PokerCoaching.com Quiz: Flopping Bottom Set

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You are playing nine-handed in a $1,000 World Series Of Poker event. The blinds are 2,000-3,000 with a 3,000 big blind ante. Everyone folds to the lojack, an unknown player, who has 174,000 chips. She raises to 6,000. It fold to you in the big blind with 44 with a 122,000 chip stack.

Question 1: Do you want to fold, call, or raise to 10,000?

Answer: You have an excellent hand to call from the big blind and see a flop heads up. Reraising small pairs from out of position against an unknown player is not the play you want to make. The best play is to call and see a flop.

You call and the flop comes A74, giving you bottom set. You check and your opponent bets 10,000 into the 17,000-chip pot. 

Question 2: Do you want to fold, call, or raise to 25,000?

Answer: You should definitely check-raise mainly because the board is incredibly dynamic, meaning hands that are currently very strong are somewhat likely to lose a lot of their value by the river.

Any time there is a two-flush or two to a straight on the flop but no flush or straight possible yet, you should usually check-raise with your best hands. Your opponent is going to have the range advantage with hands like A-A, A-K, and A-Q, but you have the nut range advantage with hands like two pair.

Be sure to balance your check-raising range by also including some semi-bluffs, like with 6-5 and 5-3. 

You check-raise to 25,000 and your opponent calls. The turn is the 8. The pot is now 67,000.

Question 3: Do you want to check, bet 25,000, or go all-in?

Answer: You should definitely continue betting on the turn, even though the straight is now possible. You don’t have to bet too big. A smaller sizing will set it up nicely for a river all-in.

You bet 25,000 and your opponent calls, making the pot 117,000. The river is the 8, giving you a full house.

Question 4: Do you want to check, bet 35,000, or go all-in?

Answer: At his point it should be no surprise, but you go all-in. Ideally your opponent will put you on a missed draw and call with strong bluff catchers like A-K and A-Q. 

You go all-in for your last 44,000 chips and your opponent quickly calls with A-J offsuit, giving you a full double up.

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