$10/$20 O8 Hand

[nef]

I am dealt AdKd8c2c in BB, UTG and next player call, SB calls, assume I check. How often would you raise this hand here? This is a tightish game and UTG is a reasonable player.

The flop comes 4hTdJs. Sb checks, I check, UTG bets, next player raises, and SB folds. I am getting 3.5:1 odds with two backdoor nut draws and a gutshot to the nuts. Do you call or fold here? What if I had raised preflop and now was getting pot odds of 5.5:1?

[Buzz]

[ QUOTE ]
I am dealt AdKd8c2c in BB, UTG and next player call, SB calls, assume I check. How often would you raise this hand here? This is a tightish game and UTG is a reasonable player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nef - You probably have the best starting hand at the table. You can raise or not.

How often would I raise here? It would depend on who I was playing and what I thought the effect of a raise would have on my opponents. For me that's a complex issue. The point is it's not wrong to raise here and it's also not wrong to check here.

The up-side of raising is you get more money in the pot when you have the best of it. The down-side of raising is you give your hand away and after the first betting round you'll be out of position.

[ QUOTE ]
The flop comes 4hTdJs. Sb checks, I check, UTG bets, next player raises, and SB folds. I am getting 3.5:1 odds with two backdoor nut draws and a gutshot to the nuts. Do you call or fold here?

[/ QUOTE ]

You fold. It's not even a close decision. Fold.

Next-Player could be putting a move on you here, raising to isolate himself against UTG, but you're not in position to do anything about it - (plus you don't have the cards to do anything about it). Fold.

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What if I had raised preflop and now was getting pot odds of 5.5:1?

[/ QUOTE ]

You still fold. If you're thinking you have two shots at a queen and thus the odds against catching a queen on the turn or river are roughly 5 to 1, then add in what it will cost you to call both of the next two bets - and it you do that, you won't be getting 5.5 to 1 pot odds.

The runner-runner low draw doesn't add enough value to make seeing another card worth the cost. Finally, even if you _do catch a queen or a low card on the turn you won't be out of the woods. Fold.

Just my opinion.

Buzz