OK. Thanks, guys. I needed to hear that. I have this damn mental block about folding to a miniraise like that even though sometimes I know I should.

I didn't here. I called it after considering reraising him. And damned if I didn't catch a T on the turn. He throws his $40 into the pot, I call, he shows JJ. Turned a decent session into a slightly losing one for me.

Pretty sure it was Ice that said that if you fold EVERY time someone mins you, you're better off in the long run...

why not check the flop? i've starting checking more in position and CB'ing less, and this is a situation where it seems appropriate.

you dont want to see an Ace or a 7 on the turn...but you're not really afraid of much else. you may induce a weakish turn bet from a weaker Ten or pure bluff. the majority of $100NL players arent aggressive enough to bet full pot on you on the turn unless you're beat.

if you do bet this flop, i think you have to fold to the minraise.

jon

Why check the flop? I thought I probably had best hand here.

you check the flop because:

1. you probably have the best hand but you can't stand any pressure and you don't want to build a pot. there are very few cards that are obviously bad for you: an Ace is obviously bad and a 7 is obviously bad. a Queen gives you an OESD even if it hits someone else.

2. $100NL players, in my experience, like to float flops (albeit poorly). this is the kind of situation where even an OOP villain can push you off your hand.

3. they will try to bluff you/value bet a weaker ten once you check the flop...but now you haven't inflated the pot on the flop.

4 if i had a Jack and was OOP against a tight/solid PF raiser...one of the lines i would take would be to c/c the flop and expect the raiser to check behind on the turn most times. and then expect them to pay off a 1/2 pot river bet with a T or an underpair.


betting the flop is fine too......in which case you obviously have to fold to a minraise. betting the flop is good against tight/ABC villains who dont like to play without top pair or a draw, or against idiots who call down with anything. i like to check flops like this sometimes though.

edit: to Shamrock....i havent been slowing down that much. my flop + turn aggression are about 3.2, and my river aggression 2.3. all i know is that i went from break-even at $100NL to winning 7ptbb/100 over my last 12k hands.

jon

Wow, you guys are so right.

Let's get some applause going!!