Coming Full Circle Back to the KQ7

[David Sklansky]

Well, lots of discussion was generated from a comment I made about a hand that was posted here. But most of it wasn't about the specific hand since I headed off in a more general direction. Now we can get back to it. And I will reprint something I wrote in another thread since it spells out my exact reasons.

The problem is that it concerns a slightly different hand than what was posted. Because I skim a lot. My answer might be the same for the actual hand posted but it would be more debatable. On the other hand I think that most of those who disagreed with me will still disagree for this slightly altered hand.

Here is what I thought I read.:

5-10 blinds. Two limpers. Loose agressive player makes it 50. You call in the big blind with two sevens. Both limpers call. Flop is KQ7 no suits. Players have about 2500 in front of them. I disagree with those who would come out betting on the flop. To quote tmy other post:

I recommend a check IN THIS SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE because:

1. A bet may win it right there which will usuually cost you money if there would have been a continuation bet.

2. A bet may win it right there which will also often cost you money even if there is no continuation bet. That occurs when the turn gives someone a draw, a GOOD thing for you in No Limit, (with one card to come) though not in Limit. Or when one of the two limpers have something like QJ that you would have squeezed out on the flop.

3. With this flop it is easily possible that one of the limpers has a draw that your flop bet will not make fold (with two cards to come, that's not so good) but a check raise will.

4. Since the flop doesn't allow for two different overpairs any semi rational preflop raiser is not necessarily going to lose more when the smoke clears with AK or AA then he would if you didn't come out betting.

5. If you bet your set into three players behind you, it shows strength that will dissuade a player. who might have raised bluffed head up, to do it here.