Common QQ situation, POLL

[zepmetal]

This is a common situation, and I don't like it no matter how i try to play it. You have black queens in early position and raise to 4xBB, gte called in two places behind you. The flop is Ad 2d 5s. This is a 6 player game, and you dont have very good reads about you opps yet. I typically bet out here, but if Im called, or even minraised I have to give up on the hand. It sucks. Do you always bet out here or not?

Also, say you do bet out and are called. Will you ever continue with the hand (w/out hitting your non-diamond queen)? Ever continue betting?

[TheWorstPlayer]

Multi-way, I usually bet and then give up. Heads up I'll check.

[DJ Sensei]

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Multi-way, I usually bet and then give up. Heads up I'll check.

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I tend to disagree here, if you have more than one caller the chances of one having an ace or a flush draw go way up. I'd probably check it heads up, unless i'm last to act and its checked to me.

Heads up and first to act, a check is a good play:
- if your opponent then bets a small amount and is prone to small stealing bets, you can checkraise semi-bluff an amount about the pot and likely take the pot against a weak ace or a different hand. A call of your raise indicates a medium-strong ace like AQ, AJ, AT or a flush draw like KdQd, while a reraise means you are beat by AK or a set and can fold. If you see a turn, checking it is wise. Any hands you'll be up against will likely check the turn as well, and you'll save money on the hand if you're beat.
- if your opponent bets strongly to your check, fold.
- if your opponent checks the flop as well, lead out with a half-pot bet on the turn unless its a diamond or a K.

if you are second to act:
- opponent checks flop, bet half the pot or so. If he raises, fold. If he calls, play it as above, he probably has a flush draw or a medium ace.
- opponent bets flop weakly, perhaps coldcall and see what happens on the turn. if he checks it, he is probably playing a drawing hand or other pocket pair, and you can take it down with a strong bet on the turn. if he bets again on the turn, fold. Another option to play this is to raise to the size of the pot or more, and his flush draw or other pp will probably call/check turn or fold.
- opponent bets flop strongly, fold it.

The key to this situation is to find out by the turn what hand your opponent likely has, and play accordingly. Aggressive play will likely make that much easier, and your chances of winning the pot will go up.

[TheWorstPlayer]

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Multi-way, I usually bet and then give up. Heads up I'll check.

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I tend to disagree here, if you have more than one caller the chances of one having an ace or a flush draw go way up. I'd probably check it heads up, unless i'm last to act and its checked to me.


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I assume you actually meant 'multi-way' here and not 'heads up'? In any case, although it's true that the chances someone has a flush draw or an ace are higher, I don't see that as a reason to check. Number 1, the pot is bigger so I definitely want to take a stab at it since I may still have the best hand. Number 2, sometimes people call with the flush draw which doesn't get there and then check down their loser. But the fact that someone likely has an ace is what makes me give up once I'm called. If a flush draw bluffs me out so be it.

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Heads up and first to act, a check is a good play:
- if your opponent then bets a small amount and is prone to small stealing bets, you can checkraise semi-bluff an amount about the pot and likely take the pot against a weak ace or a different hand. A call of your raise indicates a medium-strong ace like AQ, AJ, AT or a flush draw like KdQd, while a reraise means you are beat by AK or a set and can fold. If you see a turn, checking it is wise. Any hands you'll be up against will likely check the turn as well, and you'll save money on the hand if you're beat.
- if your opponent bets strongly to your check, fold.
- if your opponent checks the flop as well, lead out with a half-pot bet on the turn unless its a diamond or a K.


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This is incredibly confused. It is not a steal if the guy has an ace. You are not getting an ace to fold heads up no matter what you do. You don't want to check/raise here because you will lose more when behind and win less when ahead. Exactly opposite of what you want. Even if the other guy bets when checked to, it is unlikely that he has an ace. You don't need to bluff him out (it's not a semi-bluff when you only have a two outer anyways). Just check/call and let him hand himself. Bet the river for value.

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if you are second to act:
- opponent checks flop, bet half the pot or so. If he raises, fold. If he calls, play it as above, he probably has a flush draw or a medium ace.
- opponent bets flop weakly, perhaps coldcall and see what happens on the turn. if he checks it, he is probably playing a drawing hand or other pocket pair, and you can take it down with a strong bet on the turn. if he bets again on the turn, fold. Another option to play this is to raise to the size of the pot or more, and his flush draw or other pp will probably call/check turn or fold.
- opponent bets flop strongly, fold it.

The key to this situation is to find out by the turn what hand your opponent likely has, and play accordingly. Aggressive play will likely make that much easier, and your chances of winning the pot will go up.

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Heads up, your chances of winning the pot are very high even though an ace has flopped. You should be more concerned with not blowing him out than with bluffing him off an ace which is never going to happen.

[Jazza]

if it's low limit's i check-fold it

it seems to me if you give up if called or raised, you might as well be bluffing, unless you think there's a chance that he'll call you with a worse hand and then check behind on the turn and river, this never seems to happen to me

and i rarely bluff at low limits, hence the check-fold

[TheWorstPlayer]

A bluff is when there is no chance you have the best hand.