AJ in the BB vs. 2 opponents

[Gravy (Gravy Smoothie)]

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB completes, Hero raises, MP1 calls, SB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB bets, Hero calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero bets, MP1 folds, SB calls.

River: (6.50 BB) A/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
SB bets, Hero raises, SB calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

I'm curious to hear thoughts about whether or not the correct flop play is to call or raise.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Raise the flop. I'd want to protect my hand against a lot of cards on the turn such as K, Q, any /images/graemlins/diamond.gif card, or something that could complete the st8.

[CardCuda]

vs. 2 opponents (1 in the SB) I'd raise the flop here.

[Sam T.]

Raise. You're not going to chase anyone with two diamonds, but you've got to drive out singletons.

[Gravy (Gravy Smoothie)]

OK, here's my thinking on this hand.

Against more opponents, this is an autoraise on the flop (although probably not a raise preflop from the blinds).

There was about a 99% chance I was best on the flop. When SB bet into me, I was confident he was doing one of two things: a) betting a J with a lower kicker (KJ, QJ) or b) bluffing. If I raise, and he has KJ or QJ, he will most likely give me credit for AJ+ and call it down. I he is bluffing, he folds. In addition, MP1 now has to call two cold. However, if I flat call, SB is more likely to put me on overs or a steal. MP1 will be more likely to call one bet than two, if he has a marginal hand. Also, SB will likely bet into me again on the turn, after I showed weakness on the flop (unfortunately it didn't work out that way this hand).

The odds of people having backdoor draws, lone diamonds and lone K's and Q's are reduced here, seeing that I have only two opponents. Not enough free cards scare me here to worry *too* much about the flop. It was a question of, will I make enough extra bets up by flat calling the flop to make up for the times that I lose the pot to a hand that would have folded to a flop raise. Especially given the relatively small size of the pot on the flop, I think the flat call with the intent of a turn raise was correct.

[charlie_t_jr]

Yeah, I'd have to say raise that flop, with the /images/graemlins/diamond.gif's and straight...I'd feel foolish if some one drew out on me.

[TBone]

There are essentially 7 cards that could possibly beat you, out of 45. There's almost a 1-3 chance that card falls on either the turn or the river. If you can take this pot down now, you would save yourself from being outdrawn by a Q or K. You don't get hands like AJ or better too often. I'd rather win it now than take my chances later.

Having said that, I raise the flop to try to get and K or Q to fold.

T

[MortalNuts]

Because you raised PF, I think the pot is big enough here (obviously not huge, but c'mon) that you still want to raise. If you don't, you're giving people holding lots of hands sufficient odds (7 or 8:1) to call; you raise not to drive out flush draws, because of course you won't, but because a) you have an edge and b) to protect your hand from lots of random stuff that would be correct to call only 1 bet.

Note also that if SB is bluffing, you have no right to expect him to continue the bluff on the turn, so the whole "wait till the turn to raise" thing can easily backfire.

just my 2 lead cents.

cheers,
mn

[Tosh]

Raise the flop. He's probably betting a draw or a worse jack either way he's paying you off.

[Gravy (Gravy Smoothie)]

Looks pretty unanimous. Thanks for giving me a dose of proper play to counteract my FPS.