What If? Episode 9

[t1riel]

Hey Everyone and welcome to another episode of What If?. Ok, it's in the middle stages of an MTT tournament and the blinds are 100/200. You are on the button. Early and middle position folds to you. You are dealt:
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You raise it to 600. The small and big blind calls. So, you and two other players are in the pot. The flop comes:
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Small and Big blind checks. What do you do here? Let's say you bet 800. The small and big blind calls. The turn:

Small and Big Blind checks. What do you do here? Let's say you bet another 800. The river:
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Small and Big Blincd checks. What do you do here? Do you check to save yourself some chips in the outside chance you take the pot or do you bet big again to possibly take the pot but risk losing even more chips? The players know you don't have a straight or flush. I faced this situation many times so I'm interested in your take on this.

 

[colin_147]

You dont say how much the chips stacks are, which would have a bearing on the move you make here. Let say you have an average stack of 5-6k

Preflop - With position, I would definitely bet out here, probably 4 x BB. So the play here is ok

Flop - Yes, I would make prob the same move, bet out around 800-1200. This is the kinda flop that looks great of you are raising with position, regardless of the cards you have. A call by both players is very scary

Turn - I dont see any point in committing any more chips to this pot and I would check to see the river. There are no flush draws on the flop so a call by both players must put them on a pair at the very least

River - Of course if you checked on the turn you are more than likely to face a bet here, so folding would of course be the right play. I think I would take the hit on the chips tbh and wait for a better hand

The play could well be different if I am chip leader though!

 

[robwhufc]

Assuming I made those bets (whether I would or not is another matter), I'd check against 2 opponents, as you've not made anything, and the chances are one of them has. Against one opponent, one final bet often takes the pot down (as either they've also missed draws, or they think that you MUST have something big to bet 3 times), but it's too risky to try against 2 (and they've got big pot odds to call with a less than premium hand).

 

[titans4ever]

I agree, you have to check here against two callers. You have the ugly chance of a reraise that you can not even consider calling and then you don't even get to see what beat you. I would think with two, someone somewhere caught a piece of it. I could even see pocket pairs like 7s, 8s or 9s just calling it down with just a 10 high. If 9s, you just bet into the trap for a reraise. 7s and 8s got you beat and may still call the last bet even with two overs.

 

[gord962]

I would never have bet the $800 after the turn. Chances are that the BB or SB (or both!) are holding A-K or A-Q and if you hit your A on the river, you will lose to their kicker. A small pocket pair could also be hanging on for 4XBB, so limit your losses. If you would have hit your A on the river, they both bet before you. If they would have called, you would start the bidding again, otherwise witht the 9 up, just check again.

 

[colin_147]

I would never have bet the $800 after the turn. Chances are that the BB or SB (or both!) are holding A-K or A-Q and if you hit your A on the river, you will lose to their kicker.

A player holding AK or AQ SHOULD be raising in this situation