22 in the BB

[Diplomat]

I've been reforming my game of late due to a bad run online, and one of the spots I think I'm leaking chips is from the blinds. What do you guys think of this hand? (it was played in a B+M, but is a suitable example)

30-60 full game. I am dealt 22 in the BB. Folded to an aggressive button who does not respect me at all, who raises. A predictable player folds the small blind, I call.

The flop is KK3. Check/check.

The turn is a 4. Bet/raise/call.

The river is a 7. Check/bet/call.

I lost to pocket nines. Anyone play it differently? All thoughts and comments are appriciated.

-Diplomat

[Vehn]

Nah.

[trillig]

I'd have folded to the pre-flop raise, 22 is a long shot.

-t

[Billy LTL]

[ QUOTE ]
I am dealt 22 in the BB. Folded to an aggressive button who does not respect me at all, who raises

[/ QUOTE ]

Been there, done that.

I'm a slow learner so it took me a couple of times to realize that I just hated trying to figure out how to play an unimproved 22 from my blind on the turn.

I just fold them preflop now. It makes life easier.

Billy

[rivaridge]

I would fold this unless there are enough callers (with a little implied odds factored in) to justify drawing for trips. 2-2 is a very weak hand and its even weaker out of position. (I know people are going to argue that their brilliant play postflop play will justfiy playing this hand but I dont buy these arguments especially out of position.)

[David Sklansky]

You should play 22 against a single raiser when you are in the big blind, if the other player is very aggressive or very passive. Otherwise fold. I'll let others elaborate.

[Vehn]

I'm not folding the 13th best heads up hand while getting 3.666666666:1. I'm very sorry its a difficult hand to play. Feel free to peddle the nuts if that's your thing, but I'm playing.

The only time I would even consider folding here is, well, against an opponent as described in the original post. But in general I play it and expect to make money with it.

[Diplomat]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd have folded to the pre-flop raise, 22 is a long shot.


[/ QUOTE ]

Against what? I actually thought about three-betting.

-Diplomat

[OrangeHeat]

Against a very aggressive player you have an excellent chance of collecting multiple bets when you hit your set.

Against a very passive player it may be cheap enough to hit your set or bet him out of the hand.

Right?

[Rushmore]

This is a bit of a catch-22 (I can't believe you missed this as the title of your post).

If you're going to play, and you get a good flop (as you did), here's the situation:

If you bet out on the flop, you'll get raised by a lot of hands that are behind yours, and some that are ahead. Play back? Call and check the turn? Call and bet the turn? None of these is particularly palatable.

If you check the flop, then what? Check raise? Check and call? Check and bet out on the turn if he checks behind on the flop (which you did)?

In other words, it's a tough spot.

That said, do you think this player is raising the turn with ace-high? If not, it's a fold on the turn.

Personally, I'd have bet out on the flop, called a raise, and then check-folded on the turn if he followed through. If he checks behind on the turn, I'm check-calling the river.

Although this might seem a bit weak, is it any weaker than folding to his raise on the flop? We've all seen this play a million times, and we're never surprised when the button check the turn. If he follows through on the turn with ace-high and we lay down, fine, you're outplayed by a player with better position. Move on to the next hand.