Was I too optimistic....
I would appreciate some feedback on how I should have played this or not.
Situation: Weekly home game where a number of us players get together to start the evening with a tournament and as players drop out they start up a cash game.
We have 12 players and have divided up into two tables of 6 each. We all start with $10,000 in chips and the blinds increase every 15 minutes. Needless to say I have played all of the other players for a couple of years now.
It is the second blind level with blinds at 200/400. The player to my left and to my right have been wining the early pots. The player to my right more so than to my left.
In this hand I am the big blind. UTG makes a min raise to $800 three other players call and I look down and find pocket QQ red. I decide to raise to $1,600 thinking I could get all but maybe the player to my left to fold. (the player UTG is a loose active player). As hoped the UTG player calls, the next two fold but the player to my right (small blind) calls. The player to my right is a very passive player. Seldom raises unless he has the nuts. So the pot is now $6,400.
The flop comes Qc, 8c 6c. Nice for me, but a little scary. It checks to me so I make a continuation bet of $1,600. and both players call. Now I'm worried. Either I'm already up against a flush or someone is drawing to one. So the pot is now $11,200.
The turn card is a 2c. So now I know I am behind. The player to my right checks, I check and the UTG player bets $1,600. The player to my right calls (I'm sure he has a flush, not sure about UTG). So now the pot has $11,400 in it with $1,600 to call. So I decide to call hoping the board will pair. So the pot is now $16,000.
The River is a 3h.
The small blind checks, I check and the UTG player bets $1,600. and the passive small blind player calls. I fold.
Come to find out both players had flopped a flush. The UTG player was J high and the Small Blind was K high winning the pot,
So I guess my biggest question is should I have not been willing to keep playing in the hand after the river. I don't think my bet on the flop was a bad decision. So please give me an honest opinion as to how I played this one. Thanks.
Sorry I meant to write turn, not river in the last paragraph.
Should Raise more preflop as your giving everyone great odds to continue. I would be more on the flop as well.
I would bet more on the flop definitely as well on such a wet board. If both players are playing 15% of hands here there is only a 13.48% chance that one of them connected with the flush... If there playing top 7% this shrinks to 7.3% and odds of another club hitting the turn is 4.2 to 1. Thus, the board being so wet while you are still very likely to be favorite - I'd bet stronger and get value and protect against the flush draws... Weird betting lines here with all the min bets...
@Goodshoe - I would never really fold the turn with such great odds offered here even if you knew you were behind at that point considering his full house+ outs on the river.
With a min raise to 800 and 3 calls (one from small blind) plus your big blind in there, the pot is 3600 when the action gets to you preflop. You have to raise more than another 800. You do not want it 4 handed out of position with QQ. The raise should be at least 2400, and I think something more like 3000-3500 is better. I'm shocked anyone folded -- if they had a hand worth calling 800 with and just the blinds and the initial raise in the pot, then they should all call another 800 into a much bigger pot.
As played, there is 6400 in the pot, you have top set. If someone has a flush, you are a 2-1 underdog, but you are ahead of every other hand out there. You have to bet more, you can't give someone with a hand like A-K with the Ace of clubs a really good price to draw the 4th club. You are a bit more than a 3 to 1 favorite over that hand but 1600 into a 6400 pot gives them the right price to call and try to catch up, particularly since they don't know you have a set, they might think pairing the ace or king will give them the pot.
On the turn, your opponent made the same mistake you did, they gave you a very good price to call. You are about a 3 to 1 underdog and they gave you a great price to try and catch up.
Dave
Thank you Goodshoe, akashra and Dap Poker. It seems from you comments my biggest mistake was my bet sizing in the beginning. Should have raised much more than I did. As for playing the hand the pot was just too big and the remaining stacks of the other players to enticing to fold.