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October 28, 2006 Your hand:   Game: Limit Hold'em Position: Middle Position Type of game: Cash Game Limit: $20-$40 A loose player opens with a raise from early position, and you call from middle position. The big blind calls. There is $130 in the pot and three players. The flop is: K-10-7, leaving you with your pair of nines and two overcards on the table. Both opponents check. What do you do? Bet 61% Check 34% Fold 5% Check. Normally, it is good poker to bet the flop against a small number of opponents who check to you when you have a decent pair or some piece of the board. However, this hand is an exception. There are two overcards to your pair on the table. Furthermore, the cards are connected, meaning that it is less likely that you will win the pot outright by betting, since the likelihood of some straight-draws being out there are higher than normal. Current votes: Bet 61% Check 34% Fold 5%

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October 18, 2006 Your hand:   Game: Limit Hold'em Position: Cutoff Type of game: Cash Game Limit: $30-$60 A middle player limps in and you raise. The big blind and limper call. There is $200 in the pot and three players. The flop comes: J-9-7, giving you top pair, top kicker. Both opponents check. You bet and the big blind calls. The limper now raises. What do you do? Call 41% Re-raise 37% Fold 22% Fold. It is tought to dump top pair with an ace kicker, but when the board flops all of one suit, it is too easy to be drawing dead to a backdoor boat. If another spade shows up (other than the ace), your hand is instantly dead. You could also be looking at a straight or two pair. There is a chance the raiser could be check-raising with a pair and a spade, but even then you are not a huge favorite, and there is still a third player to worry about. You should fold because you are quite likely beaten with hardly any outs, and even if you are folding the best hand, you could be easily overtaken. Current votes: Call 41% Re-raise 37% Fold 22%

Source: Middle Limit Holdem Poker by Bob Ciaffone and Jim Brier