Pocket Pair Above Middle Pair Heads Up

[mister]

Does anyone check raise this now and again ? I find that I'll mix that in often, since it's a play I'd make if I actually had AK. Granted I don't know how often I'd check raise with a flush draw on board.

[doubleplus]

[ QUOTE ]
The tyical opponent in the 5/10(6-max) game who raises the flop with middle pair in this spot bets the turn also.

[/ QUOTE ]

You didn't mention the limit in your post, so there was no way of knowing it was 5/10 (for the occasional HUSH low-limit browsers like me).

[marching_on_together]

i don't like the stop and go here if the opponent is capable of raising with a 10 or PP a hand they are going to take to showdown for two bets so might as well raise with then checkdown the river.

I'd call this down

with JJ on a Q-high board your more often ahead when faced with the flop raise

[helpmeout]

I probably check/call here

Opponent has average aggression i assume this means he will checkraise with any pair, flush draw, OESD.

If you bet the turn he probably folds a ten assuming you have an ace.

If he has an Ace he'll probably call down assuming you have a good kicker.

If you check the turn he might take a freecard but this shouldnt worry you much as he'll likely pay off with a pair on the river.

Against a very passive opponent you can fold this on the flop on a rainbow board, otherwise its best just to call down.

[redbeard]

There doesn't seem to be as much support for the stop n go play as I might have thought there would be. Is there anyone out there that likes this besides myself and cartman?

[sammy_g]

This is a tough situation, and I think your play here needs to change based on your opponent. I'm not really sure what's best, but I'll take a whack.

The good news: There are 2.5 big bets in the pot to start. If one bet goes into each street, you only need to win 1/3 of the time for it to be correct to call down. Also, the board has some draws, so your opponent might be semibluffing if you meet resistence.

The bad news: Cold-calls often mean Ax, particularly against a loose opponent. The better the player, however, the less likely he has an ace since good players 3 bet their big aces.

Against aggressive opponents, I'm inclined to simply check/call all the way and induce bluffs. I want to get to showdown cheaply and not get outplayed. I am often surprised what people will bet when I show weakness by meekly checking and calling on each street. One benefit of this line is after a flop check from the preflop raiser some opponents fear a monster. You can occasionally get to showdown very cheaply.

Against passive opponents, I tend to bet the flop and turn unless I meet resistence. If my opponent has aggression factor of 0.6 or something and he raises, I usually fold. I typically check/call the river, although I wonder if a river bet might be better against calling stations.

Note that this is a very different situation with KK than with JJ on this flop. With JJ, a K or Q might come that can beat you if you give free cards. I tend to keep bet JJ more even against aggressive opponents.

[cartman]

[ QUOTE ]
. I typically check/call the river, although I wonder if a river bet might be better against calling stations.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think a river bet is vastly superior against calling stations. The check/call line may have some merit against a calling station who will automatically bluff the river when checked to heads up.

Cartman