V1: (1000) UTG+1, older guy who seems like a competent player, I saw him take bet bet bet for value with tptk.

V2: (300) SB, capable of check-raising flop with sets and strong holdings, limps and calls too often pre and calls down a little light on later streets.

HERO: (250) BB, 21yo TAG, my I haven't played too many hands this session and when I have I've played them aggressively.


OTTH

V1 limps, there is a call from the CO V2 completes and I check the bb with 9T POT: $8

FLOP: [QJJ] V2 checks, I check, V1 bets 6, CO folds, V2 calls, I raise to 30. V1 and V2 call. Pot: $98

TURN: [7] V2 checks, I bet 75, V1 declares all-in for around 140 on top, V2 tank folds and I fold

I'm pretty unsure of my line here looking back, should I c/r the flop or lead out myself? Criticism on all streets is welcome.

OTT, I'm either checking, or throwing a small bet ~$35. I'm likely to lead the flop having such good equity at that point. c/r paired boards can build a larger pot here where we're no longer drawing to the nuts, or in greater numbers than 2 outs.

What is your thought process behind a smaller turn bet?

Chk/call flop is ok. Villains will have too many jacks in their range, putting you in an RIO spot (e.g. KJ when K brings straight or J7 when 7 is a club)... AP, I think you should check/fold turn. You missed. Probably don't have much F/E after getting called on flop, and you could be drawing to two outs.

We c/r this flop and got called. Odds are there's a jack somewhere, most likely in V1's range as he lead flop and called a raise. We have somewhere around 23% equity and can get easily pushed off our hand if V1 barrels the turn which seems likely. Also, it's cheaper to bet/fold.

x/r flop is good I think, to hopefully get rid of queens. Leading the flop is OK but the problem is that when you get called, the turn is awkward. You sort of want to bet/bet/bet to fold out a Q, but betting the turn risks getting raised, which is horrible for you.

When your x/r gets called (especially in two places) and you brick, betting the turn is suicidal. You're close to a lock to be up against a jack vs two callers and could well be up against QJ or jack + better FD, both of which have you drawing to two outs. You're going to get raised a lot and have virtually no FE.

Check fold the turn, your hand looks pretty but this is an ugly spot. The reverse implied odds are a killer. If you river say an offsuit K and jam you could easily walk into KJ, QJ or J7. If you river a flush and jam, same thing, plus your hand is going to be face up.

If you only got called by one player, also check fold the turn. They'll check back queens and FDs. If they check back, you might want to try a small bet if you brick river to win the pot vs A and K high FD.

I wouldn't raise here on a paired board. Especially in a limped pot. Especially when the board pairs with two broadway cards that smack our Villains limping range right in their ugly face. Too often we are going to get raised by a J where are forced to GII against hands that have us crushed like AJcc, QJ, or trips that block our outs to make a straight. Hands like KJ and J9

Calling allows us to draw super cheap and get value from trips when we hit our hand, and also stack our opponents the times we bink a straight flush and they have a boat or the A high flush.

Calling the flop gives us a much better opportunity to outplay our opponents post flop, rather than be forced to GII in a spot where we have 50% equity.

I like the flop play. If no one has a jack, you've got a great shot to take it down. Once two people call, it's time to re-evaluate. The x/r bluff is great because it looks so strong. But that means when you get called in two places you're likely up against at least one strong hand.

So your fold equity on the turn is starting to look a little thin.

I don't like leading the flop because it allows someone to raise and I won't want to either call or fold. True, the x/r risks more money, but I'm willing to pay that for the much greater chance to take the pot down. And it's hardly a disaster if it gets checked through and I get a free card.

Betting the turn small as a blocking bet has some issues. If someone does have a jack, they're going to raise anyway (in which case not much blocking going on). If they have something like a Q, they may elect to check it back for pot control and to avoid another x/r (in which case not much blocking needed).

I don't mind the turn as played, continuing the story we were telling OTF. We should convince sticky queens and draws to lay it down. We need folds less than 50% of the time even if we never improve. I suspect checking is slightly better though.

Once it's raised, we're calling 140 to win around 388 so we need 27% equity. Let's assume he has at least a J. Unfortunately, several of his likely other cards (such as the K) taint our outs. It depends on the range you want to give him, but I'd probably fold it.

There really are not many hands that have us crushed. Against KJ for example we have 37%, definitely not ideal but not "crushed". QJ has us crushed but IME people tend to flat it to a c/r.

AJcc seems like a particularly unlikely hand to be up against, DUCY?

Queens are just straight up more likely for our opponents to have and I'd rather take down the pot against them. Obviously if the read is that they're not folding queens to a x/r, then x/r is no good and I'd just lead.

I wouldn't raise this flop with two people in the hand, and if I did there's no way in hell I'm betting the turn after getting called in two spots.