Protecting Your Hand

Ian147100

I play online for around 20 hours a week and every once in a while I play in live games, I do ok but I often wonder if I could be doing better if I wasn't so obsessed with protecting my hand all the time i.e. I tend to bet my hand hard when I think it's in front in order to stop others getting free/cheap draws to beat me. Obviously when I'm way out in front I ease off and let the other guys catch up but most of the time I bet it. In the middle of my game last night I had been thinking about the issue and decided to adopt a more lenient approach for a little while. The game was no limit hold'em, 6 handed with $1/2 blinds. I picked up 8c Qc from the big blind and saw a free flop of 8h 9d 8s. Here I'd normally bet to get people off any straight draw or other backdoor draws, I know there are some who think it's bad play to bet a set here but that's just the way I play, I won't allow anybody to draw for free and when I flop a set I almost always bet it. Last night however I decided to briefly change policy so what happened was the small blind checked, I checked, middle position checked, button bet $5 into an $7.50 pot, I called, middle position called, small blind folded, the turn was 4d, I still think my hand is good and I check again (against my better judgement), middle position checks, button bets $15 into a $22 dollar pot, I raise to $30, middle position thinks about it and then calls, button folds. The river is Qh, I check with my full house, middle position bets $40, I raise to $100, he moves all in for a total of $149 more, I call immediately, he turns over 10 J and I take down a nice big fat pot and leave the table 20 minutes later well ahead on the night.

Normally what would have happened is that I would have bet my set hard enough on the flop to make him fold or reluctantly call with J 10. Again I would have bet my hand hard on turn and I'm positive that at that point he would have thrown his poor value drawing hand away. On a normal night I might have picked up the blinds or won a much smaller pot than I eventually did. I still maintain that betting the set of 8's pretty hard is the correct move although I do recognise that sometimes you do need to mix your play up and not become too predictable. Had a 7 fallen on the river I probably would have been forced to lay my hand down. Does anyone have any opinions on the subjects of betting to protect your hand and on the general topic of giving free cards? Has anyone read any good articles on the matter? Also consider this dilemma, you're in the final 9 of a tournament with the 5th highest chip stack, you raise 15% of your stack pre flop with Jd Jh, you get a single caller, the 2nd chip leader who holds 25% of the table chips, the flop is Jc 5h 9d, you're first to speak, what do you do?

Glipmac

That was Interesting thax for the info

i am still broke though!

Glipmac :cool:

careca

I would always bet a set if there is a straight or flush draw on the board. I hate giving free cards to players. Someone with an open ended straight draw or a flush draw will more than likely bet but its the person with a gutshot that could get in for free and hit his/her card. However if the flop is unsuited and not connected I will def check and hope to milk a few bob. Your last example is a def case of checking. There is absolutely no danger to you on the flop and you want to get the most out of the hand. Course if your opponent is good enough you won't get much more out of them than their original bet.

Basically its fine to check your set if you are looking for more action, but be prepared to drop them if the wrong board card appears (which isn't too easy to do).

NickyOD

Ian147100 wrote:

you're in the final 9 of a tournament with the 5th highest chip stack, you raise 15% of your stack pre flop with Jd Jh, you get a single caller, the 2nd chip leader who holds 25% of the table chips, the flop is Jc 5h 9d, you're first to speak, what do you do?QUOTE]

I would most likely bet close to the pot on that flop. Draw heavy boards are usually no time to slow play sets, unless you are out of position and you know with certainty you can check raise.

Even on a flop like 3-J-Q rainbow I would often bet or raise with the set of Jacks because you are always more likely to get paid off on the flop by someone holding a Q than if you slow played and a danger card like a K or A landed.

Now had the flop come J-2-6 rainbow then unless you're oponent calls flop bets with anything you're probably better off checking,