Slowplayed Set for a Nice Pot

[Tiburon]

PokerStars 3/6 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with , .
3 folds, MP2 calls, 2 folds, Button calls, Hero raises, 1 fold, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (7 SB) , , (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks, Button bets, Hero calls, MP2 calls.

Turn: (5 BB) (3 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks, Button bets, Hero raises, MP2 folds, Button calls.

River: (9 BB) (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button calls.

Final Pot: 15 BB

Results in white below:
Hero has Qc Qs (three of a kind, queens).
Button has 6d Ad (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins 15 BB.

Debated on the check-raise on the turn, in that maybe another smooth call would've brought MP2 with me to the river where the money could've gotten in. I figured with the and out there it was probably best to get it out there on the turn, and it turned out that the river card was perfect for my bet/3-bet combo.

Short of trying to keep MP2 around a bit longer, could I have played it any better?

[TightWad]

Personally, I prefer to lead out on this flop. You have only two opponents, and the flop is pretty ragged (other than the queen, and you know there's only one left out there)...I think there's too much of a chance that it'll check around and you'll miss out on value. I bet out, hoping to get raised...if they keep just calling, I'll just keep betting it. If I do get raised on the flop, I'll call and my turn play will depend on which opponent raised and how they play. If MP raises me, may try to check-raise both of them on the turn. If the button raise, I may still try to check-raise the turn, or I may try to donk-bet it hoping to get raised again.

Now granted, leading out could also work out badly, because it's unlikely that they really nailed this flop so you might be forfeiting the chance to let them hit a distant 2nd-best. But then again, as the preflop raiser you're expected to lead out on the flop, so you'll still get people calling and raising you with hands they should fold. To me, a check here will often result in less action for your hand than a bet would.

-TW

[EscapePlan9]

I lead out that flop 100% of the time. You're the only one who showed aggression pre-flop, the board comes up raggedy, and you check? That should be setting off warning signs to any decent player.

[Tiburon]

[EscapePlan9]

If I had AK, I'd still fire a bet at that flop. Continuation betting says nothing about your hand except "I'm continuing my aggression from before the flop".

Even if you had JJ.. there's only two other players in the hand, so it's very unlikely anyone has a queen. Easy continuation bet regardless of your holding. I'd continuation bet this with 88 even.

I assume nearly 100% of the time it's 3-way and you have JJ, you still fire out a bet on this flop. And probably close to 100% of the time you continuation bet on these flops regardless of your holdings, especially when 3-way. Now you're doing something completely different and it's very obvious.

You probably made more money this one time, but I think it's too results-oriented to believe this is the optimal way to play the hand in this situation.

[BKAZ]

I like your play and would play it the same although if it checked through on the flop I'd be dissapointed. since there is little chance of the case Q being there I suspect your opponents have AK, JJ or worse and these hands should bet this flop if you check and fold if you check raise. AA and KK would have re raised. When the turn brings flush danger I crank it up here and don't mind if I lose one or both of these guys as long as I don't let them catch me cheap on the river. River is probably the only card, maybe a K that gets you more action here.

I like it.

BK

[striker2550]

I like it. I think there is a good chance that if u bet the flop here, u get no further action, and no draws for anyone to fill by giving them a free card if it just checks around.

Personally, I prob would play it as a check/raise on the flop.