10/20, 3-betting on the button with cheese

[coolhandkuhn]

I caught some flack for this play after the hand was over, but I still feel like it was a good play. Typical 10/20 game...a few donators, a few rocks, and the rest kinda-ok. I play tight, to the point where it's noticeable to even the fish. Anyway, I'm on the button, it's folded to the CO +1 and he raises. It looks like a steal raise, and he's a good enough player to try this with a lot of hands. CO folds and I decide to three bet with Q-10 of diamonds, to get the hand heads-up, and steal the pot on the flop when CO +1 doesn't hit. I figure my image allows me a little more leeway, as a three bet from me isn't usually less than jacks. Good or bad play?

Back to the hand: small blind folds, but big blind (good player) calls, as does CO +1. Sh*t, so much for easily picking up the pot on the flop. Flop comes Q-10-4, rainbow. Hello!! Big blind bets out, CO +1 gets out of the way, I raise, BB makes it 3, and I cap. (Should I have just called the 3 bet and waited for the turn to pop it?). Checked to me on the turn (non-pairing rag), I bet it and get called. River is another rag, no flush possible. Checked to me and I bet and get called, and my hand is good. My main question is how bad is the 3 bet pre-flop, when used sparingly, against a possible steal? I thought it was a pretty good play, and was glad to have had the chance to show that I 3 bet with crap, in the hopes that future 3 bets will give me more action. Also, the flop cap --- standard, or do I wait 'til the turn to pop him (assuming he bets it out)? FWIW, opponent showed his pocket kings after the hand was over.

[Ed Miller]

When the big blind has KK, your 3-bet is terrible. Except if you plan to flop top two as you did here... then the 3-bet becomes better.

[PokerPrince]

Oh Kong, those situational comic posts of yours never get old. Lol.

PokerPrince

[Roy Hobbs]

[ QUOTE ]
I play tight, to the point where it's noticeable to even the fish.

[/ QUOTE ]

You absolutely must make plays like this once in a while. nice hand.

[Gabe]

It’s very good to be constantly monitoring how you are perceived. You made the right play at the right time, as majorkong pointed out. Now go back to playing tight for a while.

[cero_z]

hi coolhand,
You made a good play by mixing it up pre-flop. The 3-bet on the flop probably cost you a half a bet in this hand (as opposed to raising the turn or river), but it, too, aids your image. Now when you play fast on the flop, your regular opponents must broaden the range of hands they're thinking about.
One more thing: in the game you describe, what just happened is perfect. You beat a tight player with a weak hand, after overplaying it. This will be remembered by the table for a long time (certainly all night), so you can revert to super-tight and expect improved action.