i guess i'll be the first. question on my play...

[nwaddell]

how can i play this hand differently? i don't play NL much. hell, this was the first time i'd sat at a table in a few weeks. so any suggestions on my play prior to my next adventure into the NL world would be appreciated. thanks.

what do you think my opponent had?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

BB ($40.65)
UTG ($27.80)
UTG+1 ($23.85)
UTG+2 ($57.51)
MP1 ($40.70)
MP2 ($27.75)
MP3 ($42.70)
CO ($87.46)
Button ($18.90)
Hero ($19.40)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 calls $0.50, UTG+2 calls $0.50, MP1 calls $0.50, MP2 folds, MP3 calls $0.50, CO folds, Button calls $0.50, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($4) K/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/spade.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(8 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, UTG+2 checks, MP1 checks, MP3 checks, Button checks.

Turn: ($4) A/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(8 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets $0.5</font>, BB calls $0.50, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises to $1</font>, MP3 folds, Button folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to $3</font>, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises to $5</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to $18.9 (All-In)</font>, MP1 calls $13.90.

River: ($42.30) T/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Final Pot: $42.30
<font color="green">Main Pot: $42.30, between MP1 and Hero.</font>

[TheGrifter]

Given the stacks and the general craziness of this game, I think you played it fine. Your opponent will have a made full house here much less often than he'll have trip tens or just a pair of aces.

[Girazze]

I'm thinking he had Ax and slid into the boat.

[schwza]

i would not complete with QJ, but otherwise i think you played it fine. the problem with QJ is that you need to make either a straight or hit a Q and a J to be confident you're winning (if it comes QQxxx and someone wants to play for all of their chips, you have to be nervous). also playing out of position sucks.

i like the flop check with that many players. in a 3- or 4-way pot i would bet out.

[TheGrifter]

You do realize this low stakes NL on party right? Of course you complete with QJ and if the flop is QQx in an unraised pot more often than not YOU'LL be the one that is outkicking anyone who wants to play for all their chips.

[SkippingGoat]

You played this fine. The river sucks but that's poker. I think your oppenent would have played this the same way with either an A or a ten (or QJ for that matter). Did you think you played it incorrectly?

[nwaddell]

my only thought was that maybe i should have pushed from the get-go when i made my str8. instead of doing that little raise crap. but i wanted a call, and didn't know if i would get it if i pushed right away.

[TheGrifter]

yes, a bigger bet is in order given the board, come out for 3 bucks on the turn, not .50.

[mullaney]

I don't know about this. Am I the only one who would be cautious here? Isn't AT or KT a possibility? Anyway, I agree bet out $3 instead of $0.50 on the turn. This guy probably would have minimum raised the turn. I would call a min raise and check/call the river (if the board didn't pair again).

[nwaddell]

the guy had A /images/graemlins/spade.gif9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif slid into a boat and took off with my cash. just thought i'd share. thanks for listening.