Okay, I'm mired in one of those bizarre statistical quirks in NLHE and its spawned this question...here's the situation. I've been able to limp in from the SB or BB with marginal sorts of holdings...J9, JT, QT...with 3-4 others in the hand usually.

Several times in the past two weeks I've been fortunate enough to hit top two pair, but the boards have all been nightmarish...9-T-J when I'm holding JT for example...or 9-T-Q when I have QT. Now I love 2 pair...but now I'm first to act and in both cases could easily find myself up against the two cards to complete the straight or a combination straight and flush draw in some cases.

So what's everyone's opinion on how to proceed? Do you bet big and try to take away the odds to draw for the straight (for those who might have just one card and are drawing to an open-ender) and flush draws (if any). Or do you keep it small and prepare to drop it if anyone seems overly interested behind you.

I've tried both...the bet big strategy feels like Russian Roulette...the bet small strategy feels like I'm just begging someone to come steal my pot. Playing it for a check-raise sucked even worse as everyone on their draw just checks around and takes a free card.

Input and opinions?

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:cool:

To be successful in business, surround yourself with professionals. To be successful in poker, surround yourself with idiots.

Bet 3/4 the pot or check raise an aggresive player(s)

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“There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.” - John von Neumann

I like to check in this spot. To see who bets, how much, and in what position they're in. if the guys between me and button also checks, and the guy last to act raises some 'wussy' amount, then I'll pop him with a pot raise.

If someone bets in the mp positions, depending on who it is and how much and if anyone calls, I'll often call to see the turn and take it from there.

I check mainly to disguise my hand, but also to try and keep the pot small and basically out of trouble . If it's checked around and a scare card hits... I'd just dump it (if the other guys start turning on the heat).

Cheers,

Mike

PS. how I play it also depends on what 2 pair I have... like if it's 8c9cTs and I got 9To, I would feel a little more comfortable than if it were 8s9ctc and I got 9To.

Um that doesnt make sense lol, unless like clubs ar less likely to fall on the turn because of the cardweight and the gravitonal pull of uranus.

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“There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.” - John von Neumann

Well unless they have Tc, then the flush drawer only has 8 live outs. You dig?

Cheers,

Mike

I guess... most likely they have a pair/or straight draw also ^^

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“There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.” - John von Neumann

hmmm.

This reminds me of a hand from the WPT ep Daniel N vs... that blond haired dude. wtf's his name?

Anyway, flop was 8TJ and Daniel had J9 the other dude... damn it what's his name? Had JT. 2 pair bet Daniel raised 2 pair called. turn blank 2 pair called Dan N. A on river check check. I think that's how it went. But this was the limit WPT event I believe. snoresville .

Cheers,

Mike

I think it depends on the table. First off, the pot is relatively small, so betting less than a full pot would seem very weak. If the players are tight/aggressive, and unlikely to slowplay a straight, especially if theres a flush draw on board, then bettin a little bigger than the pot would run off the draws, and not cost you alot (total of 5-6 BB's) if somebody comes way over the top on you, anybody flat calling this with a draw or weak made hand (set, bottom straight) is making a a losing play, and if the tables tough, this won't happen. SO, any calls or raises, you know you're beat, You prefer a call since you still haveouts, but to call a raise, you only got 4 outs.

But if the table is pretty passive, a checkraise would probably be most appropiate, especially if the bet seems weak, but not too weak (ie a huge underbet from a normally aggressive player). This move is pretty player dependent, gotta base your re-action to their actions, if it is not their normal style of play, somethings up.

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I would probably go broke somehow on a hand like that, the opponents I play, you just never know what they have, but I would bet it pretty strongly on the flop, a check raise will cost you too much.

E-Dog