Maximizing the pot with the nuts

I can't imagine that this question hasn't been asked before. But I'll give you a situation I was in and ask how you would react.

I was big blind with 6Ao. I checked. The flop came down 666. I was in first position with 3 players. My job was to make sure everyone called while betting the most.

I bet pretty small, (2x the big blind) got a caller and won a small pot.

Is there anyone who feels it would be better to go all in and pray for a caller? Or bet big and pray for a caller?

I know it depends, but at the time I had only played 3 or 4 hands at this table. So I knew very little about his table presence.

I would check and hope i get some one to bet. Then I would check and call down to the river then check raise.

I found myself in a similar situation with, ironically enough, quad 6's. I was in a little better situation though because I had pocket 6's and flopped the other 2. I was first to act as well and decided to just check and hope that someone was going to do the betting for me. Luckily, someone holding Big Slick decided to lead out on the betting and was followed by someone with a pocket pair and someone else holding something I can't readily recall. On the turn I check-raised and got 2 callers and then I bet out on the river.

More important than what YOU should do in those instances is hoping that someone else has made their 2nd best hand and will help you out by doing your betting for you until it's time to take over the betting. More often than not though when you have this kind of situation most people will fold because they have not made their hand.

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I'd bet min and see if I get any callers. Anyone with a pocket pair or two paints would probably call a min bet. Then if any face card comes up on the turn, check it and hope it pairs someone. If everyone checks it then I'd make a sizable bet (1/4-1/2 pot) on the river and hope people think you're stealing.

I mix up this kind of play, but my preffered play is described by toekneechin. I'd put out a small bet, build the pot, hoping for some callers. Then on the turn, I would check - this shows serious weakness, and I'd hope someone's hand improves or someone takes a stab. And then on the river, I would make a decent bet hoping my previous show of weakness fooled someone.

However, I'll occasionally bust out the double check.

And rarely, I'll bust out the "robot" - this is where I make the same small bet each round regardless of pot size. Some players react aggressively to this weak style of play.

Originally Posted by jmrogers7

I was in a little better situation though because I had pocket 6's and flopped the other 2.

I disagree that this is a better position. I think that the only hand that becomes more profitable by holding only one of the cards in your hole is quads. Check like crazy and wait for someones full house (or a couple of them to) develop. They will do all the betting for you.

Weak bet the pot. Pocket pairs will try to protect, lots of hands with draw for pairs.

-'rilla