20k gtd, 3k starting stack. It's early, no reads other than my table is really limpy (this hand is not unusual). No notes on any of the villains in the hand. So preflop seems standard, then I get this strange line from two of the villains after I hit what seems like a dream flop. Best play on the flop? Flatting seems gross for 10% of stack, drawing, with the flop aggressor having a chance to reraise. Folding seems weak when I get this good a flop, so is reraising the right move? If so, how much? ~1k, or just stick it in? I could definitely be convinced that folding is right too after this action. Calling just can't be good.


Poker Stars $10+$1 No Limit Hold'em Tournament - t15/t30 Blinds - 8 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

MP1: t2295
MP2: t3065
CO: t3385
Hero (BTN): t2805
SB: t5540
BB: t2745
UTG: t2680
UTG+1: t4485

Pre Flop: Hero is BTN with 5 2
UTG calls t30, UTG+1 calls t30, MP1 calls t30, 2 folds, Hero calls t30, 1 fold, BB checks

Flop: (t165) 9 4 6 (5 players)
BB checks, UTG bets t150, UTG+1 raises to t300, MP1 folds,

Fold. You have very little invested and there is a good chance that your flush draw is no good. You may be drawing to three 3's and that is all. There is no reason for you to continue on in this hand.

I typicall fold it pre...also I typically play combo draws pretty aggressively..here though I agree with I-boy...let it go cause this one will get expensive and the 3 may not be good as well as the diamond

Typically? I'd hesitate to so much as complete the SB with this crappy hand. I don't care that you have position and there are a bunch of limpers.

Clearly fold on flop is good even though you have a gutshot plus a flushdraw, which shows you just how lousy this hand really is.

seriously fold this b.s. pf and stay out of these spots. terrible hand to play even in cash games.

no reason not to call on button here...stacks are deep and we has the position...

you guys keep forgetting that there are a few ways to win a hand...

A} make a hand
B} make a steal with a bet in position vs weakness
C} bet on a semi bluff

as much as it sucks, this is a fold or shove imo.

im unsure about pre...i might fold. suited crap is fun, but suited 5 high 2 gappers..?

fold that b.s. hand. this is a joke, not even close. How about sticking to top 20% of hands. KISS= KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. we are still playing what are considered small stakes, I dont see any reason at all to add this hand to your range vs. donkeys when you can play alot more hands profitably....even if it were a $300 BI i still wouldnt play this.

It's better just to go ahead and raise pf.

We need at least 7-1 direct odds to play this hand from the BTN, so raising 3x or so gives us some odds to play for. I also like raising pre, because villains will often check to you no matter how hard they hit the flop.

As played, looks like you can quietly fold with minimal damage. I don't think we have much FE here - people rarely fold after over-betting.

Here's the thing - I'm only going to be in real trouble if the pot stays 3 ways. If one villain folds to a reraise, I've got good equity. The only flush draw against which I don't have 5s and 2s as out (9 outs) is one containing exactly the 6d. The only hand against which my 3s are counterfeit gives me 2s as outs. The only way I'm in real trouble is if both hands stay in, and one of them is a bigger flush draw (we'll assume the other is at least a pair of tens), or if the remaining hand is the only possible pair + flush draw.

So I don't think all the worrying about somebody having a bigger flush draw is really valid - if I can get the pot HU. But I'm starting to believe that with the action to me that folding is probably good on the flop. I can't draw inexpensively, and I probably don't have the FE I need against two opponents who have potted it on the flop and minraised.

As for folding pre, I mean, I'm as much a nit as the next guy, but for 1% of effective stacks with a chance that I can either double up or easily get away in all but the strangest circumstances (like this bizarre action on a favorable flop), and OTB. I still like overlimping here.

As for raising 3x pre - no. That's awful advice, and despite my location, I know with certainty that I'm not wrong about that. Bloating the pot with a small raise is just pure spew.

Edit - top 20% advice is pretty awful too. Top 20% includes such gems as QTo, which is going to play just terribly in this spot, but leaves out 22-55, suited connectors between 54s and 98s, and other hands that play perfectly well in multi-way limped pots.

Obviously, as someone who advocated folding this pre, I can't get on board with a 3x raise, but I'd like to know where this math is coming from. Can you elaborate, unrealzeal? And tell us how raising gets us these odds?