JJ with Queen high flop - semibluff raise?

In a 10-20 game, there are 3 limpers and a good player raises. A couple of players fold and I cold-call on the button with JJ. Blinds and limpers call.


Flop is Q-8-4 rainbow (or something like that). Checked to the pre-flop raiser who bets. I raise, everyone else folds, and the pre-flop raiser three-bets. Now what should I do?


Results later.

Why do you call this a semi-bluff? Either you are good now with your jacks, or you're behind with little chance of improving to the best hand. Your opponent could be doing a semi-bluff with AK.


I probably call down a loose player, unless an A or K hits, and fold to a tight player.

My real question is: Is this an obvious fold after the good player three-bets the flop?


What happened was this. I called his flop reraise, and hit my set on the turn (the jack of clubs, now putting two clubs on board). He bet the turn, I raised, he called. The river was the two of spades - total airball. He checked, I bet, he called, and my set of jacks won the pot.


My opponent didn't show his hand, but he obviously had AA, KK, or AQ. (In other words I had a two-outer, plus perhaps a backdoor gutshot straight draw.) It's obvious now, but my question is, was it obvious when he three-bet me on the flop. My opponent is a strong player who mixes up his play; is it likely that he would three-bet me with AK on a queen high flop with no possible draws?


(If the flop had been two-tone, I would certainly have called his three-bet on the flop, but then folded if the flush card came on the turn and he bet.)


I didn't consider it at the time, but another way to have played this would be to reraise on the flop (capping it) to try for a free card.

First, I would never fold to a 3 bet on the flop until I see the turn card and evaluate my position. Second, I can't see a good player 3 betting the flop, unless he can beat the board because what's his next play if he's holding AK, to check to you on the turn card if A or K doesn't hit the board. His position is all wrong to try a semi-bluff. Thirdly, regardless of the outcome, capping the flop to a player holding AA, KK, or AQ would not buy you a free card, he would have to bet into you (as he did), so as not to allow you to river him without paying. I think the only other option you might have tried was to 3 bet the preflop with your JJ's. You probably would have found out sooner if you were behind or leading after the flop by the way the original raiser would have bet at that stage.

on the flop when he 3-bets you are getting 19-1 on a call. I think you can easily pick up 2 BB's if you hit on the turn so you are getting odds to at least call. The Question is, could he be putting a move on you with a hand like 88-TT, or a hand like A8s, and do you want to see a showdown. If so, then you should cap the flop, check behind on the turn, and call on the river. After 3 limpers though most players would limp with TT and lower so I would put the raiser on a pair of Q's or better when he 3 bets the flop. Therefore I'd advocate calling the flop and folding unless you improve on the turn. You hit and extracted the extra bets you expected to so the call lookes good.


rob

I would fold.