AMAZING table, questionable play - more 'calling when the pot is big'

[Jimbobobb]

This table was simply amazing....I never saw a hand with less than 7 people in it. I haven't seen UTG go nuts with anything he doesn't believe to be the goods.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls, Hero calls, BB calls.

That's right...8....EIGHT people just called UTG's raise...I'm sure it would have been 9, but one person had just sat down. Did I mention this table was great?

Flop: (18 SB) T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(9 players)</font>

Oh neat, I might get to win this hand.

<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO folds, Button calls, Hero calls.

I bet in the hopes UTG does just what he did. I don't think anyone is going anywhere, so I don't make it 3. I want them folding or making calling mistakes when it means something, not on the cheap street. Anyone make it 3 bets here in the hopes UTG will cap and 'maybe' get some people thinking twice?

Turn: (16 BB) K/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(7 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls $1.75 (All-In), MP3 folds, Button calls, Hero calls.

Honestly not sure if that K is good or bad. UTG 'still' raised right after me, so at this point I think:

UTG has AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK (these are what I think are most likely), and maybe TT, KQ (doubtful)

I'm drawing dead to 2 of these, but still ahead of all the rest.

River: (23.75 BB) 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(4 players, 1 all-in)</font>

Awesome, paired the board - my hand is utter trash. I'm behind to pretty much every hand I could have put UTG on at this point. I'll take one final stab at it....

<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button 3-bets</font>, Hero folds, <font color="CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Button calls.

Final Pot: 32.75 BB

I think the fold is w/out question at this point - and I'm really not sure about that last bet either.....would really love to hear some feedback on what people think.

[Nottom]

Preflop - fine

Flop - your out of position and don't know whats gonna happen on the turn, you likely have the best hand and people could be drawing quite thin ... all this leads me to a 3-bet.

Turn - this was your goal when you called the flop raise, however you also haven't revealed the stregnth of your hand yet so I think you might need to 3-bet here.

River - yuk, yuk, yuk ... this is like check-fold bad for you even in the big pot. You can certainly get away if you check and it goes bet-raise.

[TheCoronaKid]

Pre-flop is good, I like playing suited connectors against a lot of callers.

I would definitely 3-bet this flop. UTG probably has face cards and it is very likely you are ahead of him at this point, so you don't need to be worried about his raise. Not to mention some of the other players who cold called are likely on draws that would beat your two pair. I like to get my money in while I have the best hand.

Play on the turn is good, as KK is a real possibility for UTG.

I would check on the river because not only does a single 3 beat you, but more importantly, a single king. You are in EP so you can see what everyone else does before you have to make a bet. Obviously if you check and there is a bet and a raise in front of you, you can fold.

[cnfuzzd]

i would check fold the river. No one is going to fold. and there is a huge difference between folding to one river bet in a large heads up pot, and folding when its two or three bets back to you on a board that just paired to counterfiet your hand. Not fun.

peace

john nickle

[papawawa]

the flop would be a perfect oppertunity to check raise. If not, a 3-bet would definetly be necessary to let UTG know that you're not f**king around. It seems probably that he's caught a small piece of the flop (and probably an okay draw) and is playing position on you trying to push people out. Play back at him to help push out those who eventually draw out on you.

[citizenkn]

Check the river and call one bet, fold if it's two bets or more. It is a huge pot, and if you can see a showdown for one bet, you should.

[zuluking]

[ QUOTE ]
i would check fold the river.

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally disagree. With the size of the pot, a check/call is in order.

[skierdude1000]

I would have reraised the flop and the turn, don't know why you were so timid in that hand.

[CLC]

You were doing so well up to that Sucky River card, I think. The pot may be huge, but folding is VERY reasonable. You ain't out of it yet (miracles happen), but most likely.

I liked your thought process along the way.

[SteveY]

When the pot is big, your main goal should bew to win the pot right there, and not 3-betting the flop in odrer to induce a UTG raise on the turn is a good way to do that.

But I would have reraised the turn and checked the river and fold to the button raise.

[cnfuzzd]

sorry, i wasnt very clear, it was very late, or more accurately, very very early. I would check the river, call if it was one bet back, but fold if it was two.

peace

john nickle