Playing from the Blinds: Top pair with various kickers.

[Taraz]

I'm just curious to see how people play this hand depending on what X is. Do you bet our regardless? Check raise maybe? How does your play differ when you have J4 vs. JT vs. JK? Do you fold to a raise?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) converter

Hero (t785)
BB (t1117)
UTG (t840)
UTG+1 (t785)
MP1 (t800)
MP2 (t785)
MP3 (t725)
CO (t1418)
Button (t745)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, X/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
3 folds, MP2 calls t15, 2 folds, Button calls t15, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop (t60): J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif,3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif

I think I'd bet 60 and hope to take the pot right away, if X is not a 3 or 7.

But then again, I am just starting STT's /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I think I bet out regardless, the size of the kicker will become more important when considering further action.

I somehow have the tendency to check and see what the others do with low kickers, and bet out with a good kicker. Is this OK? I do this, because if I check with a good kicker and someone else bets the pot, I don't know if he really has a hand or just bet because it was checked to him. If I bet and someone raises me he is showing real strength. If I have a lower kicker, I check, and if someone makes a bet I'm more inclined to fold right there, and check/call if the situation permits it. (weak?!)

Anyone can think of pro's and cons for betting out and check/calling with various kickers? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

EDIT: I think betting out 3/4 of the pot or something like that is better than checking with a low kicker, because this way you'll get much more information. But betting into >3 people is so scary! /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[J-Lo]

check/fold unless u hit 2 pair or they bet 15. chips saved are worth more than chips earned. Top pair are not hands u want to put more than 100 chips total into the middle-- especially early in the tourney. this advice is especially applicable to 800 chip games.

[ZeroPointMachine]

[ QUOTE ]
check/fold unless u hit 2 pair or they bet 15. chips saved are worth more than chips earned. Top pair are not hands u want to put more than 100 chips total into the middle-- especially early in the tourney. this advice is especially applicable to 800 chip games.

[/ QUOTE ]

It just doesn't get any weaker or tighter than this!

[Taraz]

I guess I'll throw in my two cents. I normally bet out with the larger kickers and check/call or check/fold with the tiny ones. I guess I don't check/call if there are this many people in the hand, and even when it's 3handed it may be a leak. Hmm.

[pineapple888]

[ QUOTE ]
I think I'd bet 60 and hope to take the pot right away, if X is not a 3 or 7.

But then again, I am just starting STT's /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes the simple answer is the best answer.

But bet your 3s and 7s also. I see no point to slow-playing in an unraised pot.