Folding an overpair on a non-threatening board.

[Acesover8s]

I played two nearly identical hands this week where I was dealt QQ in early position, raised it, and was 3-bet, I cap.

Flop comes with all littles, and when I get 4-bet on the flop I start thinking my hand is no good. So both times I resorted to the check and call method. Once I was shown JJ, the other AA.

So, what do you guys do in these situations? Is there something I'm missing that will allow me to extract more bets when he has JJ and actually muck when I'm the dog?

This situation seems to occur frequently.

Thanks,

[Manzanita]

Acesover8s,

Knowing your opponent is the only suggestion that I can make. Think about the range of hands your opponent may have to put in 4-bets against you (especially pre-flop). Against a passive player who has suddenly become very aggressive be more willing to go into check/call mode early in order to see the river cheaply. And against a loose-aggressive player be more willing to slip in an extra bet/raise on the way to the river.

-- Manzanita

[rtrombone]

If this happens to you frequently, you must be pretty unlucky.

Overpair vs. overpair is a situation in which you're just going to have lose money sometimes. If you have a small overpair, you can safely fold against solid, predictable players. (Say you raise with 10 10 and get 3-bet, bet the all-rag flop and get raised. You can muck if this isn't the type of guy to 3-bet pre-flop with 9 9 or raise you at the flop with AK.) With QQ, though, you're just going to have to pay off AA and KK most times.

As Manzanita said, it really depends on your opponent. There are certain players who will raise pre-flop with AA and KK only. Against these guys you can fold to a flop raise. Against loose raisers, you have to show down. Against most people I go at least 3 bets on the flop. Maybe this is a leak...

One thing you can do if you have position is raise the turn and then check it down unless you spike a set. You were going to call two bets anyways; this way you get an extra bet if you get lucky. A mere overpair isn't likely to 3-bet you.

Now set over set is whole 'nother can of worms.

[Georgia Peach]

I know how you feel. When I was in Biloxi last, I was at a table where this old retired guy from FLA slowplayed big pairs----always. Whether it was AA, KK or QQ. He just checked & limped all the way to the end. I had QQ and JJ on two occasions, I bet out and he would just call. I figured he was on a draw both times.

When I saw him do it a third time, I asked him about it.
The way he had it figured (as he explained to me), he liked playing poker and didn't think that raising in a 1-4-4-8 game was worth it.