8/16 Live. One of my all time worst flop plays

[BenA]

SB is a very old laggy who actually plays fairly well. Knows how to semi-bluff raise, loosen up in later positions, and appears to think about pot size.

UTG, as far as I can tell, is a good player. Very observant, unpredictable, and agressive. Usually shows down good hands, but sometimes marginal ones when he feels he has a good chance of beating a particular players hand range. He's up quite a few chips, and he's been watching me. I haven't limped for an hour, just raising whenever I come in (good cards + correct for this particular table).

Hero is dealt Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

UTG raises, Hero 3 bets, SB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (9 SB) K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks, UTG bets out. Hero...

Can you guess what horrible play I made here, and why its so bad? I knew it was bad right when I did it, but it was too late.

[adios]

What part of the hand did you play badly? I don't think 3 betting with QQ is a bad play pre-flop in this situation. I'd almost always play it the same way.

[BenA]

[ QUOTE ]
What part of the hand did you play badly?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, guess this wasn't clear. PF is not even debatable. What I mean is, can you guess what terrible flop play I made, and why its so bad?

[Mr_Donktastic]

I dunno...I think calling woulda be pretty bad. I usually raise here.

Given your read seems folding would be bad too.

[BenA]

[ QUOTE ]
I dunno...I think calling woulda be pretty bad. I usually raise here.

Given your read seems folding would be bad too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I called and wanted to slit my wrists immediately. Can anyone see why this is such a horrible play?

[srjunkacct]

SB calls, Turn is Ac, SB check-raises?

[mrcunningham]

Well you might want to protect your hand given the flush and straight draws out there with potential over cards to your pair. You call and the SB is calling one bet with a pot of 11 bets vs. you raise and the SB is calling 2 bets with a pot of 12 with UTG able to raise again.

[Mr_Donktastic]

[ QUOTE ]
Can anyone see why this is such a horrible play?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, you're giving up control of the hand against aggressive players, pretty much forcing you to fold or call down UI.

You 3 bet preflop and didn't get capped, you have QQ which very well could be good, the flop isn't horrible for you, you have position, your raise would likely get the turn checked to you where you could choose to check or bet, the list goes on and on....

The board is drawy too...what was the turn, Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]?

[BenA]

[ QUOTE ]
SB calls, Turn is Ac, SB check-raises?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice guess on the turn card. But this wasn't the action. Keep in mind that nothing I do on the flop will fold a flush draw (or an OESD), since they could correctly call. Its high cards and back-doors I'm wanted to knock out or charge.

[ QUOTE ]
Well you might want to protect your hand given the flush and straight draws out there with potential over cards to your pair. You call and the SB is calling one bet with a pot of 11 bets vs. you raise and the SB is calling 2 bets with a pot of 12 with UTG able to raise again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well put. The correct play is indisputably a raise, so that I force SB to either call incorrectly with most of his range or fold a hand that could suck out on me. Plus I hand-cuff most of UTGs range when I have position and give myself fold equity on the turn plus a chance for a cheap/free showdown if I think I'm not ahead 55% of the time.

I think its funny how clear-cut the right answer is, but how easy it is to make this mistake. If one isn't thinking clearly (like me after 9 hours in the same seat), the good players bet presents a challenge. The thing is, you should know what to do even before the flop if this situation comes up.

I most likely cost myself the pot by that play, but I'm glad it happened. Its a mistake I will never again make, because I'll be prepared.

[JJH3984]

you folded. i'd raise.