Dealt 10 10 -- what would you do??

[PokerJonny]

1) I would raise to at least 400, you raise iof 600 was good, raising 3BB or least is no good here as you dont want callers

2) tricky 1, all depends on reads on BB, I would probably mostly call here as we will be ahead or at least 50% with BBs standard pushing range

[LombardiStix]

I see a lot of guys going for the limp. And I would agree "sometimes" to do this. But you are missing the point of raising.

I'm not saying to raise in order to "steal" pre-flop. I'm saying to raise to get your post flop odds higher. The fewer players in the pot post flop, the better chance you have of having the best hand. Let's say a Q 3 7 comes out on the flop. I'd much rather bet my 10 10 against two players than 4. And because you had the raise preflop you will be respected as a possible AQ, QQ, KQ... etc.

Yes you MAY see more fireworks if you hit your trips on the flop. But there is a small percentage chance that you get your trips. It is a much higher percentage that you wont hit your trips and you'll have to bet without it.

Stix

[hojediade]

1) Limp or raise 2.5 BB to keep some players involved.
2) Fold
No much need to argue on that hand.
IMO, as you were the bigger stack involved in that hand, you don't really need to push there with pp T's nor to make your opponents fold or go all-in. It all depends on your feelings, but i guess you wanted to be re-raised by simulating a squeeze play, so that you deserve the BB move with probably two over cards, nor if lucky with a smaller pocket pair.
With a big stack at SB, limping would have give you an opportunity to dismiss your hand range. It also give you the opportunity to fold your hand to a strong raise if happening, and save chips or call a "normal" raise to catch a trip on flop, or a low un-suited and un-straightened board (which are rare) hoping none of your oponents slow played a small pp.
Pp T's is the perfect hand to donate chips to your opponents when you're a big stack.

Hope that you'll call my re-raise all-in from the BB with your pp T's next time we'll meet.

Have a good time and enjoy the game, no matter what's happening.

[ND1991]

I did call. He had AK. Flop was A A K. LOL. I am unsure it could have played out much worse.

I believe 10 10 is a slight favorite over A K off. With hindsight being 20/20, if you knew his exact hand, is the call a bad one or just a gamble?

Thanks again for all the input (this one had a lot more than some of the others).

[Phunkphlex]

I think I would have done about the same thing as Villa here. Probably raised from the SB for about 3.5-4x (300-350 may be a good number here). I think the *safe* play would be to limp and see if you can flop a set, so I can't really argue against making that play. However, with a few limpers in front of you and only one more person to act, you got to think that 10-10 is the best hand at that point in time. And to me, just limping with the best hand is a weak play. As previous posts have pointed out, it's doubtful EVERYONE is going to fold to that raise, but you should be able to dwindle it down to one or two opponents. You now have a strong image because of your raise (and your characterization as a tight-aggressive player), so a C-bet on the flop is likely to chase anybody off who didn't hit the flop really well. Obviously, if someone calls or raises you on the flop, then you'll need to proceed with caution and muck if need be. But even if that does happen, you won't have committed a large portion of your chips at that point, so it shouldn't hurt too bad. But I guarantee you more times than not, you'll win the pot outright, without having to get lucky and hit a set.

In your post-600 bet scenario that you laid out, of course your decision is completely based on your read of that particular opponent. But I think the only way I would call that bet with 10-10 is if I characterize that opponent as VERY loose and VERY aggressive. Remember, your image is tight-aggressive. Anybody paying the least bit attention is going to raise their eyebrows to a 7.5x BB pre-flop bet from a tight-aggressive player. If someone is pushing their stack against my raise in that situation, I got to think they have the goods. About the BEST you can hope for there is an AK against any solid player.

[pirates831]

raise to thin the field ... probably 5xbb becuase there were a few limpers, too.

[Ziggy13]

I would just call. I only raise after the flop with middle pairs.

[PLAYFUL1]

I would call or 2xs the bb on a short table.. After the flop no paint...4xs the pot will weed out the limpers , chasers and the pot should be yours:d

[papaherb]

Hi there, I do not consider myself a vary goog poker player. But it seems to that when I have been in this situation.I have a tendency to fold, needless to say alot of the times if I had stayed I would of won the hand. I have also went on and got spanked. To me thats where the luck comes into play. Probably not much help with my madness but I just had to get this off my thick head,anyways goog luck on the next time this comes along to you. Papaherb !!!!

[sos_egg_n]

I would call purely because you still have plenty of chips and u are getting better than 3to2 on your call...If i did not want to call i would have raised less to start with 600 prob would of achieved the same as a 400 raise.

Nothing in this game can be definate in this spot bb may think u have made a standard squeeze play so he could make this move with a lower pocket pair aswell as overcards .....Turned out he never but i would say u would win 50/50 from that spot with the bb range of hands.

also....if he had aa / kk mayb even qq i would expect him/her to just call as a huge chunk of chips are in the middle assuming u followed up with another bet post flop he maywell get all your chips with less chance u getting away.

Also...depends what u personally play for if places then fold....But personally i believe u play for first thats where the big money obviously is ...so i would call.


1 more point...as for limping mayb but u not only have to hit a set u have to avoid flushes / straights all is well and good saying hope to catch a set how often u seen a flop drop 8d 9d 10d u hit ur set but u dont feel to good only way from a flop that a unraised pot gets big for u is some1 is chasing or has hit there bigger hand so often ppl give value to opposing player when they have big hand hence can hinder them instead of helping them.


Ps.dont u h8 it when u want to type a quick reply and end up realising theres so much to think about....Damn game.