calling raises with overcards

I have been having trouble laying down good starting hands (big pocket pairs) hands when I am raised on the flop/turn/river. I exclusively play in low limit games, and often mistakenly put people on draws when they raise, trying to buy a free card, only to find that they acually did play a hand I wouldn't have expected them to pay and they have me beat.


I think my real weakness is patience. After waiting for good cards in the right position and conditions, i have difficulty laying down hands. I think this is a tremendous leak in my game.


Should I treat low limit players as straightforward, and feel confident that if I appear to lay down too many hands (weak tight) that they will pop me at the wrong time and I will drag a big pot. Here is a hand I feel I blew in retrospect, was I a fisherman who should have left on the flop?


2-4 online, I have played tight and aggressive when I have a hand. No read on either of the two players involved.


I get KcKd on the button, two MP limpers to me, I raise, blinds fold, both call. 3 players to the flop for about 7 SB.


[ 3d 6d 2h ] flop. Both check, i bet, MP1 calls, MP2 checkraises, I call, MP1 folds. 2 players to the turn for 12 SB.


7s [ 3d 6d 2h ] MP2 bets, I call. 2 players to river for 8 BB.


8d [7s 3d 6d 2h ] MP2 bets, I call. MP shows 4c5c for the flopped straight.


Should I have put MP2 on a straight on the flop when MP2 raised? I thought (maybe hoped?) that MP2 either had diamonds (then why would I call the river?), a open ended straight draw (something like A4 suited), or a pair thinking I had big cards that missed.


Nevertheless, I think my play was to three-bet the flop and see what MP2 did and fold to a raise but be careful from there on out if MP2 called. How would anyone else have played this hand?


Thanks!

I don't think paying off here is too wrong altogether although most of the time you will lose the showdown. Had you been checkraised on the turn, I think its more acceptable to fold.


Part of the problem you might encounter is that so many LL players put preflop raisers on AK, and if no A or K hits, they attempt to push you around.


So in this situation, calling down seems ok. But being willing to fold big pairs is a useful skill on scarier boards.

In my experience this is a common mistake with LL players (probably mid limit as well).


Not believing especially after having waited so long for good starting cards that your

opponent(s) have you beat.


A checkraise is a powerful play that generally signifies a hand to match that play.


Do players checkraise bluff?


Yes, but rarely in my opinion.


Still though I know you don't want to lay down that overpair.


If you can however learn to do this at least some of the time in the face of aggressive betting after you yourself have shown aggression pre-flop, your bankroll will love you for it.


Yvonne

I believe your post is mis-titled. It should titled "Calling raises with overpairs." Overcards means A-K or A-Q not pocket pairs.


You should 3-bet the flop. It is hard to put a middle player on a hand like five-four. If you continue to get heat, then simply play it "like a little girl" by checking and calling. Normally a big overpair like yours is a through ticket to the river in a heads-up situation.

I think you played ok. You cannot get scared and throw away your big overpair each time someone starts playing aggressive. You did slow down and saved yourself a bet or two.