There are a lot of reasons to check/evaluate here.

#1. It's a very dry board. The only draw is KT; if this flop checks through, we just got loads of information and the only cards we don't like are tens and jacks.

#2. Information. By checking, we get to see what the players behind us do. Perhaps someone bets and another player shoves. Easy fold for us, and we saved $100. If we bet $100 in this case, and get shoved on, it's still an easy fold, but we threw that $100 away.

When we give up the betting lead, we get to see who bets and watch their bet sizing. One aggressive player bets and a chaser calls? We can call or raise. An aggressive player bets and everyone folds? We can call. A nit bets big? We can fold. Someone with bet sizing tells gives his hand away? We proceed however is appropriate. Much better than betting $100 and having someone with bet sizing tells call us. Then we proceed to the turn in the dark.

#3. Value. The most important reason. When we check here, it looks like we whiffed AK. If the flop checks through and we bet the turn, it will look like we are trying to steal the pot. We may get looked up by KJ. TJ will almost certainly peel the turn.

#4. Pot control. We have a medium strength hand on this board. If a street checks through, that is actually ideal. The only way to let a street check through is by checking ourselves. (Well, duh)

Its funny you say that because today i played a hand at 1/2 today multiway with same flop and had AQ. I led out had one caller amd continued to bet all three streets putting my opponent allin he showed KQ and i scooped a 400 dollar pot. Postimg this hand yesterday helped me in my decision making today. Since getting thoroughly involved in reading this forum ive won 22 out of my last 23 days ive played. Alot of my leaks were exposed reading the hands posted here and the cotm. I read a few books but none compare to the knowledge gained here.

+1

B/F OOP in an 8 way BLOATED pot with just one pair is lighting money on fire. All of the dead money in the pot makes the situation even worse for our hand. Why? Because it will induce some opponents to shove all in with open-ended straight draws and pairs+ gut-shots, FORCING us to fold the best hand. And we obviously have to fold to any raise because this board smacks all of our opponents pre-flop calling range right in the face. These are the types of hands that you see 2-3 way all ins with.

C/F is the right play. We raise pre-flop to narrow the field for this exact reason. For some crazy reason, nobody folded pre-flop so we have to switch gears post-flop on this board texture.

Thank you. I knew it was something like that. It's been a while since my college algebra class.

So... (1- 0.116)^8= 0.373.

Easily a bet/fold if you ask me.

Good?

Spoke for president