Originally Posted by
Jayjami
Let's review the hand:
3 betting with QQ after a solid player raises UTG. If he is one of those super aggressive young punks who think they know it all, OK. If he plays standard starting hands, a raise is questionable, but not totally out of line. I wouldn't, because there is only one or two possible hands he could have where I am way ahead. If you don't understand why, you have no business playing at the 20/40 level, but please feel free to jump in my game.
On the flop, you have to check! When 3 players see a flop for 3 bets and you hold QQ, you are going to be up against AK a lot of the time. Just because they check to you doesn't mean they don't have it. They are out of position and you came over the top of them pre-flop. Also, the pot is already so big, they are getting about 11/1 to call, which means that even calling with bottom pair is not totally out of line. Your bet will not chase away anyone who has caught any part of the flop.
If you do bet the flop, you have to bet the turn. This will be your only chance to win without a showdown. When you checked, even your worst opponents will know you have an underpair to the board.
If you now bet the river after checking the turn, if it is a value bet, it is clearly wrong. No one is going to call you with less than a pair of kings. If you are betting the river as a bluff, OK, but in limit hold'em, just realize that a $40 bet into a $360 pot is going to get called almost every time by one of your two opponents.
After the check-raise, the pot is $480. I would probably make a crying call, getting 12/1. Just note that by betting the flop, you have probably cost yourself 3.5 big blinds. Three mistakes like this a day are enough to make you a losing player in the long run. Saving bets is critical in limit. Probably even more important than maximizing value on your big hands.