Help with this hand. . .

[jaybee_70]

Final table of $10+1 UB tourney. I have the third biggest stack w/ ~45000 blinds are 400/800 w/ 75 ante. We've lost two very short stacks in the first two hands, and I have no read on the opponent in this hand. From memory so I apologize for fuzzy details. I'm in late middle position and it's folded to me. I have Ks Js and bet 3400 (I hit the bet pot button), folded to button (~35000) who calls, blinds fold. There is ~8600 in pot and the flop is Kh Qh 9c. I am first to act and bet 5000. Button calls again. Turn is 10h. I bet the pot ~17000 which is also about half my stack and again button calls. River is the Kd. I have ~17000 chips left and my opponent has ~7000. What do I do?
What does he have? How could/should I have played this differently? Thanks in advance for responding.

Joe

[pokerplayer5009]

I'm no expert but with his position I'd say he was slow playing 2 pair or a flopped str. Or he may be on a flush draw. I'm betting he had 2 pr and made the boat with the Kd.
I would have checked after the turn to see what he would have done. What happened?

[jaybee_70]

I found it very hard to put him on a hand since he was calling all the way. Originally I put him on a medium pocket pair or AK. When a king came on the flop and he just called my smallish bet I should have taken AK out of possible hands and stuck to medium pocket pair or some monster KK or QQ. When my straight came on the turn I was pretty sure I was way ahead. I discounted AJ and the flush draw, I couldn't see him playing any 2 suited this far unless maybe Ah Jh. In any case he would have pushed his last 7000 I'm sure if I was behind. When the king came on the river I panicked. Half my brain was screaming "BOAT!!" the other was screaming "Don't be afraid of monsters under the bed!" I couldn't see him having KK, QQ, or KQ, I went back to thinking he had AK. I took almost the full amount of time and pushed. Opponent called and showed 99. He slowplayed his set of 9's on the flop. For some reason even when I was thinking medium pocket pair I never saw him having 99. I was crippled and soon out in 8th. Again wondering how I should have played this differently.

Joe

[Roman]

the bet pot button sucks, raise 4x pf, and make decent sized bets whole way. The stacks are so deep here that you are at no risk of being crippled here as long as you keep the pot small.

[Steel Pulse]

Very tough spot. I would probably pass with KJ in a full game from the middle when I'm in good shape like you were. Once you got in, I think you can see that the flop was not great for you, but I can't fault your flop bet. I like the turn bet a lot, and his call was shaky. Can't beat yourself up for pressing there -- you were way ahead. Maybe just go ahead and push there since you are committed with the bet you made anyway and have him covered. Your only decision was the river -- you check, he will push and can you really fold for relative peanuts?

I think the play to look at hardest is preflop.

[jaybee_70]

Thanks for responding. Are you suggesting betting another 5000 on the turn? And another good sized bet on river when scare card hits? Is a fold automatic if my opponent reraises/pushes?

Joe

[jaybee_70]

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to steal and would have folded quickly to any reraise. I wanted to see how the table would react to a pot raise preflop while I still had a biggish stack and a decent hand. I usually hit the final table with a smallish stack and see bigger stacks lean on everybody early. I wanted to give it a try. . .

Joe