$5-$10-$20, 5 handed. CO straddles to $40
Villain is super loose-aggressive, loves to chase, only ever bets POT
Hero's image is TAGish and tricky.

SB
BB -- Villain $2500
STRAD -- Hero $5000
CO
BTN

Preflop: Hero has 2 5 Q Q
BTN folds, SB folds, BB calls $40, Hero raises to $160, CO folds, BB calls.

Flop: ($365) 2 7 Q
Villain checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($365) 9
Villain bets $365, Hero raises to $1000. Villain tanks forever, folds, says he folded a set because I must be slow-playing a set.


So: given Villain's brilliant deduction, should I be cbetting the flop? Just seems so wrong to me. And his deduction isn't necessarily true, if I balance my turn raising range. Also: what sizes on flop/turn?

Of course you should cbet the flop. This is like the driest flop imaginable and you should be cbetting with your entire 3bet range. Not cbetting this type of flop is obviously going to set some alarm bells ringing in any thinking opponent's head.

yeah, but he did not fold a set.

agree w maurice, nobody ever fold a set there.

hero could have QT98 etc.

He didn't have a set, but please cbet the flop. That's like a sahara. You're betting all your weak hands there. So when you check back, it's really suspicious.

cbettin the flop all day long

hmm.

I figure if I cbet, he'll fold a high percentage of the time: I think he can only call with a Q (but I have 3), or two pair or set.
If I check back, I think he'll lead out turn for a PSB a lot of the time, and maybe get stubborn and commit to the pot.

Thanks for comments though.

You can always cbet smaller on such a dry board with your entire cbetting range. If they keep folding, you've found a goldmine.

flop is fine

Or he can check/raise with air just because it's the driest board ever and he won't expect you to have anything YOU can continue with the majority of the time.

Since he will stab a lot of turns what does people think of a smallish rr. I think the big rr after checking back on that flop looks ultrastrong, and a smallish raisee ( especially against someone who stabs a ton on turn ) could look very bluffy and could get him to stack off lighter for value and to bluff us since our range looks weak.

why aren't we checking weak hands on the flop ever