Help on a KQo hand from BB

[Buckyinsc]

2-4 game at Paradise. I have been playing mostly .5/1 and doing quite well, and some 1-2 with mixed results. I decide to try 2-4 for one session. I have folded around twice and am in the BB for the third time.
UTG is a solid player.

There is one posted blind in MP.

UTG raises, and it is folded to me in BB with KQo, so there is 4+2+1+2=9 in the pot, and I decide to call getting 4.5 to one on the additional $2 to call.

My problem is that even though the odds seem to make this the right move I don't like the opponent and my position. It seems as though the range of hands I'm up against make it hard to play.

The flop comes Q 10 4 rainbow. I figure that I need to lead out with top pair to see where I stand. Villian raises so now what? I'm either up against AA, KK, a set of 10's or out kicked by AQ. A set o Q's is less likely and I could be up against a semi-bluff from AK, or AJ. What should I do, and since I read UTG to be a solid player should I have folded preflop OOP considering who the villian is?

Fold preflop. See what kind of trouble you're in now? A solid player raising from UTG usually means AK-AQ, AA-TT. Fold preflop.

First, that's an easy call from the blinds. You have to defend your blinds, otherwise a good player will eat you alive.

Second, this is a fantastic flop for you. You have two choices and really only two. You can bet, as you did or you can check raise (I would have check-raised, but not a big deal). In your case you bet and he raised. Remember you are protecting your blinds and there's a great chance you have the best hand here. I would reraise and then lead the turn. But, the other option is to call and then lead the turn. Put pressure on him, let him know he can't bully you around. If he's going to take your blind, then he will have to earn it. If he raises the turn then you can fold or call and check/call the river. I would call and check/call the river.

Edit: Sorry, I just noticed the player was UTG. For some reason I thought he was CO. This is still a good hand for you and I would probably check raise the flop and go from there.

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This is still a good hand for you and I would probably check raise the flop and go from there.

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No, it's not a good hand for him. The hands he beats now are AK, JJ. That's it, basically.

It's not a big pot. Hero made a play for it and a solid UTG raiser told him he had him beat. Hero should take his word for it and let go of the hand. It's not worth it.

By the way, what's up with the check-raising? It sucks in this spot. (I love getting check-raised HU on the flop with an overpair. Usually I just call and pop the turn. Love it.)

I would also add AJs to villians possible hands. That means you beat AK, AKs, AJs, and JJ. You're are down to AA, KK, QQ, TT, AQs. If I raise in EP, I always bet or raise the flop no matter what, so villians raise means nothing to me. If Hero checks the flop, then 99% of the time villian will bet. Once again we learn nothing. By check-raising I'll find out if I'm beat if he 3-bets the flop or raises the turn. If he doesn't do one of those two things and an A doesn't fall then I'm going to showdown, otherwise if one of those things happen then I'm folding.

I think it's close if this is EV+. I think it is, because by check-raising you will know if you're beat and can get out. If Villian is behind he will usually call you down, because no one ever believes the BB has a hand. This is where you make your money.

[Buckyinsc]

Thanks a lot. I like the check-raise flop and then lead out the turn, unless I'm re-raised on the flop in which case I fold.

In the second hand I think I am check raising the turn and leading the river. He likely has a King which you have outkicked. There is no way you should worry about quads here - if he does you are just very unlucky and call down if he 3-bets the turn. Most players with a queen will smooth call this flop.

[MainEvent]

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First, that's an easy call from the blinds. You have to defend your blinds, otherwise a good player will eat you alive.


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I'm not certain that a good player UTG is raising to steal your blind and eat you alive. KQ is in bad shape here against most UTG raises from solid players. Perhaps if you're a better player than me (which is highly likely), you can make up for this domination. I think the posters addressed the other topics well.

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I'm not certain that a good player UTG is raising to steal your blind and eat you alive. KQ is in bad shape here against most UTG raises from solid players. Perhaps if you're a better player than me (which is highly likely), you can make up for this domination. I think the posters addressed the other topics well.

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I had edited that first post a couple of minutes after I wrote it. For some reason I had thought villian was CO.

[MainEvent]

My b, Nibster. Good observation then with your original assumption.