Game is $2-$100 spread-limit—max you can bet is $100 over the previous bet. Blinds $1-$2. Late Saturday night.
I open QdQh UTG to $8, two LP calls (stacks: $250), then the BB (stack: $130) 3-bets to $24. I call, the other two guys call too.
FLOP: Th9s5c (pot: $100, 4-ways). BB checks.
Do we check, small-bet, or big bet?
I chose to bet $60. A fold. LP called. BB folds.
TURN: Th9s5c 3d (pot: $220)
AA or AT would obviously be better for me here, but I decide V is fishy enough to stack off with any top pair so I bet $100, he goes all-in for $190, I call, he tables
I believe a "small bet" is generally a mistake in this structure unless the pot is much less than $100. Maybe I'm wrong, but not as wrong as others.
You really need to get a solver and find out the appropriate sizings and ranges for your game. Commenters here are basing their advice on their NLHE experience, but in a big pot your game is closer to LHE. They are generally more ignorant than yourself and you shouldn't take them seriously.
I read ahead to see turn action, didnt see spoiler results. I dont hate a call here IP, a lot of Vs only 3 bet TT+ AQ+ or tighter. You see the advantage here where he check folds (likely his AK).
As played QQ is more inclined to bet the flop than AA, because they are effectively the same hand strength wise except QQ needs more protection on folding out over cards.
Once BB is out of there i think its pretty easy to just play for stacks, especially given the blank turn.
I think this game structure mandates a 4B pre, to get those other two LP guys out, and get this HU and IP going to the flop.
AP, with no 4B pre, we're multi-way and sandwiched between the PFR 3B'er and two LP callers. I think the flop is just a check and see what happens.
After we c-bet flop, and we get called by an LP limper, I think we need to listen to the alarm bells going off. That T9XX board is going to connect with a lot of limp-calling ranges. I think once our flop bet gets called and we're OOP, I'm just going into defense mode with what's basically become just a bluff-catcher. My line is just going to be check-call.
No idea if your opponents understand game theory, but your UTG range is supposed to be strong. You have all the over-pairs, and they sort of don't. If a guy is going to dump piles into the pot on a ten-high board, he's saying he can beat TPTK, which means 2P+, unless he's chasing a draw, in which case we should just let him continue barreling, and only fold if the obvious draw gets there.
Might be worth noting that in this hand, if you spike a Q, that brings in J8 and KJ, so we're kind of hoping the run-out is low and bricky, like off-suit 5 and lower.
