JJ, Bad play?

[ThePenguin22]

I would be very grateful of any comments in the way I played this hand. How bad was it, was it bad at all??

$100nl 6 seat cash table

Opponent is a very good player, as are all the players at this table. Probably the toughest table I have ever been involved in. I am just about to leave as I am dealt this hand. Opponent is not quite as aggresive as others in the game but he is capable of making moves, he has been quiet today. Like me is maybee playing a little scared.

Opponent is in 1st position and has $103
Im in 2nd position and have $137

1st position raises to $4
I am dealt and I just call. I fully believe I am ahead here but it is the first time I have seen him raise first to act. I will also have position on him throughout the hand, and there are 4 dangerous players left to act behind me.
Pot is $9.50

Flop comes

1st position bets out $6
I raise it to $17
After a while of waiting he reraises me to $37
I fold.

What would you have done differently here? Due to the danger of my opponents behind me is that even more reason to raise pre flop? Or do you not mind the flat call? Do you raise on the flop to see where you are or do you call? Do you fold to the reraise, the amount he raised does still allow him to get out of the hand. Bear in mind his thinking though a tight player (me) has just raised him, although maybee he thinks due to my tightness I fold KQ to a reraise??? Due to much tougher opponents lately I belive I am being "run over" a little, any replys would be a great help.

[cardsfan04]

Let me preface this by saying I am not a very good cash game player.

I probably 3bet/fold PF.

If he calls (I doubt he traps this deep, but, this is one of the spots that makes me bad at cash games, so who knows), I might check, float most flops, and get aggro on the turn. If, not, I'm probably playing turn passively instead.

On that flop, I probably flat, and reevaluate on turn.

[ThrillCory90]

Preflop is good. Flatting JJ is my standard play unless I think my 3bet is getting no respect. I agree that wanting to knock out any players in later positions is a strong argument for 3betting. But you said the table was tough adn probabally paying attention, so since they are probabally giving this UTG raise respect like you are, you are unlikely to get loose calls or squeezed by anyboody. JJ plays better in a singleraised pot IMO.

You'll have to explain what your thinking was on the flop play before I can really have a really strong opinion on it.

But your raise is not repping much though. I would think that you'd 3bet Ak preflop. I'd think you'd just call the flop bet with KQ. AA is unlikely. Based on your reads, your opponent is going to show up with AK a lot here. If the opponent was good, this is a terrible spot to bluff.

I'd just fold the flop.

[J4bberW0cky]

I'd just fold the flop.

Wow! Anybody else just fold? Maybe this is why I suck at online cash games.

[ThrillCory90]

Wow! Anybody else just fold? Maybe this is why I suck at online cash games.

Lol. I feel like everybody (especially when I'm playing on full tilt) is trying to put some fancy move on the other players every single hand.

Giving up on a pot when you are probably behind is like a lost play. Outplaying somebody doesn't always mean winning the pot. You can outplay somebody by folding.

[ThePenguin22]

Yes, once reraised I also dont like my raise. To be honest, Im trying to see where I am. Even though the raise was UTG it is still only a 6 seat table and as stated before I think (but do not know) my JJ is prob good pre flop. By making my raise Im trying to find out if he has hit his K and at the same time representing one myself. So I guess I AM bluffing here, I think the raise may take him off a pocket pair obv not AA,KK,66 or 77. Also a continuation bet of AQ etc has to fold also. The more I look at the way I played it the more Im not happy. But lets say I 3 betted the flop and get called, would there be an argument that checking behind him on the flop or folding/calling a bet would be a better play, or would this be too weak? As stated I feel certain VERY good players are beginning to run over me a little and 6 handed JJ is a good hand.

[rryu87]

I have a feeling that if he actually had a strong king he would have just called ur raise instead of making it 37.

[ThePenguin22]

I have a feeling that if he actually had a strong king he would have just called ur raise instead of making it 37.

To be honest I would not rule the player out reraising me with a hand worst than JJ (I think Im beat but wouldnt rule it out). As pointed out I am beginning to be run over a little, but no way can I continue in the hand as played imo. I think its a pretty bad spot to be in and if I have to start "guessing" I am being outplayed. Great responses so far.

[rryu87]

I would have instashipped it to see what he had lol
since its a family pot with no strong raise, he is likely to put you on a strong hand.
At the worst case it could be a set u r running into... but u still have outs

[ThrillCory90]

Folding JJ when a flop hits your opponents UTG raising range and he has given you no reason to believe that he may be getting out of line is not weak play. Making -EV raises just to find out if your beat or not is playing scared. If you are making plays solely for information regularly, it is a leak. If you thought you were ahead a good portion of the time after the flop, you should just flat and evaluate the turn like cardsfan said.

I think the raise may take him off a pocket pair obv not AA,KK,66 or 77.

Your ahead of every one of these pocket pairs that are folding except 6 combos of QQ. [You don't wanta fold out worse hands, and get action from only better hands.

find out if he has hit his K and at the same time representing one myself.

Like I said in a earlier post, you really aren't repping a king if this guy is a good hand-reading player.