. You will misinterpret the actions of opponents who are only thinking at the first level. Opponents thinking at the third level or beyond will force you to misinterpret their actions. The only players who will not tear you apart are those that are thinking at exactly the second level. You won't make many mistakes against them, but they won't make any mistakes against you either, as you have induced them to play correctly against you.

[barongreenback]

[ QUOTE ]
a check-raise is usually best here for the purpose of getting information

[/ QUOTE ]
You've paid to get this information and I don't think it's reliable. A loose player may call with a pair or draw or bigger trips. How much more money will you have to put in to get the information you're after because now the pot is big and it's really going to cost.

With trips no kicker usually I bet or check call depending mainly on how vulnerable I am and how tricky/agressive my opponents are. Either way I don't get too excited.

James