Overpair (AA/KK) vs flush draw/set

[bartonjoel]

Early MTT Play (Medium stacks) question:

Pros and cons of each play

Not looking at specific spot more of a general thought process. Lets say we are playing a small BI MTT say the standard $11 on merge nowadays. say blinds are at 25/50 and effective stack is between 30-40bbs lets say effective stack is 1750.

open 3x in EP with KhKd get called by LP unknown pot is 375. Flop is 2 suited unconnected cards (ie Js6s3h) or the simular. C bet between 2/3 and 3/4 pot (lets say 250). Unknown villian makes it 600 and has 1000 behind.

If we ship it here we get called by flush draw and sets a strange 2pr.
If we flat and turn is spade we are oop and dont know where we are at in the hand.
If we flat and turn is non spade, we ship and get called when we are beat and fold out the flush draw.

I hate shipping blindly because I have an overpair but IMO it is best play and I justify it by the fact I am going to lose the flush draw on the turn or giving away too much of my stack.

In my last review I spotted a few times that I am getting it in against flopped sets and the unknowns on merge don't seem to be playing flush draws agressively. My first thought was just variance, but then I started thinking maybe I maybe just too willing to gamble in these tournies.

Just wanted to see what everyone thought (ie. lower my cbet (for all the standard reasons), mix in check raises to induce, or continue stacking it).

I use AA/KK because I can think of 2 overs and flush draws against the JJ/TT when it is still overpair. I am also not talking about when we have enough hands to even start a read ( f2cbet oppurtunities/ not enough hands to know their real vpip/pfr).

[johnnyice]

I like a smaller cbet on the flop, 1/3 to half pot. I personally find larger cbets cause you to fold out hands you want to call, or get re popped by draws trying to take the pot down there. Im not the biggest fan of looking for the check raise in this spot, im finding more and more a flush draw will check behind. But I also try not to keep any one play constant, mix it up...

[bartonjoel]

You don't mind giving the flush draw a +EV call?

[johnnyice]

If he's drawing to the flush, 2/3 and 3/4 pot size bet is +EV also.

[bartonjoel]

True. I guess let them see the turn cheaply lets pot stay managable.

[johnnyice]

Not so much giving them a cheap turn card, but trying to keep the pot managable is key. Just more maneuverability I think..

[Cheezcakeman]

in the early stages why would we not jam over an unknown.

you forgot to mention an unknown will also call here with top pair and if very loose even low straight here and possibly even middle pair.

Early in an MTT this is a jam over the raise imo.

Even against an AJs with nut flush (the 6,3 being suited and J not) on we are 61% fav on this flop. jam jam jam