NL 400 - KK in SB facing raise

[binions]

No reads.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (9 handed) saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

<font color="#C00000">Hero ($436.65)</font>
BB ($400)
UTG ($442)
<font color="#C00000">UTG+1 ($327.35)</font>
MP1 ($191.10)
MP2 ($88)
MP3 ($387)
CO ($70)
Button ($132.10)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to $16</font>, <font color="#666666">5 folds</font>, Hero ???

<font color="red"> In this situation with KK out of the blinds, I generally like to call. Check a rag flop, and let QQ-JJ bet it. In other words, I don't want to put QQ-JJ on the defensive yet.

I don't give up on the pot necessarily if an Ace flops, but I don't generally try to build a pot with KK out of position here. If it is a maniac or total fish who raised, it might be a different story . . . Thoughts? </font>

Hero calls $14, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>.

Flop: ($36) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero ???

<font color="red"> This is a horrible flop for me unless he precisely has AQ. He may continuation bet AK with 2 overs and a gutshot or AJ open ended. But I am losing to AA, QQ, TT, 88, while JJ and 99 have 6 outs on me. Plus, the Kc makes me trips but completes a flush and makes AJ a straight and JJ open ended. I do not want to escalate the pot. I check. Thoughts? </font>

Hero checks, UTG+1 checks.

Turn: ($36) K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero ???

<font color="red"> OK, I hit my hand. If he was slowplaying AA, QQ, TT, 88 or he had AK, I have got him by the balls. If he had a flush draw or AJ, I am behind but have outs. If I checkraise here, it looks like I hit my flush or straight. He might get away from his hand. If he has a medium pair or a one pair hand, he might check behind if I check, but he might call if I bet thinking I am bluffing the flush. There is $36 in the pot. I decide to bet $32. Thoughts?</font>


Hero bets $32</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to $64</font>, Hero ???

<font color="red"> He likes his hand. The minraise was very quick. He may have a flush or a straight. Then again, he may have been trapping on the flop with AA or a set, or maybe he just improved his AK. Perhaps he now has a pair and a combo draw. Mentally, I decide that he was trapping on the flop. So I called. In retrospect, I should have pushed because another club or straight card would kill my action. Thoughts? </font>

Hero calls $32.

River: ($164) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero ???

<font color="red"> Phew. Blank on the river. Because of my turn call, I now have to check and let him bet it and go for the checkraise. I realize now what a mistake my turn call was. I should have 3 bet. Thoughts? </font>

checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets $52</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero ???

<font color="red"> I try to raise all in but misclick. If he has a flush or straight, so be it. Again, because I felt he was trapping on the flop by the speed of his turn minraise, I was pretty sure I had the best hand. He instacalls my check-raise. Thoughts? </font>

Hero raises to $224</font>, UTG+1 calls $172.

Final Pot: $612

[IFeltYourRack]

I like the way you played it all the way through.

I'd 3-bet the turn and obviously call a push, but I think just calling the turn raise and re-evaulating the river is fine. The only hands you'll likely get action from are the straight, a flush or a lower set. You have equity against better hands but, without any reads, I don't think taking a conservative line is horrible. Hands that check behind on the river likely wouldn't call a 3-bet anyways and a set is going to end up betting most rivers giving you the option to check-raise.

[Genesis]

[ QUOTE ]
In retrospect, I should have pushed because another club or straight card would kill my action.

[/ QUOTE ] I agree. If you don't get more in on the turn you
-limit the amount you can win when a scare card falls on the river
-limit the amount you can win when your opponent is drawing and misses
-increase the chance you could get bluffed out on the river when a scare card falls

[KurtSF]

I don't have advice, but I wanted to say good post. This is a very interesting hand. Thanks.

[Georgia Avenue]

Raise preflop,
As played: donk bet flop
As played: 3bet turn
As played: River is ok.

[pterodactyl_]

I generally raise this PF out of the blinds so i dont have to play the hand passively and OOP the whole way though your reasoning for just calling is interesting. Is this your standard line or do you usually 3bet?

[los_toros]

check calling is ok on the flop, leading is ok too.

i'd def lead the turn tho

[IFeltYourRack]

[ QUOTE ]
I generally raise this PF out of the blinds so i dont have to play the hand passively and OOP the whole way though your reasoning for just calling is interesting. Is this your standard line or do you usually 3bet?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most people that are raising an UTG raiser from OOB have a very tight range. The tighter that range is the more I like calling.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
I generally raise this PF out of the blinds so i dont have to play the hand passively and OOP the whole way though your reasoning for just calling is interesting. Is this your standard line or do you usually 3bet?

[/ QUOTE ]

Against an early raiser, I usually call with KK out of the blinds. (However, I usually reraise against a steal raiser).

On a rag flop against an early raiser, I will checkraise. If he has AA, then the result was going to be the same no matter what I did preflop.

If he has a QQ-99 overpair, I have a decent chance to get it all in as a huge favorite if they put me on a draw, or do whatever fish do. However, if I had repopped preflop, now QQ-99 is on the defensive, and it will be very difficult for me to stack them.

It's about disguising and not defining your one-pair hand, especially out of position. This becomes more important at middle stakes than lower stakes.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]

As played: donk bet flop


[/ QUOTE ]

What are you hoping to accomplish?

As it happened, Villain had QQ and flopped top set. He might have slowplayed and merely called a donk bet on the flop. He might not have.