King-Queen Suited Multi-Way on the Flop: Semi-Bluff Shove?
DECISION POINT: In a no-limit hold'em tournament, the under-the-gun player limps and then UTG+1 raises. Next to act, you call from middle position with K?Q?. The player on your left calls, and it folds back to the UTG limper who calls as well. The four of you see a flop come J?8?4?. The original raiser continuation bets and action is on you.
PRO ANSWER: Once we see the flop we can very profitably semi-bluff raise all in. Our hand has plenty of equity against reasonable opponent ranges, plus in this multi-way pot we can put a lot of pressure on both the player on our left (MP2) and the UTG limper.
If we raise over UTG+1's continuation bet, our opponent will fold out a variety of hands that have decent equity against our hand. Taking down an uncontested pot that increases our stack by 50 percent is of course a great outcome for us (and one that is not that unlikely).
Calling the bet on the flop is also profitable, but creating fold equity with a shove on the flop will be the most profitable line against the majority of opponents we face.
Moving all in is the best play.
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