Re: K5s What to do
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

But also, no one should be playing hands like K5s, they only cause trouble.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's called stealing and it's a marginal hand to steal with.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

It's great if the blinds are tight, but then again if that's the case, ATC is a great hand to steal with. Against experienced defenders, it's probably a losing hand long term.

Re: K5s What to do
 

Good point. No I don't - depends on the players and the board. But with this kind of board I'd let it go.

Re: K5s What to do
 

If you're going to steal with this hand (and I think a steal with this hand from the button is definitely a good play -- I'd even consider stealing with this from CO), then you simply cannot fold the flop to a donk when you flop top pair unless you have a strong read.

I think calling is by far the best play, reserving the right to wait until the turn before committing lots of extra money in this pot and especially if BB folds. When the pot is HU and you're in position, you have a very good control on the number of bets that go into the pot.

Re: K5s What to do
 

I prefer a raise here on the flop. I then b/f the turn and check behind if I make it to the river.

Re: K5s What to do
 

[ QUOTE ]
I prefer a raise here on the flop. I then b/f the turn and check behind if I make it to the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem with raising the flop is that we don't have much info on villain. If villain is prone to overplaying a draw or overvalues weak hands, you're bloating a pot with a mediocre hand and you may lead yourself down a path of folding the best hand. I'd rather cut the variance against an unknown than make a big mistake trying to capitalize on an unknown edge.

Re: K5s What to do
 

either calling or raising are fine with me. i would tend to raise maybe 70/30 against unknowns.

Re: K5s What to do
 

I really think the donk bet on the flop smells like weakness. I tend to put my opponents on a flush draw or middle pair type hands. Most opponents in a blind defense situation will opt for a c/r with their stronger hands.

Re: K5s What to do
 

[ QUOTE ]
I really think the donk bet on the flop smells like weakness. I tend to put my opponents on a flush draw or middle pair type hands. Most opponents in a blind defense situation will opt for a c/r with their stronger hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

This hand is more than "smelling weakness" and attacking (which is really you putting a read on the situation based on your experience, which may or may not apply to this situation depending on whether you play Stars 6-max .50/1).

If you think he has a weak hand, why not wait until the turn to punish him? Do you not expect him to donk the turn as well?

What about getting 3-bet by the Ace of nut-flush-draw-dom? Are you folding on the turn UI if 3-bet, or will you call down top pair anyway if there's no flush card?

If you think he could be donking middle pair, why not value bet the river?

In heads up situations in position, you have a huge amount of control over the action. Against an unknown, I think it's better to get to showdown with a made mediocre hand on a scary board for the value of seeing his cards and getting a read so that you can support your blind steals with information in future hands.

Re: K5s What to do
 

If the villain three bets the flop and I know nothing about him I will then call down. I don't wait to donk the turn because I don't feel like folding if the villain gets overagressive with some kind of pair+FD hand and 3balls me. I feel like raising the flop makes the hand easier to fold if we are shown any aggression on later streets.

Re: K5s What to do
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

That's a bit weak-tight. Do you always fold top pair no kicker for one bet?

[/ QUOTE ]

Meh.. there's 3-flush on the flop. It's likely that the bettor has a flush, a better king or at least a flush draw so there are very bad reversed implied odds. There are better situations to come...

But also, no one should be playing hands like K5s, they only cause trouble.

[/ QUOTE ]

Surely at 6 max you have to be trying to steal the blinds with hands like this? Mind you, going by my results in my comparatively limited 6 max attempts, that could be a leak on my part!
Without reads, calling down seems reasonable (folding if another spade appears) and always bet if checked to. Let him keep betting second pair if that is what he has. Raising here seems to me to be "raising for info syndrome" with the usual problem that you don't know what info you have got if villain 3 bets you.