Do you bet or check back underpairs to the board?

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jsh169

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I know this may depend on the villain and how their range is, but say for instance your on the button with jacks, and the flop comes k high do you bet this against a reg/fish/station/etc or check behind for pot control?
 
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ScottishMatt

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Depends on the reg/fish/station/etc . . .

No doubt this question was sparked by a recently played hand. Why not post it?
 
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groggy44

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well sir, this is just my opinion. On the button with jacks I'm bet, bet, betting. Unless the board gets to an obvious str8 or flush draw. If he's got a K, God bless him. However i think his range is wide because you are betting from the button and he has a ton of hands without an over card.
 
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jsh169

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Depends on the reg/fish/station/etc . . .

No doubt this question was sparked by a recently played hand. Why not post it?


No, not exactly, the last hand I tried posting in here I couldn't get to convert. I think I'm just asking overall to vague of a question to have a proper response. I check back alot of the time for pot control, but that can turn your hand face up, but it at least gives you something to combat with, compared to when you don't cbet because you have air and a bad board texture.
 
igySK

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if villain calls your bet with worse hands then bet, it really depends on the board texture and the villain.
 
_FISHFEET81_

_FISHFEET81_

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check shuv on them, always wins unless they have the nuts lol
 
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just a girl

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If on the button and first to put money in the pot, I'd assume no one hit the king and I'd go for it with a decent bet. Maybe 3/4 of the pot. Having said that, I don't think I play pocket pairs very well. I'm too much of a chicken to push all in, unless my stack is getting small.
 
dmorris68

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Depends on a lot of things, not least of all is yours and villain's image and the pre-flop action, which you didn't indicate in your example.
 
Juanes1913

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With pocket jacks preflop on the button and a king comes on the flop I will make a continuation bet and If the opponent re-raise sure I lawdown my pocket jacks
 
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jsh169

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I definitely think igysk answered the question the best.

This situation comes up a ton if you play a somewhat amount of tables and a decent length of session. I myself probably check back to often, but when I bet in my experiences end up bleeding more money, especially in 3 bet pots. In 3 bet pots with position I usually check behind if up against a competent opponent, and reevaluate the turn and river. It seems to happen to often ;)
 
Paragon

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Against a calling station, check all the way to the end, unless they bet. Against a regular, you might want to cbet because they most likely did not hit the flop. If you get called just give up. It also depends if you are the preflop raiser or not.
 
Mr Sandbag

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If I'm playing against one or two players and I'm on the button, I would definitely bet if checked to me. Checking doesn't really accomplish anything other than giving the other players a free card when they are most likely behind. Not only that, but checking the flop almost guarantees a bet from an opponent on the turn, whether or not they hit the turn or have the K. Against multiple players (4+), I may check, depending on the table.
 
_FISHFEET81_

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Personally I would bet just to see where am I, depends on the texture of the board. But if it gets checked around to me and say its 3 or 4 handed ill throw a bet out there just to see where im at. and also if the villians are loose aggressive or tight.
 
WVHillbilly

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There is a lot of truly horrible advice ITT. OP it really depends on the pair you hold, the board texture, how many opponents you're against, if you're in position or out...

In your example with JJ on a K high board we should usually be checking back on the flop with the intention of calling a turn bet (or betting most turns ourselves if checked to) and the deciding on the river if our villain is capable of betting turn and river with worse if he bets again.

Now if the villain is a passive station and the board is drawy, we may be better to bet both the flop and turn.

Give me 99 instead of JJ and I'm betting the flop against 1 opponent because there are just more turn cards we don't want to see and our equity will almost always be less.

Betting to see where you are or to get regs to fold worse, is just dumb. Bet for value or bet as a bluff. Post some specific hh and you'll get much better and more detailed responses.
 
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jcdagenius

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underpair betting is based on who is in the hand...and you have to be careful when staying n the hand with underpairs....
 
dgiharris

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Any answer beyond "it depends" is more or less bullshit...

There are so many factors that depend on whether or not we decide to "rep" a hand and fold out our villains or check back to induce lessor hands to call on later streets.

It depends on your image and the villains you are up against and their tendencies. If your villains are mouthbreathers who couldn't fold Kx to save their lives that is one thing. If your villains are Level 2 players that will continue (or not) based on the line you take that is another. If your villains are stations that is another. If your villains are scared money mice that is another...

It just depends...
 
stevenright

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if im in position i bet... he would call pretty loosely, and if im not in position i would check to give him a chance do bluff at it.,.. cause if i bet i would be pretty much turning my good pair into a bluff with pocket JJ in a K high flop
 
babydrago9

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I would always check behind usually, no need to bet. If he bets on the turn you have to evaluate if there are any draws on the board he just has or if its a liely bluff due to playing style.
 
OldschoolSteinhausen

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There is a lot of truly horrible advice ITT. OP it really depends on the pair you hold, the board texture, how many opponents you're against, if you're in position or out...

In your example with JJ on a K high board we should usually be checking back on the flop with the intention of calling a turn bet (or betting most turns ourselves if checked to) and the deciding on the river if our villain is capable of betting turn and river with worse if he bets again.

Now if the villain is a passive station and the board is drawy, we may be better to bet both the flop and turn.

Give me 99 instead of JJ and I'm betting the flop against 1 opponent because there are just more turn cards we don't want to see and our equity will almost always be less.

Betting to see where you are or to get regs to fold worse, is just dumb. Bet for value or bet as a bluff. Post some specific hh and you'll get much better and more detailed responses.


This guy knows what hes talking about. Pretty much nailed it on the head.

To add one more thing.... If the villian is a super nit and you dont think he'll bluff the turn if you check back, Id probably bet for protection-ish reasons. protection-ish lol
 
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mozartk551

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Good question, this happens often enough so you have to have a strategy. It depends on who the other players are. That is the key, reading the table to know the players are key. usually people with king ace will raise pre flop so if everyone just check then you can go ahead and bet strong based on your feeling and chip count.
 
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