How Atrocious is this?

[Michael Davis]

"Yes, wouldn't a flop check-raise make your play more believable?"

Maybe. I'll frequently call the flop and donk the turn with a small pair in a heads up pot, especially with a pair on board. This didn't seem much different, but I guess some of the reason for playing this way is how unbelievable it looks to your opponents, which is no good when you don't have a hand, huh?

-Michael

[gaming_mouse]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd almost rather check-raise the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

And fire the turn too I assume. If you get called by the PF raiser are you c/folding the riv or firing again?

[Michael Davis]

Nate,

You would rather checkraise then what? Is folding the finest option?

-Michael

[PhatPots]

I don't like it. U have another player, the only way you can take this down is with a bluff. What if a K comes off? Fold, u missed, make life easy and let them battle it out. This will cost you money in the long run

[andyfox]

You're one of the few, then, that will just call the flop with a small pair, especially in a non-head-up situation; most opponents will expect you to play it as they would, which would be to either bet the flop or check-raise it.

[mike l.]

you need to fold the flop on this one. the problem is the other player in the hand besides the preflop raiser. you have to get two people out of the way.

your play any which way here wont lose you a lot though, it's probably close EV wise between folding the flop, c/ring the flop, and call/donking the turn like youre suggesting.

check out my 97s 40 hand above for a similar play.

[benlj21]

re: mike l., I think all the moves do run close in ev, as long as you mix it up. This is a good time to not be predictable.

[Michael Davis]

"the problem is the other player in the hand besides the preflop raiser"

I think this is a flop fold, but I don't agree with this. I think the third player in puts the preflop raiser in a much tougher spot, and the coldcaller's range here is really tight. At this point in the hand, he simply cannot have an unsetted small pair. He can have baby suited aces or a KTs, QJs, JTs-type hand. If he calls on the turn his hand is faceup and I'm winning (if the turn card is high enough).

Given this range, in your 97 hand would you rather have this guy in the pot behind the original preflop raiser or not? It sure makes things more predictable re: getting popped on the turn by a non-hand.

Anyways I think this is a pretty wretched flop call honestly, I don't think it's close enough to be allowed to say it's close and excuse it by "mixing it up."

-Michael