Dave, how do we play pocket Jacks in this situation?

ConfusedONEConfusedONE
in Brags, Beats & Variance
68 more places til the money. :D

1500/3000 MTT NLHE

Average stack: 22,000
Highest chip stack: 69,000

Table 5 (Real Money) -- Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: (26317)
Seat 3: (5146)
Seat 5: (39264)
Seat 6: (5192)
Seat 7: HERO (19281)
Seat 8: (39531) { loose aggressive/raises alot
Seat 10: (28128)

HERO posts small blind (750)
Seat 8:  posts big blind (1500)

** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to HERO [ J :s:, J :h: ]

Seat 10 folds.
Seat 1 calls (1500)
Seat 3 folds.
Seat 5 calls (1500)
Seat 6 folds.

How do we want to play this? :o

thx,
CO  :c:

Comments

  • Dave ScharfDave Scharf
    68 more places til the money.

    1500/3000 MTT NLHE

    Average stack: 22,000
    Highest chip stack: 69,000

    Table 5 (Real Money) -- Seat 6 is the button
    Total number of players : 7
    Seat 1: (26317)
    Seat 3: (5146)
    Seat 5: (39264)
    Seat 6: (5192)
    Seat 7: HERO (19281)
    Seat 8: (39531) { loose aggressive/raises alot
    Seat 10: (28128)

    HERO posts small blind (750)
    Seat 8: posts big blind (1500)

    Hero is slightly below average. Really doesn't want to be mucking around with a lot of iffy steals since the consequences of loss will be severe.

    ** Dealing down cards **
    Dealt to HERO [ J , J ]
    Seat 10 folds.
    Seat 1 calls (1500)
    Seat 3 folds.
    Seat 5 calls (1500)
    Seat 6 folds.

    How do we want to play this

    Pot is 5250. Hero can call 750. Fold. Or, raise. Hero has 18,500.

    Folding is, obviously, out of the questiion.

    This is an interesting situation. You aren't really keen to see a flop with JJ, but with two limpers the dream of winning a big pot is tangible. Big stacks limping in LOOKS like implied odds hands. Our hero very probably has the best in this situation.

    First question I might ask myself is: "Will they fold if I make a big raise?" If the answer is yes then this looks like a great option. Pick up the 5000 chips with no risk and move above average chip status.

    The other option is to induce a bluff from the big-blind. Limp in and hope he pops it so that you can get a better appreciation of where you are at. If he makes a big raise and gets re-raised by the first limper then you can get out. If you are thinking that he might raise, so is the first limper (maybe). If he makes a big raise and both limpers fold then you can stop-and-go him for the rest of your chips.

    On balance, I prefer a raise to $6000 and winning the pot right now. But, the second option is not a bad one. And, I will take option two if I think that the table is too loose and that they will call a $6000 raise.
  • PsiPsi
    Very well said dave.
    I'd be inclined to go with option 2.
    Call, see a flop, check if you set and try to trap (or flat out all in if a J flops), or fold easily and no worry as it was only 1/2 the bet with a really good hand.
  • SirWattsSirWatts
    Dave Scharf wrote:
    On balance, I prefer a raise to $6000 and winning the pot right now. But, the second option is not a bad one. And, I will take option two if I think that the table is too loose and that they will call a $6000 raise.

    In the latter case where the table is too lose I would simply raise more instead of backing off.  I think i have by far the best of it, unless I have a good reason to think someone is trapping (ie one of the limpers is a tight player and has raised or folded every other hand but now they limp).  So I will put in a big enough raise to get heads up, and if that pot commits me I will just push.  The fact that these are loose players makes it more likely that you have the best hand, and far more likely you will get called by a worse hand, like AT or ESPECIALLY a smaller pair, even for all your chips, which are great scenarios.   
Sign In or Register to comment.
HomeDiscussionsToggle Dark Mode