Hero just sat down and is in 1st orbit. V1 is solid reg and only player who might know how Hero plays, but doubtful given little history of playing against him. V2 also sat down 1 orbit prior to me. Never seen him before. Only read (?) on him is he keeps asking floor about moving to the 1/2 200 max game, which is open, but he never does it. Trying to look bigger than he is? Whatever.

Hero ($97 after blinds) is MP with QQ

V1 (UTG+1) opens to $8.
V2 (UTG+2) calls $8.
one guy folds.
Hero raises to $30 (with intention to shove non-threatening flop if called pf).
Folds to V1.
V1 folds.
V2 calls.

Flop ($67 after rake): K8J

V2 messes with betting chips, looks at Hero, and checks.

Hero checks. (I wasn't thrilled with this flop. I think if stacks were deeper this could be a clear check behind with villain's range: being behind to Kx, KJ, J8, JJ, 88, etc; ahead of Axs, J10, 109, 1010-99, 77, etc. But stack sizes made this feel awkward).

Turn ($67): 5

V2 quickly checks.

Hero bets $30. (I figured if V2 would fold to any bet, that a ~1/2 pot bet would be as effective as shoving turn. In hindsight, this seems weak. But also from V's perspective, why would I shove turn but not flop?)

V2 calls.

River ($127): J

V2 checks.

Hero checks.


I'd really like thoughts on all streets. I felt lost at multiple points. Thanks.

I think you played this hand well,i like the flop check to pot control on this kind of board.If you do C-bet here and gets raised/shoved on, youre forced to fold your hand.

By checking you allow yourself to get for free to the turn and can get some value from jacks and all kinds of draws.

Personally i prefer a little bit bigger on the turn, just so Villain cant autoput me on a weak/scared hand.

flop - you only have $67 left otf (psb) and there are a bunch of draws out there even w/you having Q blockers. unfortunately you can't price anyone out of a draw here otf - they can jam you AI here and get correct pot odds w/2 cards to come. so checking otf is OK imo.

turn - I would have just jammed the $67 ott after the brick hit to completely price out the draws at this point. if he has Kx or 2p I would have not expected him to check again ott but if that's what he had oh well just reload.

checking back river is OK as typically only better is calling a bet here.

I feel like you gotta cbet this flop

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Jam the turn rather than bet.

Other than that not too much to do.

Fwiw whenever someone plays with chips like they are going to bet, then check, before I act I bet regardless of what I was going to do.

Yeah, if V1 had done the same thing with his chips, I wouldn't have even considered it and just bet. But V2 being unknown to me messed with me probably more than it should have. Looks like flop was ok, but I should have jammed the turn.

I showed my queens on the end, V2 mumbled to himself and mucked his hand.

Sometimes. But not without a read.

Against a loose cally showdown monkey a cbet has value.

Against a tight player, I doubt you get called by worse.