Flopped the monster

6-12, 9 players.


2 limpers, cutoff raises, button calls. I call in the bb with 66.


Flop comes A66r. I check. Cutoff bets. Button raises. I cold call. Rest fold. Two players left.


Turn comes blank. I check and button checks.


River comes blank. I bet and button folds.


Would you have played this hand any differently?

I would reraise the flop. Your cold call kills your action and you don't get the extra bets. Both your check-reraise and your cold call will probably expose your hand as best but most players will not raise and then fold. Plus, they might have more interest in seeing what hand you might play that way. That could lead to curiousity calls on the expensive streets.


I think you played it in the least profitable way possible. Routine slowplaying is one of the things that exposes inexperienced players, IMO. You need to consider what they have AND what they will think you have. The way you played it exposes your action as a trap and a good player will recogize it as such. That means you sacrafice profit for the sake of a fancy play.


KJS

I analyzed the hand with the assumption that you check the flop. Actually, I would bet the flop here and hope to get raised so I can 3 bet or maybe checkraise the turn ONLY IF the player is aggressive and I AM VERY SURE he will bet the turn. Otherwise, its pedal to the metal.


KJS

I'd bet the flop and try to get some players to call one small bet. If somebody (button) raises, just smooth call the flop raise and the bet again on the turn.


You certainly want to get as much as you can out of this hand. However, it's probably best to make your opponents call just one bet at a time.

I would reraise the flop.


What? You want to 3-bet the flop with Quads? What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to protect your hand to prvent someone else from making runner-runner Quads that beat yours?


You need to consider what they have


Did you do that? Unless the pre-flop raiser has AA, then the best hand that can be out there is Aces-up. The last thing you want to do is make a play which causes your opponents to fold.


The best way to play the hand is to bet out on each street and just smooth-call a raise so that your opponents only have to call one bet at a time.

for variations, think of which way you could play it that would put you on a wider range of hands...

then think of how you could play that would define your hand...


forinstance...betting out on the flop, could be much more hands...


checkraising the turn...narrow it to usually at least trips...c/r flop, not as definitive as the turn, but still strong...little too strong to me...


i wouldve bet the flop and just kept betting. they wont put ya on it right away..."who bets quads here?" is what theyll think as they dismiss that hand...


cold calling a flop, think of what hands would be doing this....not many...


many options to be explored here, just remember to mix it up a little against observant opponents...


one more thing....watch how THEY play flopped monsters...dont play them the way they do...theyll put you on it fast because its familiar to them...use their patterns against them.


jsut some ideas...


b

I agree with the flop strategy, Dynasty, but I think that by playing the hand that way, you are *far* more likely to succeed in check-raising the turn. So I would attempt at checking the turn (alternatively three-betting the flop and make my opponent commited to calling me down).


lars

I don't want to checkraise or 3-bet. It forces some opponents to call two bets cold. That could cause them to fold a medium pair such as 88.

I don't think anyone has anything to continue with here. At best I was trying to get them to pay one more small bet. The way he played it he got zero bets the remainder of the hand. The trap was sprung with his cold call and it was all over. If he 3 bets than the trap is sprung but people might be willing to pay one more small bet to either hit their miracle card or because they are too macho to raise and then fold. Very very few low limit players would raise and then fold to a 3 bet. Get the last bet from them now.


KJS

I agree. Checkraising in small limit games usually scares people and causes them to be timid, which is not what you want with your monster. Save your checkraising for the river, when there is no more need for deception. Until then, you just want to keep people in. Bet out on the flop and turn in order to stimulate some action, but don't do any of the raising yourself until the river.