Folding the best hand in a $5k pot!

[Noam Shahar]

I have QsQc on btn ($1400 stack) in 5/5 with a $10 utg straddle. 3 limps. I raise to 75. 3 callers. Flop comes 4d6d7c. Checks to me. I bet 250. 2 ep players call. Cutoff then jams for 1525. I fold. Ep1 has the biggest stack and calls and ep2 calls for 500 total effective. Turn 6s. River Js. Ep1 said he had AXdd but then mucks. Ep2 shows J8dd to scoop the main pot with a pair of Jacks. And the cutoff shows 88 for an overpair with a gutterball and takes down the side pot.
The ep players shouldn’t have any better hands than me when they just check call, but the cutoff could for sure have a set or two pair or even a straight. I assume at least one of the ep players has a draw making it less likely that the cutoff would also have a draw. And even if I am ahead, then I still would have to fade the world, which, coincidentally, I would have. Also, The table had been playing pretty tight prior to that hand for the hour I had been there. No one had been getting out of line.
I think I really only need to be concerned about the cutoff here but he’s repping so much strength when he check jams into four players. What do you guys think?

[Noam Shahar]

I would still love some feedback if anyone happens to see this post. I’ve just been thinking about this hand a decent amount.

[John S]

This is one of those weird hands that just aggravates you when you look back at it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it in the long run. They just about all misplayed their hands here.

They all check to you, you C-bet. Pretty standard on this board. Two calls. This should eliminate both of those players from having a set. That’s a pretty wet board, I think most players will lead out or c/r a set given that it’s 4 ways here. We should probably eliminate straights because they shouldn’t have any given pre-flop action (although EP2 called pretty loose with J8dd). Maybe EP2 shows up with some 2 pair here, but that’s very player dependent if he’s calling that raise in a straddled pot with a hand that hits that board. I actually think their most likely both holding a flush here, or maybe a smaller pair.

That leaves the cut-off. I’m not sure what to think of his play. It’s either maniac or genius. Not sure which. The maniac case is pretty obvious. The genius case is if he how hard of a position he puts you in. I think the only way you can call this is if you have a set or the nut-flush draw/AA with Ace of diamonds.

You’re really the only threat to him, just as he is to you since the others are most likely drawing and hold each others outs. But since you still have two players left to act behind you it’s super hard to call. So either he assessed the situation really well or went total spewtard and got super lucky. You’d have to know the player to know which it was.

I suppose you can make a case for calling, but 4 ways it’s just so hard to be good here. And if you are, there is definitely a flush draw here and possible and open ender (but just a gutter here).

[Noam Shahar]

Hey John. Thanks for the well-thought out response. (I was waiting a month for someone to write anything.) I think you’re absolutely right in that the cutoff is the only player I should really be afraid of here.

It was my first time playing with any of these opponents so the only thing I picked up on was that no one was getting out of line, until this hand that is, which made it even tougher to try to find a call. I really wonder what the cutoff had in mind when he check-jammed. But it seemed to mostly work out for him this time.

[Guy Armsden]

Hello Noam!

Tricky situation for sure on how this all played out. I don’t know if I am following the action appropriately and therefore want to make sure I am or my analysis will be different.

Currently, this is how i read it.

SB- 5
BB – 5
ST – 10
1 L- 10
2 L – 10
3 L – 10
Hero – 75

If this was the case i would definetly have to say that your raise here has to be a lot more. Before you raise there is $50 in the pot ( if I am reading this correctly) and therefore the SB is getting 1.78 to 1 to call and that is before everyone else is left to act. I would size up here to make sure we protect the third best hand created (before the flop 🙂 ).

This may change the 3 limpers to your raise and will likely change the action going forward.

With how the hand played out, I would be more inclined to fold because we don’t have a redraw with the Qd in our hands and there are the two players we have behind us. His initial shove seems like a big draw as he looks like he is trying to win this outright without having a hand at that moment.

Let me know!

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