Raise preflop, bet the flop, now what?

[QTip]

[ QUOTE ]
Hero is BB with AQs. 3 limpers, SB folds, Hero raises. Flop comes 279r. Hero bets, 3 callers. Turn is a 5. Now what?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll use this one hand as an example.

He says AQs. OK. Flop: 279r

That's not enough information. Did I get one of my suits on the flop? If so, that's improvment and the bd strenthens my overcards.

3 limpers. This isn't enough information. What type of player are they? Where'd limp from?

For example, if it's a TAP on the button that limped, there's a decent chance that the rags hit him, etc.

You have to consider a lot of different factors to play overcards well. The fact that these factors were missing in the OP, led me to believe that the poster is missing knowledge to play overcards well. (Not that I'm an expert at it...goes without saying - but just so we all know I know it [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img])

[bernie]

In 1, 3 and maybe 5, I wouldn't have bet the flop. Unless these players play tight postflop and may fold. Which isn't likely.

There's a good starting point.

b

[Ice]

Spicey

Playing overcards is not easy. I think you need to pick up SSH and read the overcards section to get a feel for how to handle these situations.In general the more players the less likely you are to bet. However,with three players and a board with some draws you should be more inclined to bet.In otherwords the WIDER THE RANGE OF HOLDINGS these 2 or 3 players could have the more inclined you s/b to bet.

For example if the board comes Q 7 3 rainbow and you bet into 2 players and they both call i would check the turn because there is not many hands these guys could be holding since there are no draws.However,if the board was T 9 3 with 2 hearts i would be more inclined to bet. None of this is locked in stone.But you have to try and think about the proper concets that apply.SSh has a checklist that is very helpful. Read it then try to answer your own questions as it will prove to be very helpful.Ice

[LinusKS]

You're not the only one. A lot of people feel like that (including me). Playing overcards is complicated, and tricky.

Here's my take.

1. Check. Chances are you're behind. Any pair will call you down, and if somebody actually likes his hand, this is where he puts in his raise.

Unfortunately, if it's bet back to you - which it probably will be - you'll have a tough choice to make.

There'll be at least 7.5 bets in the pot (minus the rake), and, if your overs are good, you'll be getting - barely - odds to see one more bet.

Unfortunately, you can't be sure of that. There's always a small chance somebody's already made two pair or a set.

To make things even a little worse, your check basically invited someone to try to steal this pot, and very often, that's exactly what someone will try to do.

Absent any reads, I guess I figure this to be a call, although a very close one.

If it gets checked around, I don't necessarily take that to mean you're ahead - against three opponents, I'm willing to take it as a free card.

If you miss the river, you have to check. If it's bet, you have to compare the pot odds against the (small) chance your A high is actually good. There'll be approximately ten bets in the pot by then, depending on the action on the turn, so if you're against a singly laggy opponent, you might actually have to throw one more bet in, painful though that is.

Against two or more, or against a generally passive player, it's an obvious fold.

If you hit the river, I'd check-call a passive player, and check-raise a lag. Absent any reads, I check.

Against two players, my gut is a value raise might be in order. I figure two players are less likely to fold than one, and if one of them does have a better hand, he's less likely to raise in a three-way pot than he would heads up.

[habsfanca11]

Spicy, there was a really good post back a few weeks that is worth looking for. I wish I could remember some of the details to direct you better but I don't. Perhaps QTip remembers it as he was involved in the thread. The synopsis of that thread was - there is no SOP, play it differently every time based on the information present. What I got out of it was play the players and the playing conditions more .... Some example considerations to factor in: what is my table image? Who is in the hand with me? What type of players are they? etc. etc. Then you begin factoring aspects like: they're both calling stations and will call down with any piece of the board + my table image needs some polishing + pots small + I'm out of position = this time I check; or for example: my table image is excellent, I've taken down the last two pots with TPTK, one of these guys for sure has shown he can fold, I can likely represent an over-pair here, unless I meet resistance I'm going to fire at the flop and the turn, etc. etc. Sorry this is so general and non-specific. But I've been finding my "over-card only" play improved by using this general advice and really flipping a switch in my head to play the players and the game conditions more than the board. FWIW. Cheers.