$400 NLHE Full Ring: Live NLHE KQ

Playing shortstack 2/5 NLHE at a local card room. This hand come out and interested in how others would have played:

Villain: Young player. Only 3rd hand at the table. Relative unknown, but bought in for max buy in. His first hand at the table he won a $150 pot with QQ. Played it well so I think this guy can play.

Folded to villain
Villain- MP about $650 in chips
Hero- HJ $350 in chips
CO- About $150
Button- About $1500
SB- $500
BB- $400

Hero: KsQh

Folded to MP. MP calls $5, Hero Raises to $20, Fold, Button Calls, Fold, BB calls, MP calls.

Flop

Qs, 7s, 5x

check, check, Hero Bets $65, Fold, fold, fold, call.

Turn comes As
MP checks, Hero?

What should I do here?

Do I Bet out with a mid pair and risk the chance that villain has an A? Because I have the Ks I have the nut flush draw should I semi bluff?

Thanks.

shove

I think I check here just about 100%. Everything got there, and the risk of losing action from Qx is really the only reason I can think of to jam here.

nit

It'd be REALLY sexy to fold out KQ

So if we bet and get raised do we want to get our money in with mid pair? That is all we have at this point. Granted we have the nut flush draw so it is not like we dont have outs here.

If we check we are essentially flipping our cards up and saying we quit though... but we get a free peak at the river card.

That is why I thought this was an interesting hand.

Given description of villain I'd assume he's fairly competent and aggressive so I'd rule out most flush draws for a lot of reasons:

1. The best flush he can have here is JsTs.
2. He's probably aggressive so he's likely leading or c-r a big draw on the flop.
3. This is honestly not a board we are going to hit very often and it's somewhat drawy so he should c-r often with draws and certainly something like AQ or sets and also some air hands.

That makes it most likely he has some kind of good pair. KQ might even be the most likely holding he has.

baudib1 said:

Given description of villain I'd assume he's fairly competent and aggressive so I'd rule out most flush draws for a lot of reasons:

1. The best flush he can have here is JsTs.
2. He's probably aggressive so he's likely leading or c-r a big draw on the flop.
3. This is honestly not a board we are going to hit very often and it's somewhat drawy so he should c-r often with draws and certainly something like AQ or sets and also some air hands.

That makes it most likely he has some kind of good pair. KQ might even be the most likely holding he has.

Click to expand...

After watching 3 hands with him I think it is safe to assume this guy can play but not sure if he is loose aggresive, Tight, or has just been getting lucky cards (it has been known to happen but dont think is likely cause).

What I feared was betting and getting raised. With the call preflop and the A with the check on the turn I am thinking he has something like AK-AJ, and like you said maybe KQ. If I bet out here he is either going to fold or raise and I am beat or outplayed as I dont think I can call.... I still could hit a 14 outer (9 spades, 3 K, and 2 Q) but I dont really want to put my chips in with mid pair and a possible flush. Is this being to Nitty or should I put in a good size bet and if called or raised take comfort in knowing I have outs?

So the action that happend was that I checked behind. The river card was a blank (like a 2 of hearts or something). He came out betting $150. Do we call with mid pair top kicker here?

How do you put him on top pair by his turn check? The As is a scare card unless you have a flush so he can't very well expect you to bet for him.

The pot is $210ish, and we have $270 behind. If you bet $120 and he shoves, the pot will be $600 and you have to call $150 so you could never fold.

We have a blocker to the nuts and there's no reason why we can't have a flush, make him make the tough decision. If we check here hoping to improve then we are pretty much saying, "Here, take this pot from me 31+ out of 45 times."

I put him on the A because he called my pre-flop and flop bets. The only things that make sense to me that he could have is:
AK-AJ, KQ. and spade suited connectors. I cant think of what else this guy would have called the flop bet with besides that. If I put all of my chips in there I am essentially turning my hand into a semi bluff cause he will only call if he has me beat. I could maybe get him to fold AJ and KQ as long as no spades, but doubt any flush or AK, AQ.