$55: When to do a continuation bet out of position vs 2 opponents?

[AA suited]

I'm doing this from the top of my head

Lvl2 blinds (15/30)

10 players and Everyone has ~1000 chips, no reads.

HERO = CO-1 with 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Preflop:
Hero raises to 100, CO calls, Button calls, blinds fold

Flop: 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
HERO? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Usually, i always make a continuation bet vs 2 opponents or less, even if OOP. If called, i check/fold on turn if i dont have a piece of the board. I'll also be down to ~700 chips.

If they fold, i'm at ~1200 chips.

now i'm questioning my line (and alot of other strategies i've been doing).

Would you do a continuation bet here? Why/why not?

How about if I had AK?

THX!

[Snarf]

I don't think a continuation bet would get a Queen to fold here...though you could bet out a 9 that way. AK might be a better cont bet here than the underpair - just for sake of improvement...

If you want to have any hope of winning the pot, you have to bet.

....I'm gonna say bet this one. You might take a couple draws for a short ride and the late position callers may not have a premium hand.

OOT:
I wonder if the real lesson here is not to play midpairs for raises OOP early on...

[trojanFan]

Disclaimer: I've got about one month and only 300 sng's under my belt at the 33's and a few 55's...

I've been really frustrated with this same predicament. I've resolved to playing those small and mid-pairs for set value in EP in the early rounds (and be ready to release them if it doesn't hit). Especially at the 33's, if someone behind me gets any piece of the flop, they're just not likely to go away.

Would be interested in hearing more opinions on this.

Thanks!

The texture of this flop isn't good. I probably check fold here because of my position. If only one player was behind me and the other in a blind who checked, I might fire one off.

Does raising here PF first-in "buy" you position? I don't know if raising PF here is a terrible play because it just might buy you position in the hand. Maybe it depends on your post-flop abilities when you do get both the CO and Button.

I think this is a clear limp preflop. As played, bet 1/2 pot on flop and checkfold if called.

[11t]

I raise this 100% of the time. If you aren't open-raising from the CO-1 with 88+ I think you are losing value. That being said you aren't nearly deep stacked enough to be throwing continuation bets that are like 20-30% of your remaining stack OOP 3-handed.

wow, raise in level 2 with 88, 100% of the time but don't throw CB's OOP, wow. You are bleeding off a lot of your chips just to steal blinds. CB after this raise is almost a necessity say 70% of the time. FWIW, I would limp the 88 preflop in level 2, but if i did raise, i definitely follow it up with CB.

[Snarf]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, I would limp the 88 preflop in level 2, but if i did raise, i definitely follow it up with CB.

[/ QUOTE ]

[11t]

Firstly, I wouldn't classify open raising 88 from CO-1 as "stealing blinds". Secondly, If button calls, and a blind comes along and this flops and the blind checks I would be far more inclined to throw out a continuation bet.

The pot is ~300, you have ~900 left behind. A contination bet here is going to cost you ~200 chips or roughly ~23% of your remaining stack. With two people left to act I am not too big a fan of throwing out a CB here.

EDIT: and I am actually open-raising this probably 75% of the time. 99/TT is prolly 100% open-raising.

firstly, this is level 2, so if you want the blinds and are trying to force the others out (unless they have very decent or premium hands), then that is what you are doing, you are forcing the others out of this action, unless they have a good hand (i.e. stealing blinds).

secondly, you won't CB OOP, but it appears you will with position, in which 1/2 of the time you will not even get an opportunity to CB, because one of the other 2 will lead out. Any flop misses any player 2/3 of the time. To not CB on this board is a sin. Why do you think that just because the board has 2 overs that it hit your opponents? You don't think they could have been on Ax, or JJ and be forced to fold to your CB. To say "i will bet this hand 75% of the time, but not CB ever" is really donking off your chips. That means any time there is an over card against 2 opponents your giving the hand up, then why did you bet preflop in the first place? Oh yeah, that's right, so you could at least get the blinds (in level 2 at that).