Flopping overpair when limped with medium pocket pair
 

I think I make the possibly incorrect mistake of pushing when I should just be potting or overbetting a bit when I do this. Say you hold 88 and the flop is 742 rainbow, you and 2 other people in the pot all have M's of about 20. What do you do if it's checked to you on the button? If you're first to act? Or if you're facing a half-pot bet?

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

Re: Flopping overpair when limped with medium pocket pair
 

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I think I make the possibly incorrect mistake of pushing when I should just be potting or overbetting a bit when I do this. Say you hold 88 and the flop is 742 rainbow, you and 2 other people in the pot all have M's of about 20. What do you do if it's checked to you on the button? If you're first to act? Or if you're facing a half-pot bet?

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

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Assuming no pf raise and no antes, the pot is usually <= 10% of your stack here. If there are antes, it's even less (do you see why?). Why on earth would you want to open push? Why not bet 2/3-3/4 of the pot, as per usual?

Even with a half-pot bet in front, the pot is 15% of your stack max. A 2/3 pot raise risks only 10% of your stack, and likely will not be called significantly more often than a push.

Re: Flopping overpair when limped with medium pocket pair
 

If 1st to bet bet 1/2 to 3/4 of pot.
If bet of 1/2 or 2/3 or so to you , then min raise. If he raises back then I would very very likely fold unless I saw him do this w/AK previously.
If he calls & harmless card comes up & he checks to u, then bet 1/2 the pot. If he raises then either commit it all & be well prepared to accept a loss or else fold.

Re: Flopping overpair when limped with medium pocket pair
 

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If bet of 1/2 or 2/3 or so to you , then min raise

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Min-raising achieves nothing. He's not going to fold to it and you learn nothing. Plus it tells him nothing about the strength of your hand.

If bet into I'd probably raise it up to ~3 times his bet & fold to a push.

The tough question is what to do on the turn when he calls and an overcard falls. Checking behind leaves you open to a bluff on the river, and betting out starts to commit you to the pot. Either way I think I bet something - ~3/4 pot to let me check behind on the river.

Re: Flopping overpair when limped with medium pocket pair
 

It's really villain/read specific how I play hands like this. Sometimes I bet/fold or bet/call down or check/call down or check-raise. I really never overbet the pot though or push. These are the fun spots in poker.