What is the best play?

[Guernica4000]

This situation troubles me and I don't know the proper way to play it.

The scenario is early in a tournament in early position with a pre-flop raise of 3 times the BB. No reads on any of the players and the chip stacks are even.

Say you hold a pair of KK and the flop is JJ5 rainbow. You are first to act against one pre-flop caller. What is the best move?

My dilemma is this: If I make a big bet player "B" will fold unless he has a J. If I make a small bet he may just smooth call with a J or he may call with over cards so I won't know what he has.

In this example there are 9 bb in the pot. What is the proper play?

[Guernica4000]

Is this the wrong forum for this post?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

min bet, if he calls, he may be slow playing a set, if he re-raises large, fold, if he re-raises small, pop him back again... this is how you find out early if he has the set.

If he simply calls, check raise all in on the turn.

Just kidding, I think you check - call the flop.... possibly c/r the turn if it doesnt cost u too much and depending on your read of this player.. - Stiltskin.

[allenciox]

I am assuming that this is a tourney where the blinds are 10/15 and you both had 1000 chips. Please note these details, it is important for determining what you should do. Do a standard continuation bet of about half the pot. Be aware that a lot of people will call you with nothing here, putting you on nothing as well. A few people will even raise you "representing" a Jack they don't have. (the probability that they have a jack is maybe 10-15%). Call if they raise here. Many people actually having the Jack will slow play it, so they will just call your bet anyway. The key to figuring out what they have is what they do on the turn. Lead out again with a half-pot bet, if they raise "here" they probably do have the jack, and you can let the hand go. If you play check-call, you are giving free cards --- then what do you do if the ace flops? Also you don't get full value from your kings.

[nightlyraver]

Depends on the player. First, remember that you opened for a raise from up front. Most players respect early raises. If you have no reads whatsoever, I'm just betting about 1/2 to 2/3 the pot here and I'll usually scoop up the pot. Maybe I'll get played with if villian is holding a hand like QQ or TT and I'll be happy (a bad player may call with AK and I'll still be happy). It's fairly unlikely that he does have a J, so don't assume that he does if he calls. Remember, he's also thinking that YOU probably don't have a J either unless you raised from up front with exactly AJ or made a loose raise w/ KJs.

If I had a read and knew he would not call with anything less than AA,KK or a J - I would not bet. If I knew that he probably would bet if I check assuming he has a pocket pair or some sort, I would check-raise and squeeze an extra 5 or 6 BB's out of him. If he has a J, oh well - that's poker.

[Fishlips_Jones]

I'd make a continuation bet of about 2/3 the pot.


Fishlips