Playing Trips Passively
 

A hand from the Stars 35K... ~159 left, pays 81, I'm in the top 25 when this hand comes up. I had a reason for each action but I don't think I like the line. I think I am overdoing the WA/WB mentality. In this hand, more from a probably WA and trying to induce bluffs/value perspective. I wasn't abnormally scared of AK/KK.

Bet flop? Raise turn? Am I the only one who checks flop somewhat frequently?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t1600 (9 handed) internettexasholdem.com

SB (t62992)
BB (t27783)
UTG (t40880)
UTG+1 (t37515)
MP1 (t12850)
MP2 (t38642)
MP3 (t49310)
CO (t22212)
Hero (t64147)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to t3200</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls t3200, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls t3200, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>.

(Note the minraise)

Flop: (t10200) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t10200) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t4800</font>, MP2 calls t4800, Hero calls t4800.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

I don't mind the check on the flop. Chances are you are way ahead. I don't know if I would just call the turn though. I would put in a good raise and go from there. At that point, there's about 20,000 in the pot.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

Bet the flop.. 7K.. you're not going to get any action unless someone is going after a 2 outer or already has you beat...

Basically I'm not letting this one go unless someone really plays back at me...

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

Tough spot on turn, but I think calling is the correct play. I don't really like raising because he's not going to call you without KK or AK. He probably doesnt have AJ or worse because of the UTG raise, and he probably folds a hand like QQ/JJ/QK if you raise.

MP2 is a toughy. He very well could have a hand like AJ or A10, although its unlikely. I'd probably put him most likely on a K, and maybe a flush draw.

All in all, I like your call here. The only point to raising, in my opinion, is to price out the flush draws, which isn't as big as a concern as avoiding going broke to KK/AK.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

BUMP

Generally, my thoughts on the turn: The two big hearts are out, making a flush draw very unlikely for the raiser and pretty unlikely for the caller. If caller has a gutshot (again unlikely) , there's an outside chance he's drawing dead to me filling up, and he has some pair non-outs that may pay me off on the river. In other words, I'm not worried about draws. So, how do I get the most from pocket pairs and weaker aces or a king, assuming I go broke to AK/KK? After playing passively so far, I think I have jam the river if given the chance.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

Weaker aces will often go broke anyways. PPs will not put any more money in unless they fill up. Raise the turn. Flop check is reasonable with the pot so big already.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

I might raise the turn only because anyone with a halfway decent ace is probably calling almost any turn bet, and anyone without an ace (who doesn't have something better than trip aces) probably won't be putting any more chips in on the river. The K on the board even gives a lot of weaker aces the idea that they've got a good shot at a chop if they call and a fairly high card hits the river.

Basically, if the other 2 guys have just pocket pairs lower than a king, I don't think they bluff the river because they just saw the other 2 players call the turn bet. If they have a worse ace, they'll probably call your turn raise. And as long as you're OK with losing to AK/KK/77/A7, I think raising the turn is good.

So yeah, I'm gonna raise the turn. I think I've gotten as much as I can get out of 22-66, 88-QQ, and now want to isolate against any Ax/Kx hand that wants to keep going.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

[ QUOTE ]
So yeah, I'm gonna raise the turn. I think I've gotten as much as I can get out of 22-66, 88-QQ, and now want to isolate against any Ax/Kx hand that wants to keep going.

[/ QUOTE ]

Does QQ call a river bet? It definitely folds to a turn raise.

In retrospect, my problem with the flop check is that a turn raise is transparent.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

The thing about the flop check is that it looks like a really obvious position bet, so you get action from tons of PPs. Your check also makes it slightly harder to stack AJ, AT and the occasional Ax, although you probably still stack them.

IMHO, the big problem with checking that flop is that it makes your life difficult on the turn if somebody bets (which happens like 2/3 of the time). If you raise, you've played your hand the way people expect you to play trips, so you lose a lot of action. If you call (as you did), you forgot to put lots of chips in the pot. Obviously, you're going to be betting or raising this river, but again, raising looks a lot like trips.

This line would make more sense with AT, because then you're probably behind the majority of Ax holdings UTG could have. Since almost all UTG raisers are opening AJ, and tons of them open AT, and some open A2... you're looking to get your money, as there's no way any of these hands are folding if you bet/raise at every opportunity. By checking, you let A2-AT slow down and a whole range of PPs fold.

Re: Playing Trips Passively
 

[ QUOTE ]
This line would make more sense with AT, because then you're probably behind the majority of Ax holdings UTG could have.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point.