2/2 plo
$1400 eff
Utg straddle $10

KQJ9ss in sb

Fold to mp $35, 2 calls, hero call, utg call

Flop ($180) 997r
?

I think pre is fine. 3bet if ds.

On flop idk if I should be leading into 4 people here.

I'll go first for what it's worth.

Against reasonable opponents there are only two probable calls (sevens full and anyone with the other nine not yet full). The only raise would be against someone holding 97 and even there they may wait for a safe turn to raise. OTOH checking might induce a late position bluff or a thin bet with a wrap, much of which you block. If it gets checked through you probably have the only nine. If you check and there is a bet and you could still be ahead (especially against a late position bet) or against a weaker 9. Of course you could be against ace/9 but your not in bad shape with over cards except the ace likely outs or improving your hand (the ten gives you a wrap).

The risk of checking (and it gets checked through) is the turn coming an eight or ten or six or a small card that fills up an opponent that wouldn't have called the flop wager. It could also fill up an opponent holding an overpair of one of the side cards you have. But it has the advantage of getting later calls you want from weak nines (or an ace nine) if you can spike a full on the turn.

I think it's close and in game I'd tend to bet about half pot.

Bet 1/3 no one has a nut advantage here.

Fold pre unless you have a specific reason/target to call here especially if it's not K suited.

Pre seems close to me in a high rake game and with two no-reads yet to act. On balance I think fold is best but understand calling arguments.

As played, I think we can have leads on this rank of pair and three overs is a great combo to do so. Bet small, like the 1/3 suggested.

It's live, time rake.

The two no-reads are very very likely just calling unless they have AAXX.

Pre is fine. Zero chance I am folding this live with time rake, unless UTG is known to squeeze a lot from the straddle. I like 1/3 to 1/2 pot lead out.

I agree that pre is a good indicator of where the line is with regards to HRE vs time charges.

Post flop, whatever, there's probably a bunch of very profitable bet sizes you can make but checking and just not folding us probably similarly +ev so just dance and enjoy yourself

Wouldn't bet this 5 ways - there's minimal value to be had, you're somewhat face up, getting raised sucks. If it checks through to the turn ranges widen and you can get away with possibly two streets of value.

Our hand is not face up given we don't have what we're repping by betting - 77, 97, A9. We'd certainly like to have hands in our betting range in the class of [3 live overcards to outdraw the current nuts]. There's plenty of value to be had by all the 9s we currently beat and all the straight draws that we're giving a free card to by checking. There are very few hands that have us in bad shape and A9 is not likely to raise unless it comes with a 7 or something.

No one is cbetting 5 ways without 9x/77 here - even T8/68 might take a free card in a spot like this. If this is 3 way then yeh things change and ranges open up, but the fact is someone will have a 9x/77 here more often than they won't given it's 5 ways.

+1

Leading here is a special play for sure with this hand, it's one of those at max 1 out 5 times you can do. That said it's 5-way and there's no hard rule not to. If you're playing against the same players, yeah don't lead constantly or your checking range will suffer immensely.

Also I would still be tempted to raise AK9x to this lead.

Oh and I'm still folding this pre unless it's K high fd.

It really depends on our opponents tendencies. If there’s a bunch of passive players I like leading out 1/3. If mp is tricky aggressive and you think he’ll cb into this many players then I don’t mind checking. But it also depends on your image. Are you ever leading out with bluffs here? If not then you’d be very unbalanced here which would make this a check as well.

Here’s a video I made recently that goes over how to adjust to different player types. I hope it helps!

Crack the Code: How to Read Every Type of PLO Player Like a Pro!

https://youtu.be/4pTQ8n7lEV4?si=9A7mwxxlEekibrOJ

if we lead 1/3 and face 3/4pot size raise?

if folding pre, what if we are deeper?