5-5 Q9s Flop Play

[Huskiez]

First time playing at a casino (Harrah's in IN), and it was a fun time. Here's a hand which came up against a friend of mine who I went to the casino with.

The table is around 9 handed, but the main opponents (positions are approximate) are:
UTG (1000+): pretty tight conservative player
MP1 (400): my friend, who's TAG, 2+2er
MP3 (1000+): weak tight player
SB (1000+): loose calling station, will chase longshots and stay in with horrible holdings

I bought in for around 450 and have built it up to about 650.

Hero is dealt Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in BB.

UTG limps, MP1 raises to 25, MP3 and SB call, I call as I would be shocked if UTG limp reraises, and I figure I might have be able to crack someone's stack if I hit the flop hard. UTG calls.

Five to the flop for $125.

So as the flop is dealt, I try to study the expression of MP1. He doesn't give anything away, and I notice that SB checks, so I blind check without looking at flop, and willing to act after seeing how MP1 plays the flop. I pretty much expect a pot bet though.

UTG checks, MP1 bets $100, MP3 folds, SB folds, and it's on me.

I look down at the flop, and see 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

What is your move?

Preflop call okay?

Did I give too much up by blind checking?

[JFB37]

This hand illustrates why the preflop call is questionable. Now you are out of position and have the option of calling a bet on the flop for insufficient pot odds with the possibility of it being re-raised by UTG. Given where you are, I think it is either fold or push.

[Huskiez]

I think the preflop call might be okay because while I am out of position, the stacks are relatively shallow such that I can hopefully get it all in on an early street, thereby nullifying his positional advantage.

In the actual hand, I thought Villain could have anything, most likely an overpair or high cards. I was hoping if I check raised, he would definitely muck his overs and might be able to fold a middle pocket pair, thinking I had hit a set and was looking to check raise the field.

So I CRed to 300. I'm contemplating whether that or check raising all in is the better play. Assuming he was considering calling, I think a CR to 300 leaving you with 70 left is scarier than an all in, because both Villain and Hero know it's all going in if Villain calls.

Anyway, he pushed his final 70 in and flipped over the hand that had me in the worst shape: A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].

[lapoker17]

I appreciate the reasons why you called PF, but it's just not worth it with that hand and stacks not terribly deep - calling there out of position puts you in a bad spot. If you don't flop 2 pair or better, you're so rarely going to be drawing to the nuts that you're generally just going to lose money. If the flop comes 9 high, do you like TPGK - Probably not - a Q high flop is even worse.

Bad players lose because they put themselves in these "in-between" types of circumstances and often can't extricate themselves from flops like the one you saw - Just good enough to keep you in, just bad enough to bust you.

I know you understand the game from some of your other posts - A player like you shouldn't find himself in situations like this - You're better than that.

[Kaz The Original]

Short stacks is not a reason to play this hand, and neither is bad position. Fold preflop, maybe play this on the button, but more likely only play this if the stacks are 5x the size they are.