protecting small overpair

ciro bonano · #1 10-28-2006, 03:34 PM

Hi, I found myself having troubles with hand like this one this night. I read, re-read and capped the section in SSHE about protecting your hand, but I still don't know what to do. Game is general passive both pre/postflop, with enough fishes to call down to river with weak hands. A sample hand:

pf: game was quite passive, so I limped
f: I don't know what to do here. If I bet out, there will be enough people calling me, and I have to dodge almost the entire deck; so I went for a c/r. But the bet was directly to my left, so raising does not protect anything...

What should be my line here? Feel free to change some aspects about the hand (e.g. remove the two-flush) if would turn the situation into one where the best play is really clear.

PokerStars $1/$2 Hold'em (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, 2 folds, CO calls, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 players)
BB checks, Hero checks(?), UTG+1 bets, MP1 calls, CO folds, BB calls, Hero ???

Riku · #2 10-28-2006, 03:46 PM

The problem with the check raise here is that you don´t know which player will bet. Also, it might get checked through cuz the board is so drawy. So the only logical solution is to bet yourself. Bet the flop.

Deviance · #3 10-28-2006, 03:55 PM

Remember that check-raising best applies to situations where the pot is too large to protect your hand with a bet. Here the pot is small, thus a bet is adequate.

In your line, after you have checked and UTG+1 bet, you should just call. Raising can no longer protect your hand at this point.

JerBear77 · #4 10-28-2006, 05:47 PM

*grunch*

Raise/fold preflop. Both are ok.

Rest of the hand plays differently.

TWIWP i think you have to lead this flop but i really don't like your position as there are a TON of cards you don't want to see on the turn and will be forced to fold with the action behind you.

Smarazza · #5 10-29-2006, 08:18 AM

What about bet out the flop, see how many villains call, bet out the turn? The game is passive so if an overpair or a spades fall on the turn and a villan rise, you can confidently fold.

Str8Fish · #6 10-29-2006, 08:53 AM

I'm definitely betting that flop. As played, I call. A raise in that spot will only bloat the pot.

Str8Fish · #7 10-29-2006, 08:55 AM

[ QUOTE ]
*grunch*

Raise/fold preflop. Both are ok.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can see advantages to raising, but I can also see a limp being ok, especially if he's at a loose loose table and he wants to go for set value.

knockonwood · #8 10-29-2006, 09:13 AM

You would protect your hand best here IMO by betting out. With MP1 and BB calling UTG's bet, a checkraise will only make the pot bigger and encourage others to stay in to try to draw out.

TomTom · #9 10-29-2006, 09:39 AM

Geeze, where can I find 1/2 games where 5 to a flop is typical?

Limped pot, anyone can have anything. That’s why I’ll raise 88 first in, or re-raise a small field; when you bet out a dry flop like this they put you on AK at the least and your fold equity goes up.

As played, you’re mostly looking for set value. You actually made an overpair, but there is no way to protect it I see.