Flop play for top pair against big field

[Dans Full]

I just re-read the OP, and in situation 6, raising might buy you the button, so It might be the way to go afterall. In hindsight, I might mix up my play, call sometimes, raise others...depending on reads, or how lucky I've been running.

[James.]

1)c/r
2)bet
3)raise
4)bet
5)raise
6)call

[Harv72b]

Okay, Hand 6....let's lay out a very plausible scenario here:

SB checks with the joker of horseshoes & a hand rankings card. BB bets with T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. UTG calls with 77 because that's what kids are doing these days. UTG+2 calls with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] because hey, he's got an ace and a backdoor, nut flush draw. MP2 calls with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] because he's got a gutshot and an overcard and the pot is ginormous. Hero just calls, waiting to raise a safe turn card, right? SB says "wtf?" & folds his cards, so it's 5 players to the turn....

Turn card: 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Action: check, check, check, check, Hero...?

Alternately, let's make the turn card another spade. Action: check, check, check, check, Hero....?

How about Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]? Check, check, check, check, Hero...?

9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]? Check, check, check, check, Hero...?

This is why we need to raise the flop. Well, that and we probably have the best hand.

[Dans Full]

Harv, I'm not doubting you...but If the turn is checked to me, no matter what it is, I bet. And if the player to my immediate right bets, I will of course raise to get him heads up.

But my problem with raising the flop, is you aren't going to knock anybody out. And if someone bets into me, I will not know where I am anymore than if I called the flop. So my thinking is keep the pot small-ish, and see what everyone's actions bring on the turn.

Also, with no read, you have no idea how much the flop bettor likes his hand. If hero raises there, he is also opening himself up to a check raise..which might narrow the field for you, but it might not.

There are too many things that can go wrong in this situation for me to toss in an extra bet that will not gain me any information, and leave me to make a tougher decision on the turn.

So I respect your thinking, but if I'm in Hero's chair, Im just calling in scenario 6.

[Harv72b]

You can't keep the pot small, because it's already large. And you're not raising for information/to narrow the field, you are doing so for value.

Of course you're going to bet the turn if it's checked to you, as in the scenarios above. My point is, when that happens you have almost certainly missed value by not raising the flop, where people are most likely to continue with weak draws/worse made hands.