How to play medium Top Pair

Steve Chase · #1 01-06-2005, 08:26 PM

NL Holdem ring games. Assuming No Read. Everyone is a fine player.

Let's say I am at BB with T5 and the flop is T72 Rainbow (no preflop raises). 4-5 people in the pot. I am the first to act.
Should I bet or check?
If I bet, how much should I bet (1/2, 1 x pot?).
If my bet get reraised, should I call or fold?
If I check, someone else bet with the pot, should I fold, call or reraise?

Thanks

soah · #2 01-06-2005, 09:37 PM

Depending on how the table has been playing, I may bet out just to take down the pot and attempt to check it down if called. At other tables I may wait to see the flop checked through before betting the turn. The more opponents that see the flop though the less likely it is that you have the best hand. The pot is tiny and your hand is pretty trashy. There's nothing wrong with letting it go if someone else shows an interest in the pot.

Chris Daddy Cool · #3 01-06-2005, 10:31 PM

whatever happens make sure not to go broke and if you win a pot bigger than a couple bucks you probably played it too aggressively.

PoBoy321 · #4 01-06-2005, 11:05 PM

In this situation, I'd throw out about a 1/2 pot sized bet and check/fold after that unless another T or a 5 comes off. You have to realize that this is basically a drawless board (except for 89 with the OESD) so anything that calls you beats you. If you get raised, you're obviously folding.

Steve Chase · #5 01-07-2005, 04:29 PM

Thanks. It is a drawless board.
What about if the board has a lot draw posibilities (flush, straight or flush&straignt draws).
Should I bet to protect the medium top pair to force draw hands to fold?

amoeba · #6 01-07-2005, 05:22 PM

if your pair was higher, say a K5 on a K72 rainbow board, I prefer the check-fold the flop, bet out on a non ace turn to represent eiher a pair of 7s or if the turn card is between K and 7, a paired turn.

willie24 · #7 01-07-2005, 05:25 PM

bet 75-100% of the pot. if you are raised, fold. if you are called, check the turn and fold to any significant (higher than the minimum) bet.

(assuming you do not hit the turn)

willie24 · #8 01-07-2005, 05:31 PM

the more draws there are, the more likely i am to check-fold the flop. i don't want to play this hand against a decent player with a drawing hand - knowing that i am barely a favorite, and that he is very likely to bluff me out of the hand at some point, even if my hand should hold up.

willie24 · #9 01-07-2005, 05:39 PM

to me this is an interesting post-

the strange thing here is that you probably should be just as likely to bet out 75-100% of the pot on this flop with absolute garbage (34 etc) as with T5. either way you are looking to win an easy pot on the flop, and you know that you aren't putting money in beyond your 1 bet pretty much no matter what happens.

the only advantages of having T5 are that there is one less ten out for anyone else to call you with, and there is a chance you will hit 2 pair on the turn.

those advantages are barely significant.

phobetor · #10 01-07-2005, 05:49 PM

10-5 isn't going to be where you poker money comes from. Let it go. Generally on these, I don't care if I get bluffed out of the pot. Your kicker sucks, so why fight over small money? Especially if the board has a straight or flush possibilties. I might bet a bit at the start, but I'll be out after it raises.