Some big pair stud situations...

[nef]

1) I have Kings wired with a 4 up, one player calls and I raise on third. One King is out. One cold call, and the bring-in and limper call. I bet 4th. On 5th the limper with XX 4c 7d 7s acts first and bets, a player folds, I am next to act with KK 4 2 T, the bring in is behind me with XX 2d Jh Ac. Should I raise? I suspect 7's up or 7's and a 4-straight or three 7's is betting.

2) I have Aces wired with a 7 up and have been betting. On 6th I have (AA) 7 8 9 K and player who has been check/calling becomes high with XX 8c 6h Jc Jh and bets into me. XX A K 2 T who has been check/calling along is left to act behind me. 2 7's a K and 2 T's have folded. I put the bettor on J's up. Should I raise here?

3) I started with a (A-x) y flush draw, caught an Ace on fourth to make Aces. I have been betting all the way. I make a 4-flush on fifth. I have two opponents calling me, one with what appears to be a straight draw or medium pair, one with a possible flush draw. I have unimproved Aces on the river and am first to act. What should my plan be?

[Al Mirpuri]

1) Raise to knock out the guy behind you. It is a standard play. I am sure others will confirm this.

2) As above.

3) Check and call. Let either a busted straight or the unimproved medium pair bluff. If you bet the Aces the danger is you will only get a call if you are beat (medium pair guy) or will be raised (4straight guy) and will be risking two bets to win one. This is standard thinking. I am sure others will confirm.

Listen to Andy B. He seems to know what he is doing.

[blinklate]

I would agree with the first and third situations. On the second one though, you will probably have to improve to win, ie make aces up. Given that three tens and three sevens are dead the player with jacks showing probably started with a pair of eights or wired nines. Since you have to improve anyway you might as well let the third player remain in the pot since you will likely improve to a better hand than the third will if you both improve. His tens aces and kings are dead. two jacks are out so he probably doesnt have a straight draw and if he did have the draw than the ten could have made it so you shouldnt raise into him if he made his hand. I think that your best bet is a call then call on the river if you improve.
I would be interested in the results of the hand if you have them

[Ray Zee]

1. fold

2. call

3.check and call if you think he might bluff.

[Andy B]

My knee-jerk reaction to both hands was to raise to knock the other guy out. I'm going to stick with that line for the first hand, albeit with some trepidation, as Ray is basically never wrong. You can take a free card on sixth if you don't improve, so you'll put the same amount of money in as you would have if you had just called on fifth and sixth. On the other hand, the pot is still relatively small, and the guy behind you just might have a real hand. I actually think it's fairly close between raising, folding, and calling, with calling being the worst option.

The second hand is different because the guy behind you has a dead hand. His presence only hurts you if you improve and he beats you. This should be a sufficiently infrequent occurrence that you don't mind him sticking around. I say call.

On the third hand, I think that the play is clearly to check and plan on calling one bet, unless they never bluff.

[MBTIGUY]

In situations 1 & 2, your raise is essentially a semi-bluff since you're behind in both hands. The problem is that I don't think in either case you'll get a fold, so the bluff aspect won't win the hand for you. A raise could get a free card on the river in #1. But for me that one is still a fold because you're putting more money into a hand that you're not the favorite to win.
In #2 you're heads-up but still behind so why raise if your raise won't win right there? Call with your overpair and hope for the best.
#3 you may already have the best hand and are drawing to the best hand. Still, I think you want to play this as cheaply as possible since you've got two pretty good draws against you. Check and call.

[Ray Zee]

in #1. go back and look at the hands, you will see a smallish pot and a hand that you know little about betting into you. you have a dead hand with the kings and a hand behind you that will go out any way with just deuces but will play on with aces or pop you for three bets with a very possible aces up. and you might get popped from three sevens. and can you go out considering he might do that with two sevens and a draw. and if you are real lucky and have the best hand at present you still wont be a favorite to win the pot in many or most situations here. so fold, its clear cut not close.

[Andy B]

[ QUOTE ]
Listen to Andy B. He seems to know what he is doing.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a laugh (see below).

[patrick dicaprio]

without saying what the limits are:

1.raise if you can get the A to fold and play heads up vs. the 7's

2.raise again if you can get the player after you out, but against good players who will bluff perhaps if he has garbage you want him in so you have a protected pot and if you dont improve your hand on the river you will have a better idea where you stand. of course if the J's have two pair they may still check the river but at low limits this is unlikely as he will still likely bet into you despite the possibility you have aces up.

3.usually check call with aces on the river unless he will fold to a bet which is unlikely in most cases. but if it bet and then call before you consider folding.

Pat

[patrick dicaprio]

maybe against good players or at higher limits that is true, but against low limit players who play garbage even for a raise i wouldnt fold. 10-20 and above though you are probably correct. at low limits i wouldnt be surprised if the 7's had only a pair of sevens and nothing else.

Pat