Bottom Two Pair

[top6]

I have been reading two plus two a while, but this is my first post. Here is a hand I played in a B&M a while back that I would appreciate any feedback on.

This is a no-limit table. Blinds are $5, $5. I started with $500 and am down to around $400. I am one of the smaller stacks at the table. There are two huge stacks of $2000 - $3000, everyone else is between $400 and $1000.

I am in BB w/ Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls $5.
UTG + 1 calls $5.
(fold around)
SB + 1 checks.
Hero checks.

UTG and UTG +1 are both the big stacks. They play almost every pot and will frequently bet with nothing. I have played with SB before - he is a solid player, but had been going somewhat crazy of late after taking some bad beats. I have played very few hands, and am sure that all of these players are smart enough to realize that if I bet I likely have a hand.

Flop: K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Hero: Bets $15.
UTG: Raises to $65.
UTG + 1: Calls $65.
SB: Calls.

Should I call the $50, raise or fold?

Results in white:

<font color="white"> I call. Flop is the beautiful 3H. I check. UTG checks. UTG + 1 bets $200. SB folds. I go all-in. UTG folds. UTG + 1 calls and turns over Ace-high flush. I more than double-up and make my night - this gives me a big stack to play with the rest of the evening. But was that $50 call the right one? Was my play OK on the turn?

FYI, SB told me that he had KQ - although I have no reason to believe him. </font>

[Richie Rich]

UTG's raise means he is most likely protecting his top pair on this draw-happy flop; UTG+1's call from behind means he is probably on a draw. I would be 90% confident that you were beating both of your opponents on the flop, so you HAD to call with the SB special.

When UTG+1 made a $200 bet as the third heart fell on the turn, you KNEW he caught his flush draw. With your "short stack", it was essential to put him to the test and c/r him all-in. At that point, considering the size of the pot to the odds that you had a second-best hand, I'd say he was pot-committed.

Well played...although I think you could've bet more on the flop to protect your two pair (unless you were planning to c/r if a non-scare card fell on the turn).

[top6]

Thanks. You are right that I should assume that I have best hand on the flop. I generally struggle with bottom two pair on the flop with more than 2 players still left: it seems I always come out betting big and lose. But I don't this fear is rational - I have probably just suffered a couple of bad beats that stick out in my mind, making me hesistate to bet what is, obviously, a good hand.