A JJ hand

[Roland32]

Did I play this correctly?


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (7 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

SB (t2235)
BB (t815)
Hero (t3000)
MP1 (t1320)
MP2 (t1180)
CO (t2520)
Button (t2430)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t200</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to t550</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls t350.

Flop: (t1175) 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets t250</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t800</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to t1880</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: t3855

Don't you hate that?

First of all, you correctly realized you were beaten and folded. You have to be all but certain that the villian has one of 5 hands - AA,KK,QQ,TT, or AKspades and you are behind all 5.

While I often advocate the flop check-raise to define your hand, I think in this case it is just a more expensive version of leading out and folding to a raise which would be my play.

It is tough to lay down an over-pair but I take a preflop re-raise of an UTG raise VERY seriously. I may be a bit on the conservative end but my own range for that move is really only AA,KK and maybe QQ.

The question is whether it is +EV to lay down your jacks to the re-raise preflop. This decision clearly depends on your read of your opponent and the situation. Here, not knowing the villian's style, he is not desperately short-stacked, he is in position and if he is at all perceptive, he realizes your raise was from UTG. you are getting almost 2.5:1 pot odds but in my estimation you are a 4.5:1 underdog about 75-80% of the time, coinflip about 10-15% and way ahead to a bluff 5-10%.

[durron597]

I think you can save 300 chips here by leading the flop for 500 and folding to a raise.

[wiggs73]

This is why I hate JJ with a passion. I'd lead the flop for 3/4 of the pot or so and back off if I got any action on that bet.

[bigt439]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you can save 300 chips here by leading the flop for 500 and folding to a raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I was thinking. It will usually be more than that when the button makes a reasonable sized bet too.

It seems we all agree on the flop play. what about my point on laying down JJ to the preflop reraise? Sometimes weak-tight is +EV.

[playtitleist]

Like everyone else, I hate JJ.

My perspective is from the $11s and $22s.

In this case I would definitely call the raise. The implied odds are really quite significant here. When you hit your hand the pay off is likely to put you ITM about 100% of the time. When you miss you are still in very good chip position. I play it for set value. Planning a check-raise/fold on the flop.

I think you lay it down to the preflop re-raise. You could just limp with them also as it gives you a cheap way to get out of the hand if re-raised or if the flop sucks.