The love/hate JJ

[Lobtec]

Hi,

Been a lurker here a while now and I feel like its time to start discussion other hands and getting some input in order to improve my play. First out is a somewhat standard hand I think but I still want the input. No read as this was the third hand on the table.

Party Poker 3/6 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="gray">3 folds</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="gray">1 fold</font>, <font color="red">Hero raises</font>, <font color="gray">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls.

Just one in the hand so its a straight forward raise here.

Flop: (5.33 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="red">MP2 bets</font>, <font color="red">Hero raises</font>, <font color="red">MP2 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Nice rainbow flop giving me the overpair. I get a bit curious when MP2 first leads out and then 3-bets. My first guess is a T with a stronger kicker but the set is a possibility. Should I have capped here?

Turn: (5.66 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="red">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

The pairing and MP2 leading out makes me fall back and I decide just to go for the call. Should I have gone for a raise here?

River: (7.66 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="red">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.66 BB

Lets see what you guys and girls say...

[Elizabeth]

Capping the flop seems fine, but waiting to raise makes sense too. This is a spot where I think you can vary your play.

I like the turn call. Once the board pairs tens, I don't think you have the best hand but I'm not prepared to fold it for a single bet.

Raising right now will cost the same as calling this down through the river. For the same cost, I prefer seeing a showdown over raising and seeing if I'm 3 bet.

I don't think the free card is an issue for two reasons: one, I don't think MP is likely to fold, and two, I don't see what draw he could have that you need to charge.

The only real reason to raise is if MP has an overpair and you can make use the tens on board to make him fold. I am thinking about this more, and it would be a strange way to play an overpair preflop, but I can see it. Still, this possibility is not enough to make me change my play on this hand.

In a headsup situation like this reads are very important. By default I'd call it down; you have a good hand headsup hand and you shouldn't set yourself up to fold it.