Warning: Pre-Flop Question (JJ out of BB)

[W. Deranged]

I know that you all feel that pre-flop questions are uninteresting, but here is one of the few pre-flop questions that I've come across recently that I have found interesting. A friend of mine and I have had a lengthy e-mail debate about it. I'll post both of our opinions after I hear a few responses. Again, I reiterate that I think this is a genuinely interesting pre-flop question because ultimately it has to do with the question of the general line you take in heads-up pots out of position.


The hand is this: UTG+1 opponent is average but maybe slightly laggy; assume 29/18/1.7 or something like that.

Hero is BB with JJ. Folded to UTG +1 who raises. Folded around to Hero in BB.

What is Hero's play and, more importantly, what line does hero take from then forward (because that's the really interesting part).

[baronzeus]

With your description, this is an easy 3bet+lead or if he caps just call down with favorable flops. (i.e. fold if the flop is AK2 [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img])

[shant]

I don't see the debate here. 3-bet and lead the flop. If the flop comes with an overcard(s), or he caps preflop, play poker.

[Sasnak]

It's a 3 bet here.

[jskills]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see the debate here. 3-bet and lead the flop. If the flop comes with an overcard(s), or he caps preflop, play poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said.

[Mike Gallo]

You can call and check raise a flop where you have an overpair to the board, or you can three bet and expect him to cap.

If you cap or he caps you need to decide based on the texture of the flop what course of action to take. If the flop comes 8 9 10 your going to war !! If it comes 8 3 5 your going to war !! If the flop brings an A K or Q, you need to proceed with caution.

[oreogod]

[ QUOTE ]
You can call and check raise a flop where you have an overpair to the board, or you can three bet and expect him to cap.

If you cap or he caps you need to decide based on the texture of the flop what course of action to take. If the flop comes 8 9 10 your going to war !! If it comes 8 3 5 your going to war !! If the flop brings an A K or Q, you need to proceed with caution.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree.

OR u can go the HPFAP route and call it down if a favorable flop comes.

[sthief09]

against aggressive players I like to underrepresent my hand and let them overplay theirs. against more passive players I'd rather just 3-bet and bet until I meet resistance.

and as Mike said, if you're going to just call preflop, be prepared to go to war because your opponent will not think you have such a strong hand

[sthief09]

[ QUOTE ]

OR u can go the HPFAP route and call it down if a favorable flop comes.

[/ QUOTE ]


you miss lots of value against an aggressive opponent by doing this.

[sthief09]

by calling, you don't miss out on much value preflop but put yourself in a situation where you can force your opponent to make a more costly mistake than the small fraction of a bet you gain by 3-betting.