Common Party $3-$6 Situation

[Ed Miller]

I want to make sure you guys are handling this spot correctly. It has already come up several times for me.

You open-raise from MP with Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Only the BB calls.

The flop is K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. The BB bets. What do you do?

[MarkL444]

Raise, fold to a 3 bet or turn check raise.

or is this a pot is too small dont bother question?

[Fnord]

Fold, and someone will poop on me for posting this.

BB could have any two cards here, so a 2 isn't out of the question. If he's not bluffing or isn't betting a pocket pair in hopes you missed, you likely have 2 outs in a ~4SB pot. Then again, you have to ask yourself why he wouldn't check/raise...

[bakku]

Call

[exist]

raising is wrong because if he is bluffing you make him stop.

folding is wrong because you are too likely to be ahead.

calling is correct because you have a fairly strong hand not too vulnerable to overcards and a board that your opponent might find enticing to bluff at (he could also be betting a hand like 88).

[Saborion]

Raise and check behind on the turn and then call a river bet. If he call your flop raise and bet the turn, you should be able to fold.

[MicroBob]

I don't know about checking behind on the turn Saborion.
If he checks to you there is a VERY good chance that a bet can take it here.

[bakku]

great post!

[MicroBob]

I'm torn between
- just calling and then betting if they check the turn
- raising right now

I think raising NOW is best

But there is also an argument for just calling.
Here it is:

I think that just calling tells the BB:
- that you have a K (AK or QK most likely) but might be afraid that he has a 2
- that you are willing to call him down with your K

Also - since he bet at it I am going to guess that he does NOT have a 2 (because he more likely would have checked if he had trips).
Since I can guess that he does NOT have a 2 that increases my chances of having the best hand and he is probably drawing pretty thin.


Also - he is guessing that I don't have a 2 because I raised.
I think his bet is just trying to represent his own K to see if I really have one (a 'feeler' type bet that Ed referred to yesterday).

(Maybe I'm giving the BB too much credit to actually think about it this much.....but I think some of these thoughts come to him instinctively).

[JTG51]

I think raising NOW is best

Can you reasonably expect to get a lot of action from any worse hand?

Is there any worse hand that you want him to fold?

Will he ever fold a better hand?