PAHWM - QJs on the button (2 Viewers)

[OfficerLovejoy]

Only against @OfficerLovejoy .

 

[JustinInMN]

If you're not planning to get it in when you flop top pair, then you shouldn't be calling the 300.

Such an underappreciated point. Too many people in strategy threads want to make marginal plays preflop then look for hero folds on the flop. At some point you have to realize you are making marginal plays preflop because you expect your villains to pay off far worse than the nuts post flop and you can't run and hide at a sign of trouble. If your villains are such that you legitimately can fold these spots, then you need to start cutting back on the marginal stuff pre.

 

[JustinInMN]

To catch up on the rest of the hand. Pre-flop I see an argument for all actions, but I am pretty sure I am usually going to call the 20 pre. QJs is certainly better than average, but it's not a powerhouse, and a raise would tend to fold out the lesser hands while the better hands would stay in there. QJs plays pretty well multi-way and hero has position.

The argument I can see for raising is that UTG is going to call very wide as the straddler if he's loose passive. If he's loose aggressive, then the downside is you will be facing 3-bets wide with a good but not great hand.

The argument for folding would be if the villains are just tight and tough to get value from later in the hand, even if we flop well. But I think a fold here is too tight for average-to-loose games.

On the flop, no choice but to go. UTG is an aggressor and could surely just have Qx, or maybe "lucked" into KK+ here and will have to commit and draw. Really all that you beat is 88 or T9, and those may not even be likely villain holdings given the action pre.

Get the money in now. If you don't, then QJs should forever be banished to the fold pile pre.

 

[Kain8]

Such an underappreciated point. Too many people in strategy threads want to make marginal plays preflop then look for hero folds on the flop. At some point you have to realize you are making marginal plays preflop because you expect your villains to pay off far worse than the nuts post flop and you can't run and hide at a sign of trouble. If your villains are such that you legitimately can fold these spots, then you need to start cutting back on the marginal stuff pre.

Planning on future streets in general is something not discussed nearly enough. If / when you should be looking at getting the remainder of your stack in, decisions on if I do x and what's my response if my opponent does y, and so on. The permutations of course increase with multiple opponents, but the concept still is unexplored at times.