Raise and a reraise, I got QQ

[locks1018]

Ok, I had QQ in the SB. Big stack on my right in the CO raises pot to bring it in. Button reraises to $8 and I have QQ. I elect to call and see the flop thinking I'm either dominated or up against at least AK. The flop comes 8 high and I bet 20 into a 24. (6d 7d 4c). Both players called pre-flop. The big stack reraises all-in. The reraiser folds and now its on me. I thought he had JJ or TT because he didn't reraise. He actually had 4d 3d for bottom pair with a gut-shot and a flush draw. Now I wouldn't be explaining the hand if my QQ's held. He paired his 3 on the turn and its GG Jason. My question here is should I have reraised pre-flop. Then he couldn't have called with 43s or did I misplay the hand at all?

[nutsinho]

nice avatar

[elipsesjeff]

If the original raiser only minraised, then you should have definately 4 bet preflop, which is sounds like what he did.

If the blinds are .5/1 and CO raises to $2 and Button raises to $8, you got to raise it again to at least $16, more likely $20ish. You can also fold to a push against most players preflop and it makes your postflop play that much easier.

Missing from this post is 1) reads on your opponents and 2) Effective stack sizes involved. Both of which greatly determine how you play here.

[Robert]

locks,

we need stakes and stacksizes.

[aislephive]

The flop comes 8 high and I bet 20 into a 24. (6d 7d 4c).

[locks1018]

I'm sorry. The stakes were .5/$1. The CO had $300. The button had $100 and I had about $125.

[locks1018]

I'm sorry. The stakes were .5/$1. The CO had $300. The button had $100 and I had about $125. The CO was a loose player and I didn't have a read on the button. He was new.

[mcatdog]

If you're too scared of AA/KK to re-raise pre-flop, why did you suddenly fire out a pot-sized bet on the flop? Did you completely forget in a matter of seconds what you were worried about before the flop? I don't get it.

[elipsesjeff]

If you're too scared of AA/KK to re-raise pre-flop, why did you suddenly fire out a pot-sized bet on the flop? Did you completely forget in a matter of seconds what you were worried about before the flop? I don't get it.

So true, but so common. It is so hard to overcome doing that thinking. You almost wish for an Ace on the flop so you can make an easy decision and fold. You know you were running bad when....

[Robert]

locks,

First of all, as played preflop, check flop and see what happens.
How you play preflop is actually pretty read dependant, but I would repop it to something like at least $20 to make your decisions easier on later streets and to isolate - if you repop you will cut off your opponents implied with suited connectors and small-medium pocket pairs.

[Robert]

Also by just calling preflop you are put in a horrible relative position postflop if CO elects to call along with you (what he has to do with almost any hand he's raising with because of the sweet pot odds and implied odds offered to him). By repopping preflop and isolating the button you avoid this situation