Why you play JJ hard - a cautionary tale

[dfscott]

Tonight was the night of "yeah, I say to do that, but I'm so great that I don't have to."

This is why you play pocket jacks agressively, not sneakily.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="CC3333">UTG+1 raises</font>, MP1 calls, <font color="666666">4 folds</font>, Hero calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls.

Hmmm... I'm in the SB out of position. I'll just call and see if I like the flop.

Flop: (9 SB) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks.

Ok, not too bad. Let's go for a check-raise to take out UTG....

Hey, wait! You can't check -- you raised pre-flop!

Turn: (4.50 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls.

Cool, now I have Jacks up! But there could be another 3 out there...
Ok, enough of this fooling around -- I'm betting!

River: (6.50 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises</font>, Hero calls.

Wha? You're raising me! The insolence! Fine, I'll call you and you'll be sorry when you see my mighty Jacks!

Final Pot: 10.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 10.50 BB, between Hero and MP1.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by MP1 (10.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
MP1 shows Td 9d (full house, nines full of threes).
Hero shows Jd Jh (two pair, jacks and nines).
Outcome: MP1 wins 10.50 BB. </font>

Please beat me now.

[Nottom]

For whats its worth, I'm sure you would have just lost more money if you played it correctly.

[bisonbison]

3-bet preflop. bet the flop. bet the turn. bet the river.

[cartoonsoldier]

Raise with JJ almost 90% of the time PF. I would also bet the flop, you have second pair which could be good.

[afk]

Unless I have a specific read on a raiser before me, I raise JJ every time. Against weak low limit opponents, you're costing yourself money by not raising it.

[L0QTiS]

[ QUOTE ]
For whats its worth, I'm sure you would have just lost more money if you played it correctly.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree. If MP1 was willing to call two bets cold with 9To, he's going to the river given he caught a piece of the flop.

I'd probably 3-bet preflop since you're down to 3 or 4 (depending on who calls) unless I've seen respectible play from the raiser. After that, lead the flop see what ensues.