25NL - Me and top pair aren't good friends.

[thing85]

No reads on this guy; just sat down.

Poker Stars - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $0.10/$0.25 Blinds - 5 Players - (LegoPoker Hand History Converter)

SB: $15.65
BB: $13.75
UTG: $24.75
Hero (CO): $25.70
BTN: $32.05

Preflop: Hero is dealt J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (5 Players)
UTG folds, <font color="red">Hero raises to $1.00</font>, BTN folds, SB calls $0.90, BB folds

Flop: ($2.25) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">SB bets $1.50</font>, <font color="red">Hero raises to $4.00</font>, SB calls $2.50

Turn: ($10.25) Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 Players)
SB checks, Hero...?

I think I have a tendency to play top pair too strongly, although I pick up the OESD on the turn. Do I check or bet? If I bet, how much?

[CobraGoat]

check behind on turn for pot control and to have a free look for the river draw. QJ or TJ both fit his range well here. i think they make up a bigger part of his range than a FD. thus it would suck to bet your self off this hand. if you hit your straight, you're liable to pick up a nice pot against his two pair. if you whiff river im folding to most of his bets w/o a read.

[TTStrangler]

I would just check behind, I don't see alot of good reasons to bloat the pot more with our weakish hand. Time to look for a cheap showdown IMO.

EDIT: Assuming you don't hit your straight draw of course.

[thac]

I don't really like the flop raise. If you want to raise it needs to be more than that, to like 5.5 or 6. In general though I don't raise there but you can since there's a fd on flop. I'd probably check behind on turn since if he has KQ he is ahead of you now, 89 got there, and Qxdd got there. I'll check and call a smallish river bet but I don't like betting here.

[n4rf]

Check, he could have been the one drawing and if he had something like KQ, he just hit his Q. Also, KJ is a uber ugly hand, I hate raising with it in the first 2 spots (same with AJ).

Defiantely check, he might think you're going to bet so he can C/R. At least you have some outs.

[thing85]

Would the texture of the board ever be such that I want to bet on the turn to not give him correct odds to call for his FD/SD? Or is this almost always a spot to check behind?

[thing85]

[ QUOTE ]
Check, he could have been the one drawing and if he had something like KQ, he just hit his Q. Also, KJ is a uber ugly hand, I hate raising with it in the first 2 spots (same with AJ).

Defiantely check, he might think you're going to bet so he can C/R. At least you have some outs.

[/ QUOTE ]

You really wouldn't even raise with AJ? Maybe I'm more aggressive than I should be.

[thac]

[ QUOTE ]
I hate raising with it in the first 2 spots (same with AJ).

[/ QUOTE ]

We're in the CO, it's 5-handed.

[dirtylobster]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't really like the flop raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I raise donkbets like all the time, with air and made hands. 1) It makes it very though for villain to continue with even a TPGK hand 2) They will (usually) start playing back at you sooner or later, often with mediocre holdings, which makes it easier for you to get paid when you flop big.

That said I don't mind a call at all here. I also "float" donkbets alot, with and without made hands. Without a hand/with a draw I bet almost always when he checks the turn. But.... you here have a decent hand here so you could check behind and call his river bet (or value bet if he checks).

[dirtylobster]

Hmm. Now after ranting a bit and looking at the hand again I would check behind vs. an unknown and call a reasonable river bet/value bet if he checks.