Play after flopping 2nd pair

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Whats the best way to play when you flop 2nd best pair. For example, you hold A-9 and the flop comes 3-9-Q and you are first to go in the round and have 3 players to follow. Lets also assume its a rainbow flop so no flush draw, and no straight draw is on board.

This too me is probably one of the trickiest and most common debatable situations I see on a daily basis while playing hold'em.

In the above example, if none of the other 3 players hold a queen, you most likely have the best hand at this point. But if they do, this can cost you a minimum of 2 big bets just to find out your second best.

So how do you think is the best way to play this situation?

Do you the majority of the time:
a) Check and fold to a bet on the flop.
b) Bet out, if re-raised, call, and then check/fold if the turn card
doesn't help.
c) Bet out, if more than one player calls, then check/fold if, again, the turn
card doesn't help.
d) Any better way to go about this situation I'm missing here?

[alphakenny1]

hmm..it all depends of course. lets say it was an unraised pot. then usually i'd bet out. if someone has a queen, they'd probably raise me and i fold. but in a raised pot, i'd usually check. but see if its checked to the last person. i mite suspect a steal, and i reraise him when it gets back to me. two things this does, it looks like im slow playing him and also i mite make throw away his pocket 10's. and of course if you are reraised, it is time to give up the pot and thats it.

[reidy125]

I would check/fold, but if the guy to my left bet and every called, i would be in last position and would call a small bet.

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Just to clarify..the above scenario is a limit game of hold'em.

[MuddyGrimes]

change the flop...
and give a little bit of preflop info? Did everyone limp? What players are in the pot? Early position, Middle Position, Late?
because this is a great opened ended draw for a very commonly played
TJ multi handed.

You are either going to be facing someone with TJ, AQ, AJ, AT, KQ, KJ ( for gutshot straight) perhaps another A9 not to mention someone limping with pocket 3's or worse for you...pocket 9's. Obviously, you are beat at the moment by TT, JJ, QQ, KK, and AA
If you are assuming that none of the other players have a Q what are you putting them on? most likely one of the hands that I have listed above...


I am gonna assume that everyone limped in and you checked with the A9

I think you have only two options..

You check and then fold to any bet

or you bet first hoping to get a free card later...


If this were a two way pot you can play it alot differently IMO.

But in a multiway pot and you as the BB this was not the best flop for second pair.