Empire 15/30

[Monkeyslacks]

I'm usually playing 5/10 these days, but took a flyer the other day. The following is a typical hand for the session. Blah?

New to the table, no reads. A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/heart.gif in small blind. Four limpers and I complete.

Flop comes A /images/graemlins/spade.gif 6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I hope to c/r but it gets checked around.

Turn is J /images/graemlins/spade.gif. I bet, folded to button who raises. I three bet, he caps.

River is 7 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I check, he bets, I call.

I've never done a poll before, so here goes...

Results in white...

<font color="white"> Button has AA for top set... I find myself winning a few little pots with TPTK and then giving it all back on hands like this one. Just want to make sure I know when to turn 'em loose.</font>

[sweetzer]

I bet the flop, as AJ is too weak to check raise even in an unraised pot. I would still cap the turn, as there are no draws out there, and his only wins would be a small set for a reasonable player. That the button limped with AA after three early limpers is a pathetic play that happened to work this time. Stay aggressive, you had top two pair which is a strong hand, especially with no draws.

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
bet the flop, as AJ is too weak to check raise even in an unraised pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you only check raise with hands like TPTK or better, you are not check raising enough.

[MarkD]

Umm... nothing wrong with a check raise attempt here. AJ is plenty strong enough in most circumstances (except for the posters). I most likely would have bet out expecting to be way ahead and get called and overcalled by much worse hands and a few aces drawing nearly dead.

[Zele]

I would also have bet it here (not a poll choice), but not beacuse AJ is too weak to check-raise. Acutally quite the opposite. If the board was more draw-friendly, a check-raise would be practically automatic. However, in this case, you aren't dying to knock players out quite as much (not that you'll intentionally give a free card, but you won't neccesarily cringe if you get three callers, at least you won't cringe because you fear what they're drawing to.)

So given that we have the freedom not to check-raise, I bet out here since many players won't give you credit for an A, since, if you were going to pure-bluff a flop, this would have been the one to do it on. Ideally, one guy will call you to the end with 88 or something like that. Check-raising makes it quite obvious what you have.

[samdash]

I would NEVER bet out in this spot. This is a text book example of the best time to check raise the flop. Your hand is hidden and you almost certainly have the best hand. No raise preflop so AK and AQ are most likely not out there. I can't even believe someone would worry about the hand being too weak to check raise. Weak hands often warrant a checkraise with the right conditions. I hope by weak sweetzer meant the hand is vulnerable to overcards but I know that's not what he meant. It is so rare to see hands check around on the flop at party 15/30 that I don't even think this should be a concern. Check raising will help you knock out overcards that might call 1 bet (incorrectly but you'll see it all the time at party 15/30)

[Monkeyslacks]

[ QUOTE ]
AJ is too weak to check raise

[/ QUOTE ]
Why do you say this? Do you really fear AK or AQ after the preflop action? I think I am ahead here 90% of the time at least. Also, it was my opponent who capped the turn...