My first hand with a pro

Just got to Vegas last night, staying at the Palms. I played a little bit of 2/5 NL here last night, made about $400. Back in FL, there are no NL cash games, so my only real live experience is from the NL tournys I play back home and my visit to Vegas last summer.

Sat down today at same stakes as last night. I'm sat down to the right of one Joe Awada, the first time I've sat at a table where I recognized a player from TV. Bought in for $250.

Second hand I was UTG+1 and picked up an unraised preflop pot with an uncontested postflop bet. Hand immediately after that (no strong reads):

Hero = UTG, $270
Joe Awada = UTG +1, ~$600
Villain = BB, ~$350

Hero picks up QQ, raises to $20.
JA calls $20, table folds to Villain who calls $15.

Flop (pot = $62):
J Q 7 rainbow

BB checks, hero bets $45, JA calls, BB calls

Turn (pot = $192):
9 (still no flush draw)

BB bets $200, hero?

[Big_Jim]

If this plays anything like the live games I've played, raise more PF.

You cannot fold this hand, and calling that bet is essentially all in.

Only a complete fish would call an UTG raise with KT, and I highly doubt he calls the flop with a gutshot (8T). While I don't think it's entirely unlikely that this player IS a complete fish, there are plenty of other hands he might think are good. (Two pair, another set, etc.)

If he does, well, at least you have outs.

[ QUOTE ]
If this plays anything like the live games I've played, raise more PF.

You cannot fold this hand, and calling that bet is essentially all in.

Only a complete fish would call an UTG raise with KT, and I highly doubt he calls the flop with a gutshot (8T). While I don't think it's entirely unlikely that this player IS a complete fish, there are plenty of other hands he might think are good. (Two pair, another set, etc.)

If he does, well, at least you have outs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Looking back, that's what I'm thinking as far as raising more PF. Like I said in OP, my forte is tournys, not cash games. Taking that into consideration, I probably should have bet more postflop as well. In cash games, are pot sized bets usually the norm? Is anything less considered suspicious?

[iceman5]

Joe Awada is playing $2/$5NL?

In a most live $2/$5 games, you could raise to $30 and get 4 callers alot of times. Thats why a bigger raise from UTG is probably better. Or a limp reraise would be ok too depending on the other action.

I agree with Jim, Im not folding this

[Big_Jim]

[ QUOTE ]
I probably should have bet more postflop as well.

[/ QUOTE ]
Certainly an option, but I think your flop bet was fine. Not many draws on this board to defend against, and you have the current nuts.

[ QUOTE ]
In cash games, are pot sized bets usually the norm?

[/ QUOTE ]
Depends on the game, but usually not. Always lots of guys who bet less to far less, some guys bet more.

I was playing at MGM a while back and I bet like 3/4 pot on the turn and river in this one hand. Villian kept asking me "Why so much?" as he called down with top pair.

Lots of guys have no clue about bet sizing.

[ QUOTE ]
Is anything less considered suspicious?

[/ QUOTE ]
Not at all.

[sawseech]

hero turns his brain off and calls in

[octop]

hero should raise more preflop and buy in for 500

[jrforman]

Yawn, All-in...

[durrrr]

wow ur playing way over ur head. This is a complete no brainer. If u had KQ here itd be close... and i'd probably call.

[bkholdem]

what the hell is Joe A doing slumming in a live 2/5 game?

Doesn't live 2/5 play like party .25/.50, or, actually much worse, especially in vegas?