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?

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

Originally Posted by Naruto

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.

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

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.