Unimproved AQ/EP decision

[Ortho]

Hi,

I have no idea where this hand came from, but I have it in my notes that I review to help my play. When I went back for my review of these this month, the recommended play, which I had previously put a '?' above, seemed wrong, so I thought I'd post it.

I apologize that there are no reads. I don't know what limit the hand was played at. I got the hand from the archives at some point and these bare bones are all I have. I originally thought it was a SSH hand quiz, but it doesn't appear to be.

(10-handed)
Hero is UTG+1 w/A/images/graemlins/club.gifQ/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.

Preflop: UTG limps, Hero raises, CO, SB and BB all call.

Flop (10sb, 5 players): 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif T/images/graemlins/heart.gif

Blinds check. UTG bets.

The answer advocated in my notes is "raise, the pot is decent-sized, you might have the best hand, and calling is better than raising because you force out weak draws, thin the field, and have an outside chance of a free card."

I'm not sure this is right. The pot is decent-sized, but it's 11 sb. I'm on a maximum of 6 outs here, and standard SSH would give me 3. I think UTG is quite likely to have a pair JJ-77, though he could of course have overcards.

It is true that I can force a gutshot out from a singleton 9 or 7, but in the best case when I do, I end up heads-up against a likely better hand and I've paid too much for my draw.

Anyway, thoughts appreciated. Is this a standard raise?

[W. Deranged]

Given the pot size, raising is probably better than calling here because you may clean up some of your outs by forcing out hands like A6s and gutshots and runner draws. If you plan to continue I think this is a situation where raising is probably going to significantly increase your chance of winning.

You also may earn a free card. In general, if you get the hand heads-up, you should be sure to be disciplined (generally) and check the turn for the free card.

[Ortho]

Thanks for the reply. I'm now comfortable with this.

[Turtle]

[ QUOTE ]

You also may earn a free card. In general, if you get the hand heads-up, you should be sure to be disciplined (generally) and check the turn for the free card.

[/ QUOTE ]

And correspondingly, fold to any bet if unimproved?

And if checked to you, check behind villain if it's a drawless board, and otherwise bet the river in the hope of a busted draw?

[Dagger78]

Fold, a raise will most likely NOT fold the 3 players yet to act as they will call with pairs, gutshot draws, and other random hands. UTG probably has a T, or worse has you reverse dominated. Also, you're in poor position for the rest of the hand when someone cold calls behind you. You also can't flat call for fear of a raise behind you destroying your pot odds.