Quick question about a common situation - default play

Cerril · #1 09-30-2005, 01:33 AM

Holding a big pair (JJ-KK) on the button, one caller (if position matters let me know). I raise, two calls (if it changes the play if it's the BB or SB that calls - let me know). Limited reads other than that neither is particularly anything. Of course TAGs don't tend to read early on, but they're not especially loose or stupid aggro.

Flop comes Axx (two unders to your pair), no OESD or flush draws. A bet and a call to you, 6SB in the pot. Is this a clear fold, clear anything?

gildwulf · #2 09-30-2005, 01:39 AM

It depends on the style of the players before you. For instance, if 40/20/2 bets and 50/10/.5 calls, your jacks are good and you should probably raise. If UTG is a TAG he should know not to bet into a field of people without top pair or better. This is a fold. If better is a LAG and you have a solid read on the caller this could be a call as well.

Poker is situational...there is no default play.

joseki · #3 09-30-2005, 01:45 AM

I think this is as situational as any. That said, I'm looking for reasons to call, not the opposite.

Cerril · #4 09-30-2005, 02:03 AM

That's silly. It should be entirely possible to play poker against people who have not shown themselves to play exceptionally good or bad poker. If you can't play without actual numbers you're missing a lot of poker, I can't help but think. In any case, unless the cards have been extremely hot or cold, a 'default play' would be against people with stats in the range of 20-45/10-25/.5-1.5

Cerril · #5 09-30-2005, 02:09 AM

Here's a followup. The hand that had me asking involved an ATx flop and the BB showing down QT and dragging. I don't want to be results oriented, though, and made a note that BB was capable of betting this. Was a bet a good play from him, or would a c/call or a c/raise been a better move, provided he read me as a 20s/teens/2+ and had no reads on the UTG limper?

I think that perhaps in a situation like this whether it's the SB coldcalling or the BB calling a raise might change a call to a fold. Next question is whether to raise here rather than call or if I do call, what to do on a harmless turn?