TPTK vs TAG, common situation

[mkflsam]

Opponent is a TAG, 22/12/1.6. I've been playing pretty normal, 21/15 no huge bluffs or very thin call downs (that I remember).

Just going to post the flop for now.

Flat call the flop standard here, correct?

What is your plan for the turn?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (4 handed)

SB ($363.03)
BB ($220.25)
UTG ($110)
Hero ($324.25)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $1.
UTG calls $2, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $9</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls $7, UTG calls $7.

Flop: ($28) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets $15</font>, UTG folds, Hero...

[PayoffWiz]

I would raise to $40 here. If he fires back, muck. If he calls and checks the turn, check behind on the turn and see what he does on the river.

[joeynav]

I feel like your ahead here. Doesn't seem like BB would lead out with with top 2 or a set. The TAG would prob check those hands and throw out feel bet with KQ. You can call and see how he plays the turn.

[mkflsam]

what hand range are you putting him to lead out on that dry flop? why would you want to raise it?

all i can see happening is him folding worse hands and calling/raising with better. you're only possibly getting value out of KQ.

[PayoffWiz]

KQ, QJ, JJ, TT, 33 are all within his range I think. I prefer a raise here to calling because you will have a better sense of his holding. If you call and a blank turns, and he fires out a PSB, what do you do? If you turn an A, and he fires out a PSB, what do you do?

Raising the flop just makes the hand easier to play IMO, and may help you find out early if he has a big hand. Folding out worse hands I don't think is necessarily so important because a 22/12 is not going to be putting much more if any money in the pot with a worse hand anyway.

[mkflsam]

good points

i agree a raise on the flop makes this hand really easy to play. i was just having a hard time figuring out if it has a higher +EV to raise than to simply call.

so if you raise to 45-60ish and he calls, pretty easy check/check on the turn, what size bet are you calling on the river? or is the raise the last amount of money you put in? if he calls the flop raise and leads the turn, easy fold?

i think i might've been overestimating the amount of times i get another bet or two out of a weaker hand by just calling the flop. thanks.

[keikiwai]

On this particular board, re-raising the flop will often but not always tell you where you are, since QJ will call.

Also, you do end up folding a lot of hands that you beat by rasing. I think sometimes you should raise, and sometimes call... maybe call 75% and raise 25%...

Seems like a weird play for a TAG

[PayoffWiz]

If he leads this turn, I think I am done here. A guy with these stats I don't think is leading into a flop reraiser with a hand that doesn't beat top pair. I may call up a 1/2 pot or 3/4 pot on the river, but I think it depends on villain and your image. If villain checks the river, I think you should be betting somewhere around 3/4 pot.

[mkflsam]

[ QUOTE ]

On this particular board, re-raising the flop will often but not always tell you where you are, since QJ will call.

Also, you do end up folding a lot of hands that you beat by rasing. I think sometimes you should raise, and sometimes call... maybe call 75% and raise 25%...

Seems like a weird play for a TAG

[/ QUOTE ]

i agree, especially since it's only a half pot bet. i wonder, does that give away the strength of his hand at all? i mean if he bet hoping i'd raise, wouldn't he make it bigger so a raise by me commits more of my stack?

i usually do mix it up between flat calling down and raising the flops here, i just am never really sure which is the more profitable line.

i think when the flop is more coordinated it is much better to wait and see if the turn is a blank before committing to a line, but here. still confused.

i think there is a lot of merit to making this hand easier to play than potentially calling off $100-$150 of your stack when you're behind. sacrifice some EV to make sure you don't call down incorrectly even if it means folding out worse hands.

[Jamougha]

[ QUOTE ]
sacrifice some EV to make sure you don't call down incorrectly

[/ QUOTE ]

So you're willing to throw away money to avoid feeling like an idiot?