Hey everyone, I have realized I am a bit too trigger happy with c-bets and I am trying to adjust. Maybe I overdid this a tad too much on this hand, hopefully we can talk a little about it.

PokerStars - $0.05 NL FAST (6 max) - Holdem - 6 players
Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

Hero (BTN): 100 BB
SB: 134.2 BB
BB: 100 BB
UTG: 260.6 BB
MP: 154.2 BB
CO: 123.6 BB

SB posts SB 0.4 BB, BB posts BB 1 BB

Pre Flop: (pot: 1.4 BB) Hero has J J

fold, fold, fold, Hero raises to 2.4 BB, fold, BB calls 1.4 BB

Flop: (5.2 BB, 2 players) 7 3 K
BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: (5.2 BB, 2 players) Q
BB checks, Hero checks

River: (5.2 BB, 2 players) 4
BB bets 1.4 BB, Hero?

Part of me thinks c-betting the flop would have not been terrible, given the BU flats are loose and the board is kind of dry. But there are also the following thoughts:
- If he calls I do not have much hopes of improving, and whatever he would fold here I think is also not likely to outdraw me.
- If I get check-raised I am in trouble
- Again even if I give a free card, my hand is not likely to get worse. Depending on the action on the turn I could always bet here

With the turn check-back I also think there could have been an argument for a
bet there, and I would have probably done so on any card that was not a Q or an A.

V's river size looks too small to be for any other purpose than trying to get me to fold. I think with his two check-backs he is unlikely to have me beat and I actually raised here to 4BB.

Your flop and turn checks are good. While you’re likely ahead, and you do have too two sets and top two pair in your range, your hand is far too weak to bet for value but too trying to bet s a bluff. The same is true on the river. You need to defend here 79% of the time. You re well within that tier of your range here (having only 3 hands better, as I’d assume you would bet aces OTT) this shouldn’t be anything other than a call. You’re only getting called by better and folding out their bluffs.


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I range bet flop, but agree this is a reasonable jand to check.

River is snap call and be happy about it.

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I think this flop is far too good for you to be anything other than a range bet for around 1/3 pot. The only realistic 2 pair villain can have is K7s (I don't think K7o is a call pre for villain, although maybe I'm wrong). You can have all sets, as well as a considerably stronger range of Kx than villain's. I think you should only going for a polarised cbet strategy (where JJ is a reasonable check) on a K high flop where villain can have some 2 pairs with offsuit hands you can't have, as well as 2 sets. So, if the flop were K87r, you could consider going polarised and checking this hand, as villain could have 87o, 77, and 88, while you shouldn't really have 87o.

Useful replies indeed, thanks

This getting folded by worse and called by better is something I have been struggling with a bit during this beginner stage. It makes sense, if I were V I want to think I would very likely not call unless I had a Q or a K. So when hero is ahead, he gains nothing with the raise the majority of the times but when he is behind he loses more every time.

At the same time, the range bet on the flop does make sense. Once thing I have realized is I do not know how to continue after a range bet when called and I do not have an awesome value hand (top pair+).

Let's say I range bet 1/3 pot here and get called. How would your thinking go on the turn? My standard thinking would be to barrel for 2/3 pot, but as I study more I wonder if it would be better to check-fold.

Betting the flop a lot more often then checking. It's dry and has a king. That's great for a PFR range. I probably check behind OTT. Think you're losing on the river more often then not but never folding to such a small bet.