20-40 How do you play this marginal hand?

[mauisupaman]

Sitting at Bay 101 on my third orbit and haven't played a hand yet except for my blinds. It's folded to me in the CO with Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I raise and get cold called by just the button. Flop comes down K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Button has LAG tendencies. I lead at the pot and get raised. I call. Turn brings a J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and I check fold the turn.

There was no flush draw on the flop although 97 may have been a possibility for my opponent's raise. I think he would have three bet pre flop with 88 and possibly 66. Big hands are probably out unless he was trying to trap. K8 or K6 suited could also be possible or a weak K. I'm not sure if he would have raised me with middle or bottom pair.

Would three betting the flop have been appropriate in this spot? Should I have led into him again on the turn?

Thanks for the help,
Adam

[Manzanita]

Adam,

Q8s is a marginal hand for trying to steal the blinds from the CO. Given that you haven't played a hand yet adds value to the play. If the players yet to act are very tight then you have an additional reason to attempt a blind steal. But in general I would just fold in this situation.

[ QUOTE ]
Would three betting the flop have been appropriate in this spot? Should I have led into him again on the turn?

[/ QUOTE ]
If your opponent has a King then trying to push him off his hand is unlikely to succeed. Since he did call 2 bets cold I don't think that it's unreasonable to put him on this hand. Hence, I think that you played correctly postflop

-- Manzanita

[CardSharpCook]

First, as one of Maui's many transients (lived there for five months). Aloha!

Second, dude, q8suited? let the fishies play that hand.

Third, three-betting the flop is a $80 play at a $170 pot. Realize, that you are bluffing at this point. Realize also, that the only hand he will FOLD, is a hand that hasn't paired. If he also has an eight, he'll call you all the way. I like folding here. You have five outs, so it is acceptable to call his raise based on expected pot odds(while current odds doesn't merit calling his raise). But why fight over such a small pot?