BB Troubles...QJo vs. UTG preflop raise

[RiverJohn]

5 handed $3/6, Paradise Poker

I receive QJo in the BB.

UTG (probably a decent player) raised.
Cutoff (loose calling station) called.
Button (somewhat unknown, but average-looking) calls.
I call.

*** FLOP *** : [ 4d 5c Jh ]
I bet out. All call.

*** TURN *** : [ 4d 5c Jh ] [ 7s ]
I bet. Folded to the button, who raises. I fold.

A) Should I have bet the flop?
B) Should I have bet the turn?
C) Is the pot too large at this point to fold? My intution told me I was very likely beat.

I didn't believe the button would be pulling a move here. I put him on a set, KJ, or AJ. Perhaps 54s, as he liked suited connectors. After observing his play further, I still think this was probably the case.

[Jason Pohl]

I think it could be a move, especially if the button is a solid player.

One of my favorite plays is to raise the turn with a medium strength hand, with the intention of checking the river unless I improve (notice that the cost is the same as calling twice; but if my opponent has a weak hand, I can get the money in before the river and make an extra bet). I know many, many shorthanded players who will make the same move. Of course, they will also raise strong hands such as two pair or a set as well.

With top pair and a good kicker, I would call the turn and be prepared to call the river. The button could be making a play like the one listed above, or he could be making an outright bluff raise. He could even be raising as a semibluff. Unless you have a read on the opponent from previous play, I think a call is close to mandatory here. Besides, you are only drawing dead to a set or straight here. Even if the button has just made two pair, you will still suckout almost 10% of the time.

So, I'd call unless the opponent was remarkably non-deceptive.

Hope that helps,
--Jason

[Ikke]

I think you narrow down his hands way too much. Can he really hold only hands you can't beat?

What about JT-8 (a lot of people call raises with that), 67 (pair+straight draw), even 87, 65.

To fold top pair, reasonable kicker here in a 9BB pot against virtually an unknown opponent is weak IMO. You're chances of being ahead here are good enough to call him down. And, as a bonus, you might get some information at showndown that you need so badly in this game.

Regards

[lefty rosen]

Yeah a scouting report is worth alot to see what your opponents will cold call for two small bets. Also if I know my opponent to a tee I may not call his raise with queen jack off if he is a solid shorttable player who doesn't bluff much.