I am at the button at a 6 table, microstakes nl cash game. I have AcKc. UG raises 3 bb and everyone folds. I decide not to raise and play along. The UG is a bit loose aggressive kind so I thought I would use that. The flop comes Tc Qh Js. He takes a long time and checks. I usually go 3/4th pot as soon as I hit top pair to stop the villain from hitting their draws. However, this time I too check. Turn comes 4s. He checks. I should have probably checked here but I made a small 1/2 pot bet and he folded immediately. This is one area in which I need help. I am so afraid of people making their draws that I don't play slow even when I have like two big pairs on the flop. Please advise. I need to make more value for my big hands.

I don't think you did anything wrong here. If he's check folding you were probably never getting anything out of this hand. Even if villain hits a card on the river it'll probably not give them anything that they're going to call or bet big with. They might have bluffed the river but then again maybe not.

On a turn like this there are a lot of hands (draws, pairs, low two pairs) that villain could have that would happily call but might prefer to check if they can. Betting will get more value out of these hands than slow playing in my opinion. I'd probably bet big on this turn, about third pot, to get value from these hands and just accept that villain is folding a lot of the time. The fact that you didn't three bet also means villain might discount you holding AK making it more likely they'd call.

There's really not a method that works 100% of the time to extract value in these situations.
The tricky thing about poker is not to always have the best possible hand (nuts) but to have a better hand, even if ever so slightly.
If you have the nuts but your opponent has air, he probably won't pay you off. Things change when you have a full house and your opponent has the nut flush for example he has a strong hand, but you have a better hand, that's when you can extract value.

On your hand, I would have checked the 4 on the turn, as it doesn't improve your opponent's range, you're still way ahead as the board isn't paired, so your straight is still the effective nuts. You said he was loose and aggresive, so I would have given him the chance to bluff. Maybe you could have gone for a smaller bet (1/3 or 1/4) if you were concerned about he backdoor flush draw, but I think he would've folded too to your delayed c-bet.
He really can't have much when he checked the flop as an aggresive player, what could he have that would give you trouble at the turn? 2 spades right? but it can't be A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 of spades as those would've gave him a straight/gutshot draw or a pair, and he would've bet something at this point. So even if he had 2 spaces, those would've been low spades and he might not feel confident about a low flush (if the river hits). He might have a small pocket pair that missed the flop, low suited connectors is the other option, and that's pretty much it I think...

Originally Posted by rhinoji

I am at the button at a 6 table, microstakes nl cash game. I have AcKc. UG raises 3 bb and everyone folds. I decide not to raise and play along. The UG is a bit loose aggressive kind so I thought I would use that. The flop comes Tc Qh Js. He takes a long time and checks. I usually go 3/4th pot as soon as I hit top pair to stop the villain from hitting their draws. However, this time I too check. Turn comes 4s. He checks. I should have probably checked here but I made a small 1/2 pot bet and he folded immediately. This is one area in which I need help. I am so afraid of people making their draws that I don't play slow even when I have like two big pairs on the flop. Please advise. I need to make more value for my big hands.

You bet small and allow them a bit of rope to hang themselves, you can slow play too, but Q 10 J not a good board, as they could have QJ, JQ, Q10, AQ, 10's, J's, Q's, 89, KQ and maybe even a few weaker hands than that.

Those are all hands they are likely to have if they are playing tighter that will potentially raise, or call you.

Its always nice when it happens. Ive lost a ton of times after hitting the nuts on the flop.

Originally Posted by rhinoji

I am at the button at a 6 table, microstakes nl cash game. I have AcKc. UG raises 3 bb and everyone folds. I decide not to raise and play along. The UG is a bit loose aggressive kind so I thought I would use that. The flop comes Tc Qh Js. He takes a long time and checks. I usually go 3/4th pot as soon as I hit top pair to stop the villain from hitting their draws. However, this time I too check. Turn comes 4s. He checks. I should have probably checked here but I made a small 1/2 pot bet and he folded immediately. This is one area in which I need help. I am so afraid of people making their draws that I don't play slow even when I have like two big pairs on the flop. Please advise. I need to make more value for my big hands.

Hey Rhinoji!

Don't fret! Just because your opponent folded doesn't mean you did anything wrong!

