Question Play of Hand - $1/2 @ Paradise

[nomad]

This is a situation that occured to me yesterday, and it's bugging me. I'm somewhat new at hold 'em so please be kind if you think I played the hand terribly.

10 players and I'm the SB.
I'm dealt Kd As.
There are 2 raises in front of me and I call. I don't
reraise because I don't want to be too predictable.
Besides there are 7 people seeing the flop even with the
raises.

Flop: Ah 9s 9c ...and I don't like it.

My thought here is that any time a pair flops is that someone has hit a set or will be working a full house. I feel like I may be drawing dead here. Since so many people are seeing the flop I think it's safe to assume at least one or two others also have an A and/or a 9.

I check after the flop to try to get a read on what every one else may have. BB bets, Two others call, two others fold, and I call. Should I have raised here?

Turn = 5c

Now someone has a flush draw.

I check, BB bets, next player raises, next calls, and I fold.

River = 7s

Winning hand was 2 pair (AA99)with the winner holding Ad Qc. The pot was $46 which is pretty big for $1/2 hold 'em.

Had I stayed with the hand I would have won this, but the board scared me and I probably played like it did.

I'd appreciate any comments from you guys on how you think I should have played the hand.

Thanks.

[Bez]

With so many seeing the flop the 99 would be scary but a raise on the flop would have been a better play - a 9 will most likely re-raise showing you where you were in the hand.

[All-In]

Sounds like you're afraid of monsters. You need to play more agressively, cap pre-flop. Bet the flop, you're not afraid of another Ace unless it's A-9. You'll get more info by betting on the flop then checking and seeing what everyone else does. The /images/graemlins/club.gif on the turn shouldn't worry you at all although by not protecting your hand on the flop you will allow others to draw out on you more often.

You really mis-played this on every street.

[daveymck]

First lesson I learned (and still havent 100% got over) when I came here is to try and not see the monsters and play your hand agressively, you will find in small stakes lots of people play like they have a monster when in fact they are idiots who call down with anything.

Yes sometimes you will lose to a 9 or AA here but other times when you do win the big pots you make more than cover for the odd times you lose.

This one you need to play it fast, bet the flop if its raised in late position then three bet to try and get people out and protect your hand.

Bet the turn, if raised I am still calling and check calling the river.

[lu_hawk]

This post almost reads like a troll.

3-bet before the flop, I guess it's ok not to 3-bet AKo 100% of the time depending on the situation but you should be doing almost all the time. AKs has to be 3-bet.

On the flop you have the best hand probably 95% of the time. The two 9's on the board makes it much less likely that someone else has a 9. You also seem scared that someone else might have an A. You want them to have an A, because you beat them and they will call down.

So just bet the flop, if the PFR was in late position and there were draws on the board then you would usually check and go for the check raise but this board is drawless so just bet out.

Well you didn't bet the flop so bet the turn. A flush draw doesn't beat a pair of A's, only a flush does. A 3rd flush card will come out only about 20% of the time and even when it does come out there will be many times when nobody has the flush.

You need to realize that most of the time your opponents are playing crap hands and they don't have the cards that you fear. You need to play accordingly.

[nomad]

I pretty much knew that I was playing scared. I guess I just wanted confirmation. I think this play was a hold over from a bad beat where I had trip A's (w/ pocket AA) and some guy beat me with the only hand that could. He called 54os with all sorts of raising going on before and after the flop and caught the straight on the river. Anyway, that's just poker, and I realize I have to keep it from changing the way I play.

All of you are right. I was afraid of monsters and should have been the aggressor throughout the hand.

Thanks for your comments.

[chesspain]

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