Responding to a surprise river raise.

[tolbiny]

QJ also beats him here

[elindauer]

[ QUOTE ]
Raise he has two pair. What do you think? TT or QJ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I did raise, but i now think it's probably wrong. The trouble is:

a) you're laying 2:1 on your bet
b) two pair hands that don't include a ten must be discounted some, on account of the flat call on the turn
c) there are a lot of ways to hold QJ

So while my opponent may hold 2 pair, and in fact, did hold two pair this time, if I know he'll call with QJ, reraising is probably wrong, I think.

my 2 cents.
Eric

[MAxx]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If the other man has the better hand, that is just the breaks and that may encourage me to consider playing more straight forward and faster.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. So if you're shown QJ here, you're going to start betting the flop. But, in fact, QJ made a big mistake by calling the turn, even in this unusual case where you'll pay off 4 big bets on the river. If you knew that betting would make him fold the flop, but checking would make him call the turn (perhaps encouraging him to incorrectly think of queens and jacks as outs), wouldn't that be an argument for continuing to check the flop?


-Eric

[/ QUOTE ]

Eric, once again your logic here is good... and I agree with your statement. I guess I am speaking in more general terms. I understand your reasoning for playing the hand as you did, and it sounds solid. IMO it can also be viewed as a slowplay with a vulnerable hand. I would prefer to play it faster, and decrease my chances of being outdrawn. For example if MP limped with 8d7d and lets say he would have folded to your flop bet. Instead if you check flop and then if the turn brought a 7 or 8 you would be then be behind. That is a risk you are takeing that I would prefer to avoid.