Remember, making a big hand is not enough to get paid in this game, you also need your opponent to make a 2nd best hand that looks too strong to fold, but is not the winner.

You were right to want to build the pot, afterall if your opponent is slowplaying the 89 straight, or two pair, or a pair and a straight draw, you'd feel even worse to get to the showdown and have a tiny pot in front of you! right?

Planning your poker hand will go a long way to get this concept right.
Here's a 3 part video series (1 video chopped into 3 parts cause it was a bit long) on it!

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

I'm also including a how to play the flop video, as it's been my most popular one over the years and I think you'll probably find some useful tips in it!

You Tube

Good luck and happy Stackin brother

If you have any questions ever, feel free to drop by my stream and ask.
I'm live every friday, satutday and sunday at http://twitch.tv/gripsed

Originally Posted by Highsolation

There's really not a method that works 100% of the time to extract value in these situations.
The tricky thing about poker is not to always have the best possible hand (nuts) but to have a better hand, even if ever so slightly.
If you have the nuts but your opponent has air, he probably won't pay you off. Things change when you have a full house and your opponent has the nut flush for example he has a strong hand, but you have a better hand, that's when you can extract value.

On your hand, I would have checked the 4 on the turn, as it doesn't improve your opponent's range, you're still way ahead as the board isn't paired, so your straight is still the effective nuts. You said he was loose and aggresive, so I would have given him the chance to bluff. Maybe you could have gone for a smaller bet (1/3 or 1/4) if you were concerned about he backdoor flush draw, but I think he would've folded too to your delayed c-bet.
He really can't have much when he checked the flop as an aggresive player, what could he have that would give you trouble at the turn? 2 spades right? but it can't be A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8 of spades as those would've gave him a straight/gutshot draw or a pair, and he would've bet something at this point. So even if he had 2 spaces, those would've been low spades and he might not feel confident about a low flush (if the river hits). He might have a small pocket pair that missed the flop, low suited connectors is the other option, and that's pretty much it I think...

great screen name mate

The way to play a strong hand depends on position, how many are ahead of you, already made commitments, how many behind you, that you can influence with your bet?
If you are first, putting out a huge bet, most will fold, no profit. A check, or min bet from first position may be effective, looking weak, inducing some bets.
The table you are at is often decisive in hiding the strength of your hand. If table is full of LAG, they will play along with your check/raise, and strong bets. On a loose table, getting some to commit will probably lead to others jumping in, "look at the size of the pot..'

Slow play as you did works in many situations like this but when you are in position and have the nuts on flop slow play is painful a bit , you could also consider another check on turn.
in my opinion you could do a 3-bet pre-flop. By doing that you had a bigger pot to win and also UTG would be a bit confused cuz there are many cards that are in your 3-bet range in BTN position.

I'm playing check-raise in this situation or bet after turn. Sometimes my play is much aggresive.

Originally Posted by Evan Jarvis

great screen name mate

Oh thanks a lot Evan!
Guess that's the only part of my post that caught your eye huh? XD

P.S: Let's get stacking!!

Most likely, you were bluffed with a small pocket pair.Do you need to put and knock out all sorts of draws or are you waiting for them to get there?Which is often the case(.My advice is to play according to the situation, make the right move and feel the opponent.

Originally Posted by Highsolation

There's really not a method that works 100% of the time to extract value in these situations.
The tricky thing about poker is not to always have the best possible hand (nuts) but to have a better hand, even if ever so slightly.
If you have the nuts but your opponent has air, he probably won't pay you off. Things change when you have a full house and your opponent has the nut flush for example he has a strong hand, but you have a better hand, that's when you can extract value.

I agree with the first sentence (PS - Like the name too, LOL).

rhinoji, you will flop big hands MANY times and extract no value from your opponents, because, like Evan said, you need someone to have a strong enough hand to come along to pay you off.

Also, you cannot be afraid of letting your opponents catch up (even if they outdraw you ultimately). To be successful in poker, you have to be able to win with less that the nuts, because if you're only ever winning with the nuts, you're probably not going to be a long-term winning player.

Also, maybe game selection is something to give thought too. If you find you're scared of getting outdrawn, maybe you are playing in games where the money is too meaningful for you. Move down in stakes, if it helps you to feel more comfortable and you will notice a big difference in your decision making.

Best of luck at the tables.