This one really confused me

[Pil Sung Do]

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, <font color="666666">3 folds</font>, Hero completes, BB checks,

Flop: (5 SB) 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero calls, BB folds.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, Hero calls.

River: (7.50 BB) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB

Results in white below: <font color="white">
UTG shows 2c 2h (three of a kind, twos).
Hero shows 9d Qh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: UTG wins 11.50 BB. </font>

[chesspain]

Fold preflop...but since you didn't do that, bet the flop!

[Monty Cantsin]

One of the dangers of playing crappy cards from the SB is that even when you make top pair you can't really play it confidently.

I'm not saying I wouldn't play Q9 from the SB in 2/4, but you really have to play it lightly. That means either being willing to get away from it or accepting that you can't push it hard unless you flop big.

This is not a large pot and I have top pair with a weak kicker. I don't want to get aggro with this hand, but If I did I would do it on the flop. If I get shoved back I'm going to either drop it or try to get to showdown cheaply. I think you invested more in "protecting" this hand than it was originally worth.

I know there's a flush draw out there, and the way you played the turn seems to suggest that you wanted to prevent your opponent from taking a free card, but it's really more the perogative of top pair STRONG kicker to levy this fee, because he's ahead of all the other pairs in addition to being ahead of the draws.

Betting the river is just plain bad. If you thought you were ahead why did you just call his turn raise? Didn't you think you might get raised again? Did you really want to put in 2 more bets against someone who has told you clearly they beat top pair?

I think you put too much effort into this hand. Small pot, one opponent, decent but not great hand, just walk away from it or coast to the finish line in neutral.

/mc

[TheHip41]

Fold pre flop. Bet the flop. Once you are raised on the turn, why bet a blank? Yes, on this hand, you were ahead until the river, but most of the time, your opponent will have two pair, QK, or basically any number of hands that stroke Q-no kicker.

Derek

[ddubois]

When I flop TPWK from the blinds, I usually go for a check-raise rather than lead out (although in this hand, I'm not happy about the position the bet came from), then lead the turn. I do this because many people in late position will bet any peice or any draw when it's checked to them, and I really want the field to face two bets and fold.

I'm not sure I'm right on this however. What arguments are there for betting out rather than check-raising?

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
What arguments are there for betting out rather than check-raising?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. You have no idea if anyone is going to bet this flop.
2. You have better than a "weak kicker."
3. You cannot give a free card here, especially to a naked K or A.

[gamblore99]

the only thing that seems way out of line to me is the river bet. i also woould have bet this flop. as for the preflop call, I thought this was a weak call but didnt think it was that weak preflop. guess thats another leak sealed /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Mike Gallo]

He rivered you.

You played the hand fine until then.

[W. Deranged]

I think everything here is okay except for the bet on the river. Were you trying to represent the flush draw? It seems very unlikely that your opponent would raise the turn and then fold to one more bet on the river. If you are betting for value, why not raise the turn?

I like the line of check-raising the flop here. If your opponents are pretty passive, you should probably bet out, because there's too high a likelihood you'll give a free card, but I think the check-raise is optimal if it is 80% or so to be bet on the flop. After UTG bets and it is two folds to you in the SB, you should go ahead and put in the raise to pressure the big blind and the bettor, in case he is betting a draw.

[StellarWind]

Why not bet the flop?

1. You are a large favorite to have the best hand. The only normal limping hands that beat you are KQ, QJ, QT, 77, and 33. This bad kicker stuff sounds like monsters under the bed.

2. This is an unraised pot. Betting protects your hand without the risk of a missed checkraise. Aside from a flush draw, no one has more than five outs. That's a very thin call at 6-1 and most of the likely draws are only 2-3 outs.

3. It's a small point, but the 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif is a handy backdoor draw in case there is a monster under the bed.

[xerostar]

Bet the flop, since you're first to act and have a decent kicker. at the very least, check raise to see. (A check raise and then a turn bet could have won this pot for you)

After that flop call, however, you should not have bet the turn since you didn't improve. Since he already showed aggression on the flop, he's likely to realize he still thinks he has the best hand. (Note I'm thinking he has KQ or something here, what he was representing). Even worse, he could have flopped a monster and then you face a raise. Either way, you face a raise or a call, so why not just check-call? (or fold)

The river bet is really bad...he showed a lot of aggression by raising you each level, why do you bet the 2 that potentially gives someone else the flush draw and is probably a blank to anyone else? Furthermore, he's not going to fold to a bluffed flush...he already invested too much into the pot. So basically you're either facing a call or a raise.

On the other hand, I don't think the UTG was very good either, he was very aggressive and crazy. (pre-river)

[MarkL444]

Avoid the check-call on the flop if possible.