$55s - Extracting value from TPMK out of BB (early)

[otctrader]

Common situation, you pick a mid-kicker ace in the BB (A7o etc) and see a flop with 2 limps (MP & CO), SB completes.

Flop is: A - 6 - 8 mono or something of the sort - relatively innocuous but some funky straight draws possible.

I'm usually checking the flop since getting called doesn't tell me a whole lot, and certainly won't get a better hand to fold (I'm assuming this isn't a leak).

Anyhow, what's the plan if:

A] Checked to the CO who auto-bets pot (T60)
B] Checked all the way around, turn blanks - your action?

[Shilly]

To be honest with you, I don't like checking here. I prefer to lead out and fold to a raise. If I get called, I'll probably lead the turn, too (again folding to a raise). If I get called again I check the river, and sometimes call or fold to a bet.

Checking puts you in a bad spot because now you really don't know where you're at. You can check-raise, which will cost you a ton of chips if you're behind, and probably won't even get better aces to fold. You can just call, but you'll be blindly calling down the rest of the hand. If you check and it checks around, I lead the turn.

[tigerite]

I also think leading out here is good. If it was two-suited or something then checking is the better line. But some freaky straight draw, I dunno, it just doesn't seem that likely to me.

Do you seriously want to make two pot sized bets w/ top pair middle kicker??? Sure you don't want to give free cards but you also want to build a pot against hands that you can beat. If you bet the flop and get called what else is he gonna call w/ besides an ace, then it comes down to kickers and i don't like our kicker. Now, if you check and get a late position bet, you have a better chance to have the best hand because people will value bet middle pair here to prevent free cards. I like a check call lead the turn line and fold to a raise. What do you guys think of that line since it won't necessarily build a huge pot w/ a marginal hand. Oh, and if it gets checked around you should bet the turn.

[tigerite]

I almost never bet the whole pot anyway. There's no point.

what do you think is a good bet? 2/3rds? 1/3rd? read dependent?

[Shilly]

I would bet 45 on the flop and 100 on the turn if called. This is opposed to raising 150 on a check-raise and then almost always losing the hand when you're called.