[Mackerel]

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Can anyone give a better line?

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Okay, try this. 1st, I'd raise more from the SB with that many limpers, say $10-$12 to go. 2nd, if anybody took the flop with me, I pot it on the flop, or nearly at least. Then, if they're still around, the turn is the real decision point. There are several things you need to try to consider in the limited amount of time you have:

1.) Are they likely to be slow playing a monster?

2.) Would they play a decent 2nd best hand this way (like AJ or QQ - this is pretty much a question of how aggro they are)?

3.) Are they donkish enough to be here with a stupid hand like KJ, TT or worse?

4.) If I check, what hands will they bet with?

5.) If I bet, what hands will they call with?

That's a lot to figure out in 15 seconds, but you should at least try to consider them all briefly. If you absolutely have no read on them at all, then you just have to listen to your instincts and go with it. Against an complete unknown in a typical NL100, I most likely check and then evaluate what they do (most likely I fold to a real bet now with no reads). Note though, that you are pretty much at a point here (playing this line) where if you put anymore money in, you are making a committment for your stack, so you either fold to a bet, or make whatever play you feel gives you the best chance to take it down. If you decide to continue, that could be a check-raise all-in, or call a smallish bet and then decide whether to lead the river all-in or make a blocking bet or check/call. If they check behind, usually check again on the river (unless you spike a non-diamond K) and call a moderate bet on a safe card, maybe put in a smallish blocking bet on a diamond.

Of course, there are dozens of other possibilites, but there are no easy answers from the turn on. Playing a big pot OOP with a premium pair is one of the least desirable positions in which to find yourself in NL.

Note that this is the main reason for making the big raise preflop, to avoid tough decisions like this OOP.

Wow, this is the longest post I've made for awhile....been playing some $30+$3 SNG's tonight and I just won two in a row, so I guess I'm just in a good mood. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] You guys can go ahead and flame this line if you want, but I don't have a line I like better w/AA or KK in a spot like that with no reads, and I'd love to hear anybody else's thoughts on it since it is such a tough spot.