Take a flop free card?

[Bill Lumberg]

Pre-flop: Hero is button with A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
2 folds, UTG+2 calls, 2 folds, CO (LAG) calls, Hero raises, SB (TAG) 3-bets, UTG+2 folds, CO calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (11 sb) 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif
SB checks, CO checks, Hero bets???

<font color="blue"> </font> Is there an argument for betting?I'm thinking that taking the free card here is the best play given that villain is a TAG and 3-bet from the small blind. If he's got an overpair, you are getting check-raised. If he's got AK or AKs, he's not folding and you're behind. I don't see him having anything we're ahead of. Would having a backdoor draw change this to a bet? <font color="blue"> </font>

[Nick C]

The flop is coordinated and missed you pretty badly. I don't like your hand very much anymore. If the TAG has AK, then we can only be happy about catching a queen (and we could do so and still easily go on to lose to, for instance, a straight).

I would check even if I had a backdoor flush.

[jason_t]

This is an easy check behind on the flop. You're hand has very little potential and there isn't much to protect. Check and be done.