[J.A.Sucker]

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hmm. scared to bet? why would i be scared, this is limit poker...
this is one of the worst flops for my hand and im just trying to make good decisions as opposed to bad ones.

not sure if youve played this game, but it is usually quite tight preflop, so these guys usually have good starting hands, and AK is a likely hand for a sb that called 3.

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If you are thinking about checking this flop through, it sounds like you are scared to bet. This is an automatic bet. This may be a terrible flop for your hand, but it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that your opponents don't know what you have, and most of your hands will LOVE this flop. That's why you can get them to lay hands down. Think about it this way, if you are up front and have TT, how are you going to feel about taking one off, realizing that you may get jammed by the guy in the middle and the button behind you? High limit poker isn't about your cards - your opponents are thinking about your cards, too. It's about thinking about what they are thinking about and reacting to it. That's why betting is automatic, and 3 betting is something to consider.

I have (and do) play this game, though I prefer to play shorthanded games online at this level. Of course AK is a possible hand for SB, but so is a pair. You might as well find out, and maybe fold the best hand in the process. When you 3 bet preflop, you decided to play a big pot (correctly I might add, since you have the best position and a great hand). Follow through on your plan.

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not sure why id want to do this, raising the turn is the only way i could get this guy off a pair, and even then, ppl dont fold in big pots... especially online.

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My flop 3 bet isn't an absolute. It's something to think about. As I said before, suppose you are in the SB with TT. You decide to make a move on the flop bet, and then you get a caller and a 3 bet. Yuck. Of course, you may have to bet the turn again, but this is an option, too. If you can get it headsup with the guy in the middle, that sounds good to me. This line does this, while charging the draw the most.

My river action is something to think about, once again. I don't think it's right, nor something that you should do every time, but I don't think it should be neglected, since it can be VERY right, if the right spots are chosen.

High limit isn't about playing by rote. It's about playing situations and thinking outside the box. That's the main point of my thoughts in this thread. This works online, live, or on Mars. Believe me.