Tip 22 Guideline

This advice applies to any situation in which the flop contains two face cards and one small card, without a flush draw.

  Unlike the previous example, this flop is likely to have hit your opponent in some way, either by pairing him or by giving him a straight draw.  As a result, you don’t need to feel the same obligation to bet when it’s checked to you as in the A-9-3 scenario.  It is still okay to bet with a very marginal hand (A-T, for example), but you should have some outs to fall back on.
  Against one opponent, it is correct to bet with a pair of queens or better, as well as T-J (open-end straight draw).  If he is first to act and bets, call with Q-T or better.  Also, rise with K-J or better.  This is not a good board in which to slow-play a big hand such as Q-Q, since there are several straight draws present.  You don’t want to give an opponent the correct price (free) to draw with his J-9 or A-T, so make sure to bet your set here.

If there are several players in the pot, you need to increase both your betting and calling standards.  Now, it is likely that someone is holding at least a king, so hands like Q-T have very little value when faced with calling a bet.  Tend to fold this hand against several players.  You should still be raising with K-J or better, however, partly due to the hand’s value, and partly to give it some protection.