stuck between a rock & a rock

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ho hum?

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. UTG+1 posts a blind of $3.
UTG calls, UTG+1 (poster) checks, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (12.50 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds, Button calls, Hero calls, BB calls.

Turn: (11.25 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, Button calls, Hero calls, <font color="CC3333">BB raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG 3-bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, Button calls, Hero calls, <font color="CC3333">BB caps</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, Button calls, Hero calls.

River: (31.25 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">BB bets</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, Button folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 34.25 BB

[brick]

My advice, try not to get stuck there in the first place. On the flop, you have an underpair with a scary looking board, don't bet into 5 people.

Check. Then (maybe) raise if a LP player bets. Fold if it comes back to you for 2 bets. If comes back to you for one bet make an educated guess and call or fold.

[Azhrarn]

I'd play it the same. Or wait....

Were you planning to fold if the turn didn't help you?

There's a good case for not calling the flop raise. Since you don't have the queen of spades, if you think you're behind, you should have gotten out then, rather than seeing the turn. And it looks like you're behind when it comes back to you on the flop...

[dejableu]

I'm understand calling the 2 bets on the turn between when you called one and then saw it get 3-bet, but I must say from the outset that I'm not crazy about it. I'd like the opinion of others on this play.

Here's my take. BB's check-raise indicates a huge hand. If he already hit the straight with Q9, you are hoping for a 9 to split. If he has AQ and a 9 falls, you are going to get bludgeoned on the river.

In any case, even if he doesn't yet have the straight (which I think he might after he caps), your two Q outs are certainly goners because of straights to the A. Moreover, even with your 8 straight outs, the possibility of a split pot is very real.

I realize that the pot is laying you huge odds, roughly 24:2, in fact, when you make your call. But there are very real concerns about getting capped (meaning it's possibly 28:3). Obviously an open-ended draw still is better than 9:1, but with the possibility of flush draws and a split pot, it's a little dicey.

What does everyone think? Is this an obvious call?

[Azhrarn]

I like the calling on the turn, although I wouldn't call it obvious. I like it for a few reasons though.

First, the hero has two queens, so I'm less willing to give an opponent credit for a queen straight. There are three straights possible on the turn (97, Q9, AQ), and AQ is somewhat less likely because of the preflop action. But our hero can tie or beat any of the straights with a river ace, and can tie one, beat one, and lose to one with a river nine.

The flush draw complicates things further, but in general I like the call. There's a decent chance the hero's up against two pairs or sets.