Playing the flop with garbage

Here's how you should play the flop if you have garbage. Let's say that you got a free flop from the big blind with 72 offsuit. You should fold on most flops (if someone bets). Here are some flops that might look nice, but you should fold if someone bets:

[6s 6h 2d]: You have two pair, but anyone with a 6 in his hand beats you. 33 beats you. Even Q2 will often beat you on the river because of the kicker. You will probably split the pot with 32 on the river, because your kicker will probably not play. This is an easy fold.

[9s 7h 3d]: Anyone with a 9 beats you. Even 76 will beat you on the river a decent amount of the time. Fold.

[7h 6d 3c]: You have top pair, but someone can easily have an overpair or top pair, better kicker. If someone has overcards or a draw, he can hit on the turn or river. Fold unless the bet is very small (if it's less than pot size, you might call. Unless you hit another 7 or a 2 you should probably fold on the turn anyway. You might also lose even if you make two pair or trips).

[8d 6c 5c]: You might make a straight on the turn, but your opponents has to be very bad to pay you off with worse hands, because it will be obvious that you can easily have the straight. There are some bad opponents at play money, but don't call unless the bet is very small (less than pot size). If the turn or river is a club, your straight might be beat by a flush. There is a chance that someone will make the nut straight against your straight, too. In both of these last scenarios, you might lose a lot of money. I would call a much bigger bet with T7 on this flop, because I would be drawing to the nut straight, and might win a lot from someone with 72, A7 or some other bad straight if a 9 comes on the turn or river.

The conclusion is that if you get involved with a garbage hand, you should normally fold on the flop unless you flop two pair, trips, full house, quads or a draw to the nuts (total garbage like 72 can't ever flop a draw to the nuts except a 7-high, 8-high or 9-high straight flush draw. Combined with the possibility of losing a big pot because of kicker trouble when you make trips or getting small two pair against bigger two pair, this is why you shouldn't really involve yourself in a pot with garbage unless you get a free flop.