Help on a KQo hand from BB

[Buckyinsc]

2-4 game at Paradise. I have been playing mostly .5/1 and doing quite well, and some 1-2 with mixed results. I decide to try 2-4 for one session. I have folded around twice and am in the BB for the third time.
UTG is a solid player.

There is one posted blind in MP.

UTG raises, and it is folded to me in BB with KQo, so there is 4+2+1+2=9 in the pot, and I decide to call getting 4.5 to one on the additional $2 to call.

My problem is that even though the odds seem to make this the right move I don't like the opponent and my position. It seems as though the range of hands I'm up against make it hard to play.

The flop comes Q 10 4 rainbow. I figure that I need to lead out with top pair to see where I stand. Villian raises so now what? I'm either up against AA, KK, a set of 10's or out kicked by AQ. A set o Q's is less likely and I could be up against a semi-bluff from AK, or AJ. What should I do, and since I read UTG to be a solid player should I have folded preflop OOP considering who the villian is?

Fold preflop. See what kind of trouble you're in now? A solid player raising from UTG usually means AK-AQ, AA-TT. Fold preflop.

First, that's an easy call from the blinds. You have to defend your blinds, otherwise a good player will eat you alive.

Second, this is a fantastic flop for you. You have two choices and really only two. You can bet, as you did or you can check raise (I would have check-raised, but not a big deal). In your case you bet and he raised. Remember you are protecting your blinds and there's a great chance you have the best hand here. I would reraise and then lead the turn. But, the other option is to call and then lead the turn. Put pressure on him, let him know he can't bully you around. If he's going to take your blind, then he will have to earn it. If he raises the turn then you can fold or call and check/call the river. I would call and check/call the river.

Edit: Sorry, I just noticed the player was UTG. For some reason I thought he was CO. This is still a good hand for you and I would probably check raise the flop and go from there.

[hobbsmann]

is this a full game? In a normal 10 handed game this a fold preflop against an UTG raise and swings to a call when it gets down to 6/7 handed.

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This is still a good hand for you and I would probably check raise the flop and go from there.

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No, it's not a good hand for him. The hands he beats now are AK, JJ. That's it, basically.

It's not a big pot. Hero made a play for it and a solid UTG raiser told him he had him beat. Hero should take his word for it and let go of the hand. It's not worth it.

By the way, what's up with the check-raising? It sucks in this spot. (I love getting check-raised HU on the flop with an overpair. Usually I just call and pop the turn. Love it.)

[Buckyinsc]

Thanks for the advice. Here is another hand I was having a hard time with. Same session, full table 2-4 at Paradise.

I'm UTG with AKo and raise. It gets folded to Co who is Loose and somewhat aggressive, mostly on the flop. CO calls, as does the BB.

Flop comes QKQ, and I bet. CO raises, BB folds and I call.
I'm obviously concerned about being up against Trip Q's, but not against KK or AA since villian did not Reraise me preflop. I decided to see the turn because villian has been raising with less than the best hand in this situation.

Turn comes Q. I decide at this point to check call both the turn and river and hope he doesn't have the fourth Q.

Is this too weak, I don't think I should fold to the flop raise. I think this is ok but I'm not very confident that this is the best play.

Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

[sean c]

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Thanks for the advice. Here is another hand I was having a hard time with. Same session, full table 2-4 at Paradise.

I'm UTG with AKo and raise. It gets folded to Co who is Loose and somewhat aggressive, mostly on the flop. CO calls, as does the BB.

Flop comes QKQ, and I bet. CO raises, BB folds and I call.
I'm obviously concerned about being up against Trip Q's, but not against KK or AA since villian did not Reraise me preflop. I decided to see the turn because villian has been raising with less than the best hand in this situation.

Turn comes Q. I decide at this point to check call both the turn and river and hope he doesn't have the fourth Q.

Is this too weak, I don't think I should fold to the flop raise. I think this is ok but I'm not very confident that this is the best play.

Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

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Hi Bucky there is no way i am folding anywhere in this one. Most players usually wait until the turn to raise here if they have a queen.

[shant]

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Thanks for the advice. Here is another hand I was having a hard time with. Same session, full table 2-4 at Paradise.

I'm UTG with AKo and raise. It gets folded to Co who is Loose and somewhat aggressive, mostly on the flop. CO calls, as does the BB.

Flop comes QKQ, and I bet. CO raises, BB folds and I call.
I'm obviously concerned about being up against Trip Q's, but not against KK or AA since villian did not Reraise me preflop. I decided to see the turn because villian has been raising with less than the best hand in this situation.

Turn comes Q. I decide at this point to check call both the turn and river and hope he doesn't have the fourth Q.

Is this too weak, I don't think I should fold to the flop raise. I think this is ok but I'm not very confident that this is the best play.

Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

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That's weak. I would've 3-bet the flop, and with that turn card, I would've bet the turn. You also don't want the turn or river checking through.

[bobhalford]

I might fold this pf depending on my read. In this situation, it's close, with the dead money in the pot.

On the flop, you beat a number of UTG's possible holdings. TT,JJ,AK,AJ. In this situation, I don't want to be calling to the river with the 2nd best hand so I check the flop. If UTG bets (90% of the time he will), I raise. If he calls, I bet the turn unless an A or K show up. If UTG raises the turn, I get out. This is a more simple way to play the hand that gets the most when you are ahead and loses the least when you are behind/drawing thin.

a BB betting out on the flop is an autoraise for me if I am UTG, regardless of whether or not I connected with the flop. If I am OOP HU, I generally checkraise, though this is more standard for me in a shorthanded game. By checkraising, you tell your opponent that you have a strong hand. Betting out does not tell him this, it just says "I hope you have AK and will call the flop and fold the turn if an A or K doesn't pop up. For a TAG, this is not an option on the flop after having raised UTG. He will raise no matter what. Checkraise flop, lead turn and fold to a raise. If UTG calls turn, reevaluate on the river whether a value bet is in order. He may have AQ and gotten flustered with all the strength you've shown thus far.

Hope this helps.

I would also add AJs to villians possible hands. That means you beat AK, AKs, AJs, and JJ. You're are down to AA, KK, QQ, TT, AQs. If I raise in EP, I always bet or raise the flop no matter what, so villians raise means nothing to me. If Hero checks the flop, then 99% of the time villian will bet. Once again we learn nothing. By check-raising I'll find out if I'm beat if he 3-bets the flop or raises the turn. If he doesn't do one of those two things and an A doesn't fall then I'm going to showdown, otherwise if one of those things happen then I'm folding.

I think it's close if this is EV+. I think it is, because by check-raising you will know if you're beat and can get out. If Villian is behind he will usually call you down, because no one ever believes the BB has a hand. This is where you make your money.