Question 1: I get 77 in the bb, Hi-Jack (HJ) bets 25, me and small blind only callers. Flop comes 762 rainbow. Me and sb check to the raiser (this seemed like a good board to check top set oop). HJ cbets 55 (into a $70 pot), sb calls and I just call with my monster. Should I raise instead?
Answer:
1) Both players showed interest in the pot, so one of them may have something
2) If the original raiser, was just cbetting (with a plan to slow down on the turn) and we don’t raise the flop then there is a good chance that the turn will be checked around even if the sb has a good hand. And we obviously don’t want that.
4) The board is not that wet (it’s low and rainbow) but it’s not that dry either. There are still some draws available (namely 45, 89, T9 etc) from which we want to get some value.
5) We are OOP! This seems our main topic of discussion as of late, but it really sucks to play OOP, even when we have a set! And that’s why. Here it’s because it is tough to get our hand’s full worth (sb is facing the same problem and that’s why they were forced to shove into the raiser when they hit their draw – I like their line on the turn, although they should have folder pre). So we need to check raise, take back the initiative, control the pot and thus minimize our positional disadvantage.
If we had position on both of them and they somehow bet into us, then it’s ok to flat with a top set sometimes, but as is, we don’t have much choice other than raising and hoping they ll make a mistake. OOP sucks whether we flop good or bad. Let’s never forget that!
Question 2: Turn comes a 5, with two diamonds on the board now. Sb shoves for $300 into a $225 pot. Should I call?
Answer: ABSOLUTELY!
We beat so many hands they are doing this with, it’s not even funny: Worse sets, two pair, combo draws, hands like 88 and the list goes on.
And if they just happen to have one of the very few hands that we were losing to (like 89 for example), we have outs.
Also, even though their line looks strong we should not regret our decision, even if they end up showing us the nuts! Using the skyscraper metaphor, it’s like we sit on the 98th floor and they so happen to be on the 100th. Tough luck, but we never fold. This is what is called a “cooler” in poker.