common situation: scary turn, almost pot-committed

BadBatsuMaru · #1 12-09-2005, 02:43 AM

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t30 (7 handed) pokerhand.org hand converter

Hero (t1140)
CO (t745)
Button (t635)
SB (t2685)
BB (t1025)
UTG (t2465)
MP1 (t1305)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG calls t30, 1 fold, Hero raises to t100 (stack left = 1040), 2 folds, SB calls t85, 1 fold, UTG calls t70.

Flop: (t330) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, Hero bets t200 (stack left = 840), SB folds, UTG calls t200.

Turn: (t730) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets t400 (stack left = 440), UTG folds.

Final Pot: t1130

So, things worked out just fine, I was just thinking that this is a very good example of a common situation. I flopped top pair and a really good kicker. Actually, maybe it's not that good of an example since there really aren't many hands out there that have any business calling a bet on that flop.

So, the A comes on the turn, and that's kind of scary. The pot is 730, and I have 840 left. I don't feel like it's a good move checking back and trying to induce a bluff to call, maybe letting some random straight draw or middle pair catch up. If I don't bet a significant amount villain may see it as an opportunity to bluff me off my hand. So, I'm thinking 400 was a good amount to bet -- slightly more than half the pot (so hey, I'm not scared of that A) and slightly less than half my stack (so if he check-raises me all-in I can throw it away).

If my stack was any less, I would have to be prepared to just go all-in. If my stack was any more, I wouldn't be so worried that someone was making a move on me if they raised me. Just wondering if this is the way most people handle these situations.