1/3, Saturday night, 9-handed.


VillainA (60yo white male, nit, $250) opens to $8 in MP.
VillainB (25yo white male, 30/10, $300) calls in HJ
VillainC (30yo white male, 25/15, $500) calls in CO
VillainD (30yo white male, 20/15, $800) calls on the button.
Hero ($340) calls in the BB with J9ss.


Flop ($41): AKTss


VillainA bets $25, VillainB calls, VillainC calls, Villain D folds.

What do you do? Raise or slow-play?

This is tough one to decide.


Pros to slowplay: we have 2nd nuts....damn near effective nuts. We block QJss, Q9ss. Board blocks AQss, KQss, QTss. V-A is about the only one who has sets here. Sometimes TT is out there with others. We block AJ. So, it's debatable if there's a good chance someone has a hand they want to go with here.

Cons: to slowplay: we let nit who has all the sets and 2p see a turn cheap. We also let a lone Qs see turn cheap. And a spade turn can kill our action.



I'd likely either just make it $100 or go polar and rip it. Jamming might look like we have a non flush that doesn't want to see anymore cards.



I don't think you can really play this incorrectly. As both have merits.

Slow play, and I almost never slow play.

FWIW, I'd rather donk than check/raise, but I'd still check/call.

I fold preflop. Yeah, we're getting an awesome price. But we'll be OOP very multiway with a hand that has RIO, albeit at a playable SPR. It's probably close/whatever, but position is always an easy tie-breaker for me.

Even though the SPR was initially somewhat playable, it has quickly shrunk up facing this flop action. There's already $115 in the pot and a most stacks only have a little more than $200 in them. So we're committed, imo (and if we're behind, well, that's a function of preflop). Crapload of scare/action killing cards and a lotta people are interested in this pot, so I'm raising now. With these stack sizes, I think you could actually argue for a shove. But at the very least I'm going like $100 to get the rest in on the turn.

ETA: I'm assuming we flopped a flush? Also, I agree with Java in that I'd mostly be donking here.

GcluelessNLnoobG

In this exact situation, I'm never donking or slowplaying. If a nit is willing to bet into 4 players on this super wet board, then I don't see him folding for any amount. Even though we flopped the 2nd nuts, the nuts can change easily. I would rather gii now before seeing a 4th spade or board pair that will freeze us.

Is flop 2 spades or 3 spades?...

Three spades.

I donk $30 because I don't want it checked around.
As played I cr shove because there is enough of a pot already.

If your V descriptions are accurate (25/15), they dont have a lot if any Q8s and almost never worse Qxss. So you are best now.

They do have a lot of PP and 2 broadway cards, so potentially straights and 2p. If you check the flop you have to c/r large. This flop smashes all of your opponents range. If they all have low PPs you're not getting anything anyway.

Easy check raise, original raiser has all sets, 2pair, straights and Qs so there's a ton of value to be gained there, even if he doesn't this smacks a bunch of the cold caller's ranges who might have a pair+draw and don't want to fold out even though they are drawing dead

This is not a good spot to slow play for multiple reasons

1) You're oop so it will be very difficult to extract max value at later streets, can easily get checked though

2) Your hand is good but not invulnerable and a few turn cards can change this (4th spade gives Qs a bigger flush, board pairs)

3) The nuts is flush or better, no one who spikes a straight will get too out of line here

4) The 4th flush card really kills your action, AKT are on the board, J9 is in your hand so that means that after the Qs in the 8s. Are you really going to get much action from an 8 high or lower flush?