$20 NL HE STT: Jam or check-raise?

[StealTheButton]

Game

Hold'em

Game Format

No Limit

Table Format

STT

Buy-in

20

Game Options

1. Turbo

Currency

$

I am heads up in a $20 No Limit 6-max tourney and villain is fairly aggressive. I flop a set but the board is not exactly dry and if the villain raised with an Ace he has a 4 outer wheel draw. I lead on the flop- should I just open jam and try and take it down?- or do I check and try to induce a bet (and risk giving a free card)? As poker players we look for opportunities to get our chips in as a huge favorite, but it's just amazing how often I lose in this situation.




pokerstars, $18.50 + $1.50 - Hold'em No Limit - 100/200 - 2 players
www.cardschat.com/replayer/225dCA8zb[/COLOR]]Replay this hand on CardsChat

EMurph414 (SB): 4,007 (20 bb)
runningqueens (BB): 4,993 (25 bb)

Pre-Flop: (300) Hero (runningqueens) is BB with 3♠ 3♣
EMurph414 (SB) raises to 600, runningqueens (BB) calls 400

Flop: (1,200) 2♠ 4♥ 3♥ (2 players)
runningqueens (BB) checks, EMurph414 (SB) bets 600, runningqueens (BB) raises to 4,393 (all-in), EMurph414 (SB) calls 2,807 (all-in)

Turn: (8,014) Q♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: (8,014) 5♣ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: 8,014

Showdown:
runningqueens (BB) shows 3♠ 3♣ (three of a kind, Threes)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 51%, Flop: 88%, Turn: 91%, River: 0%)

EMurph414 (SB) shows J♣ A♣ (a straight, Ace to Five)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 49%, Flop: 12%, Turn: 9%, River: 100%)

EMurph414 (SB) wins 8,014

 

[fundiver199]

Preflop
I prefer jamming over calling, since small pairs realise their equity poorly with shallow stacks like this and especially out of position. Of course life is nice and easy, when you flop a set, but that will only happen 1 in 8 times. And the rest of the time you will almost never be able to get to showdown, even when you have the best hand.

Flop
Seems fine to check-jam given the low SPR of less than 3.

Results
Basically just a bad beat story as played. If you had jammed preflop, he would have called, and the result would have been the same.

 

[StealTheButton]

But anyways I think with jamming you will induce a fold sometimes, but it's close- he likely thinks the A + J are outs. But you don't necessarily want a fold, you just don't want to give a free card.

 

[fundiver199]

With stacks this short the only possible size to check-raise on the flop other than all-in would be a min-click. Are you ever doing that with a bluff? Probably not, and in a 20$ SnG most opponents are smart enough to figure that out. So you might actually end up inducing more folds, because its so obvious, you want to get called.

 

[Matt_Burns88]

20bb eff. I'm just jamming all my small pairs 100% of the time heads up. I don't mind the call, but I think against an aggressive opponent, you want to avoid them being able to force you off your hand when you don't hit.

As played, jamming the flop is absolutely fine and villains call is fine, too. Just an unfortunate run out.