I am trying to get some general advice for the folowing situation, of which this hand is an example.

You have a hand that you do not mind going all in preflop against a loose weak player (e. g. 99-JJ, AQ), but you see a risk that the guy instead chooses to call your raise/reraise preflop even for half the stack and decide on the flop based on the situation. How do you treat an unfavourable flop then?

In the next example, I would have no problem getting i all in at the flop against a loose shortstack (so I raise higher than usual) but once he calls he puts me in tough position at the AQx flop.

In this hand, I believe I am ahead his preflop range and I also believe he most likely flat-calls any reraise. I usually opt for a somewhat higher-than-usual raise to get heads up and committed. The drawback is an unfavourable flop, in which case I fell like risking 10$ to win 5$.

Should I raise to around 10$ pre-flop (the problem is there is a player behind me) or raise less, so that I am not commited at the flop?

B, C/C, C/F the flop (despite unfavourable flop I think I might still be ahead at the flop let's say 40% of the time but not sure how much of it will call a flop bet)?


Poker Stars $0.25/$0.50 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
The Official 2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked.com

BB: $130.55
UTG: $10.30
CO: $40.55
BTN: $87.45
Hero (SB): $97.00

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is SB with T T
UTG raises to $1, 2 folds, Hero raises to $5, 1 fold, UTG calls $4

Flop: ($10.50) 8 A Q (2 players)
Hero bets $6

Problem i see here is that if you lead out on the flop and he ends up getting it all in there, you are very rarely, if ever ahead. I like making it 10 pre for the reason that the player behind you needs to have, at worst, 1010 to become a factor at this pot. He has a hand that big so rarely that I think it's the right play to get the shorty in pre. Also if player behind does happen to wake up with a hand, you out $10, not a huge loss by any means.