Top pair, horrible kicker

[asdf1234]

Here's a type of hand I was thinking about last night and find that I have trouble with it at times.

I'm in the BB and get a free play against a couple of limpers with K4o

Flop: K 7 2 ranbow
I bet, folded to LP limper who raises.
What's my action?

What if the flop was K/images/graemlins/spade.gif 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif?

Edit: Also, how would you play the remainder of the hand?

[novamob]

I agree that this hand is tricky. I think more than anything else in this situation you need some sort of read on your opponent. What would he limp in LP with? Is he loose enough to play K8? Would he limp with KQo? Is he raising cuz he has you beat or raising to get info about your hand? I would do 1 of 2 things (neither of which I am convinced is correct or even smart) (1-aggressive) I would re-raise and then bet out on the turn if he calls my reraise (If he raies me back I think I muck) or (2 - passive) fold to his raise and move on.

[MrBlini]

When the flop is something like K72, many players will respect the big blind's play because there's a decent chance the big blind actually caught part of the flop. This is a situation in which I play it weak-tight and let a semibluff with second pair take it down. This is even true of the second situation.

The only defense I know against the semibluff is a semibluff reraise, and that's going to cost you a lot if the other player is trying to protect top pair. I hate hate hate these hands in the big blind, and I'm usually happy to get played back at right away and let them go.

[BIGRED]

I'm no expert as you can probably tell from my name... /images/graemlins/blush.gif but I did learn a thing or two from lurking on this site. FYI, I usually play 2/4.

Half the time I'm in that kind of situation, instead of betting out, I just check and see what the rest of the field does. Now, if the LP bets, you're in the position to raise him and make him sweat. If he reraises, I would fold. If he calls, bet out on the turn and see what he does. If he calls your turn bet, and you stay unimproved, I would just check/call to see the showdown as cheaply as possible.

If I'm heads up, I'm not folding this unless he raises my turn bet after calling my flop check raise.

[sthief09]

I agree with check-raising. If he pushes back, you can fold. The pot is small. If he calls your check-raise, you bet the turn, and maybe check-call the river.

For the second flop, I might just check and fold. The flop is coordinated, and you have little to gain.

but as always, I could be wrong

[asdf1234]

I definitely agree that it is highly dependent on opponents, and in fact it becomes relatively easy to know what to do if you've got a read, especially with the first flop. I've done both of the things you describe, I feel like a maniac doing the first, like a weak tightie doing the second, but I can't think of anything better.

[asdf1234]

That's probably what I do the majority of the time, but it feels really weak.

[asdf1234]

Good response.

[asdf1234]

I think checkraising the first flop is probably the best plan, it just gives more information and makes it easier to plan the rest of the hand.

[MrBlini]

I agree.