How to play Q9 on Flop of QQ2 rainbow?

[Iconoclastic]

Early in a Freeroll MTT. Blinds still small relative to stacks. Normal preflop action. You have a good hand but it's not the nuts, and the board is an action killer. How can you squeeze some expectation value out of this common NLH situation?

Check:
Benefits- Not committing any chips. May induce small bluff.
Drawbacks- Giving a free card.
Conclusion- Do the chips I make from getting someone to bluff make up for the times I get drawn out?

Bet small:
Benefits- Gets calling stations to come along and give me a few chips. I won't lose too many chips if I get reraised.
Drawbacks- Makes it likely an Aggressive player will reraise me. Then it becomes a Push/Fold situation and that gamble early in a MTT is not profitable.
Conclusion- Do the chips I get from calling stations make up for the times I get reraised and fold?

Bet pot:
Benefits- Shutting out PP.
Drawbacks- The rare times I get reraised I'll lose more chips.
Conclusion- When called, tough to know where I stand.

Push:
Benefits- No more tough decisions.
Drawbacks- Only get called by better hands.
Conclusion- Clearly the worst option.

Would anyone play the hand differently depend on position, like doing A in EP but B in LP?

My main concern is that my hand is simply not good enough to play like the nuts yet it would be a waste to just play passively.

[adanthar]

[ QUOTE ]
Early in a Freeroll

[/ QUOTE ]Push and it's not close.

[Chief911]

I think I'd be tempted to bet small, try to get some more chips out of people. and I would not fold to a reraise, then its time to push.

Nick

[Iconoclastic]

What if it's a 10+1 MTT?

[Mikey2k4]

Well, seeing as how you're playing Q9, I'd say you were the BB and you'd be hard pressed to see any AQ or even KQ. (Small chance for KQ) I can easily see a QJ or QT coming in, though. Of course, that leaves you in a pretty unlucky spot, with all four Q's out there.

You are probably the favorite right now. If someone does have QJ or QT, and you lose all your chips, well, that's poker. I certainly wouldn't be afraid of putting all of my chips into the middle of the table. Oh, you can also lose to 22.

The problem is that pushing will either net you no additional chips or get you out of the tournament. I would bet smallish (half the pot or so) and go for reraise-push if need be. If I wanted to get tricky, I may go for a check-raise, but it's probably just not worth it. (You may miss the check-raise, and why would you want to get tricky so early?)

[silversurfer]

1/2 pot. Push if re-raised. Push anyway on turn.