The Poker Quiz

You are playing in a $500 buy-in tournament with an average stack with blinds of 500-1000. A tight player in late position limps in and the button raises to 4200. The small blind folds and you look down at A A from the big blind. You really feel that the button is on a steal and do not want to squash future action by putting in a raise here, so you elect to flat call the raise. The original limper also calls and you see a flop of A 8 4. Do you check your set top set with two diamonds on board or lead out with a bet to build a pot. If so, how much do you bet?

The Solution

Check.

Many times you would want to lead out with a bet with your set to protect your hand from draws with two other players in while also building the pot. However, If you are putting the button on something resembling air, and you know the other player to be tight, this is a good time to check and let the button do the betting for you.

If you lead out here this may be the end of the hand, but if you tap the felt and the other player checks behind you, 9 times out of 10 the button is going to put out a continuation bet. He raised a healthy amount before the flop and would want to pick up the pot after action was checked to him by trying to represent an ace.

Checking this flop may be the only way to get some more value beyond the 13,100 that was in the middle pre-flop.