QQ please berate me

[TehPokarKing]

Aaahhh the wonder of it all.

PF reraise is goodly-sized.

You've gotta throw $50 into this pot on the flop though. If he calls the flop bet you should have a much better idea of where you are than you do after he bets the turn (an ace is much more likely). If you call the turn bet (which I guess you should although you're not really getting odds for the flush unless you think he'll stack off) and he fires out again you can't really call a non-heart river.

[DiamondDog]

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You have the initiative and he's expecting a bet, and he's gotta think you could have an A. So you'll know exactly where you stand if he calls (and if he folds, all the better). When you check and he bets the turn, you don't know what the hell's going on.

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[futuredoc85]

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Aaahhh the wonder of it all.

PF reraise is goodly-sized.

You've gotta throw $50 into this pot on the flop though. If he calls the flop bet you should have a much better idea of where you are than you do after he bets the turn (an ace is much more likely). If you call the turn bet (which I guess you should although you're not really getting odds for the flush unless you think he'll stack off) and he fires out again you can't really call a non-heart river.

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i hate betting the flop. yes it makes it easier to play but it also makes it less profitable. What are you trying to accomplish by betting? Its not for value on this board,and bluffing is no good with this much showdown value. A check will induce bets from lots of hands that you beat which will not call a flop bet.

[gharp]

[ QUOTE ]

i hate betting the flop. yes it makes it easier to play but it also makes it less profitable. What are you trying to accomplish by betting? Its not for value on this board,and bluffing is no good with this much showdown value. A check will induce bets from lots of hands that you beat which will not call a flop bet.

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I really like the discussion in this thread -- it feels like I might be learning something new here.

I agree that betting the flop is less profitable because he'll probably fold all the hands you're beating (though he may fold KK too). But I think there's something to be said for making the hand easier to play. Putting yourself in situations where you're making difficult decisions (and therefore mistakes) is also not profitable. If he pots the turn and river after you check the flop you've got some difficult decisions there. I hate to wuss up the joint, but I like easier decisions when I can get 'em.

I could see checking through the flop if you knew a lot about how this player plays (will bet the turn+river w/Ax, will check river otherwise, will check/call down with JJ, etc) but with limited information ("TAG") I'm leaning towards the most straightforward plan.

[Grunch]

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But I think there's something to be said for making the hand easier to play. Putting yourself in situations where you're making difficult decisions (and therefore mistakes) is also not profitable.

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Most people are more likely to make a mistake in a difficult decision that with an easy decision, so you are correct in this regard. But that's not a reason to avoid difficult decisions because doing so avoids maximum profit in many cases. In addition if a decision is difficult for you, it os often even more difficult for the opponent. When this is the case you win the battle of fewer mistakes, and this translates in to money.

On the other hand, I believe (linky) that many times your decisions are difficult in later streets because of mistakes you make on earlier streets. In those cases the best long-term solution is to fix the early mistakes, not avoid the difficult late-street decisions.