Could I have done better?

[JFB37]

Here's another one of those happen to flop the (at least for the moment) nuts out of the blinds hands. It worked out fine, but I'm not crazy about my line and wonder if I could have done better.

5/5 NL ($600 buy in) at a NY club. 10 handed. I have about $750. Villian is a new player I do not know. Six people limp, the sb checks. I'm in the bb with Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I check. So, a total of 8(!) to the flop, $40 in the pot.

Flop: J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Ok. So I have the nuts for the moment. Given that so many limped, there is a pretty decent chance someone has a heart draw. I doubt that there is AK out there for a gutshot broadway. Someone may well have a Q for a two way draw to tie me. KQ for a OESD that could beat me or tie me is possible. Also, someone could well have flopped two pair on this board. Or, maybe everyone missed or just got a little piece. I'll describe what I did in a moment, but first I would like to ask the general question: when the sb checks (which he did), what's the plan? What is the best strategy for this situation.

So what did I do?

I checked. It got checked around to the button who bet $50. I check raised $100 for a total of $150. Everyone else folded and the button thought for a bit before calling. Total in the pot is now $340.

Turn: [J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I figure that card is irrelevant. I lead out for $350. The button thinks for a while and finally mucks, saying, "ok, you convinced me."

I certainly didn't mind making a $185 profit on this hand, but think that in retrospect I may have played it poorly.

First, did the c/r plan make any sense? My reasons for not leading were as follows: If I led for the size of the pot or a bit more (say $50), the situation could develop where, if people started to call, it would give later flush draws the odds to call. If I overbet the pot (say $100) then there was a decent chance nobody would call or the situation described above would occur at an even higher level. On the other hand, maybe if I led someone with a strong draw would have raised and then I could have re-raised all in.

Now to the c/r itself. Was the raise of $100 the right amount? I'm not sure. In calling it, the button was getting 2.4:1

As for the slightly more than pot-sized bet on the turn, I guess it was ok but I think all-in would have made more sense.

As usual, comments/suggestions/flames are appreciated.

--Jack

[Yeti]

In these situations you usually can't go wrong by betting out. Sure, it's frustrating when everyone folds but a lot of the time you'll get a caller or two, maybe even a raiser(!)

If I got one caller I personally would tend to go for the checkraise on the turn, depending on what you place him on of course.

[AZK]

Depending on your image/image of others you could also try overbetting, I find it works well in the situation where someone has flopped 2 pair/set and just thinks you are trying to bully...eitherway, I prefer leading at this flop...

[lapoker17]

Flopping a monster in early position in an unraised very multi way pot is one of the best ways to make money in NL and leading out nearly always gives you the best opportunity to get it all in quicky - Especially on a board where 2 pair and/or draws are likely. You have to think about what happens when you do this in the long run not just in this situation. It's too bad this flop didn't hit someone hard enough to come along, but often times it will.

Also, save your checkraises for the few instances where your opponent has little option but to call for most of his chips - as in he feels sick about calling, but he's in too deep to get away - not the case here.