Pushing the one-card hand

[StellarWind]

Paradise Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)
SB is normal/passive. Poster is unknown.

Preflop: Hero is BB with A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif. MP2 posts a blind of $2.
<font color="666666">4 folds</font>, MP2 (poster) checks, <font color="666666">3 folds</font>, SB completes, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP2 calls, SB folds.

Flop: (5 SB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q /images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls.

Turn: (3.50 BB) 8 /images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls.

River: (5.50 BB) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, MP2 checks.

[ElSapo]

Hey Stellar... I'm not a fan of the pre-flop raise. Though it looks like no one else has anything, neither do you in my opinion. I'm a fan of just looking at the flop here, out of position.

On the other side of the poster, good raise. Most times I think you'll see the SB call as well and then you're just in the middle of a mess if you miss and they wont fold.

Granted, this is probably weak. If you run the hands cold, A7o probably comes out ahead. But I suspect the difficulties you'll have in playing this against passive calling stations may make it more trouble than it's worth.

Now everyone can chime in and tell you to bet the river...

ElSapo

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
Now everyone can chime in and tell you to bet the river...

[/ QUOTE ]
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Any other opinions on this hand?

[InchoateHand]

If A high IS good, I don't see what worse hands will call a river bet. I think you are correct to grind to a halt here.

[Aces McGee]

StellarWind

I think this line is okay, although sometimes I'm done on the turn and sometimes I fire again on the river, but that's all opponent/table image dependent.

One line I've been taking more often in similar situations (admittedly, it doesn't arise much) is just checking preflop, with the plan on betting most flops (folding if I don't hit and the SB bets). I kind of like this line, because if the flop comes something like Q85 rainbow, my opponents are more likely to believe that it hit me than if I raised preflop, and therefore may fold something like bottom pair or ace-better kicker.

-McGee

[StellarWind]

The PFR seemed logical because I likely have the best hand preflop versus a checking poster and a completing SB. One doesn't normally think of the BB playing to win the button, but that is very possible and would be extremely useful since I may want a free showdown for my unimproved ace.

Things were going great until the river. MP2 had 96o and MHING.

[thirddan]

this may sound weak, but whatever...

check your option and check/fold the flop...

I just don't see much reason to invest more money with a very marginal hand in a situation that sucks in a tiny pot, which you didn't enter voluntarily. Your hand doesnt have the same kind of showdown value unimproved that AT or better would have since by the end of the hand you will probably only be playing your A. Also, in a small pot like this most people will see the river with any tiny piece of the board since the hand was played HU/3way. And dont bet the river...

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
Now everyone can chime in and tell you to bet the river...



[/ QUOTE ]

No, they won't. Betting the river here is terrible.

[colgin]

Stellar Wind,

Your line looks fine. I generally like to know a little something about the table before adopting your strategy. On the typical Party table I am less likely to take this line because I want to pick up the pot right away here with Ace high and no draw and that is less likely to happen at Party $2/4. If nobody had showed strength pre-flop like you described at my typical UB table then the pre-flop raise followed by betting any flop will often pick up the pot.

Now, I agree that you probably have the best hand pre-flop and the raise has some value even if the SB does not fold. However, when you get called on the flop it is hard to know whether to keep firing since you can expect that if poster has a pair he will call. I think firing on the turn again is fine so long as you check the river unimproved (as you did). A better hand will not fold here (but may check through) and I doubt many worse hands will call. Question: would you have called a bet on the river?

All the best,

Colgin

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
I generally like to know a little something about the table before adopting your strategy.

[/ QUOTE ]
SB is normal/passive. The poster just sat down and I have never seen him before. In general, unfamiliar Paradise players don't play as well as the regulars that I have notes on.

I was dreaming that SB would fold to the raise but I was seriously hoping that the poster would. Then my ace can play heads up with the button against a weak hand. That's a huge win.

[ QUOTE ]
Question: would you have called a bet on the river?

[/ QUOTE ]
I intended to call a bet on the river. I don't know if that's right.

This is a classic situation where I can only beat a bluff, but bluffing is strongly indicated because I appear to have unimproved overcards.

I think calling would be clearly correct with a two-tone flop that didn't complete. Here it is hard to escape the conclusion that he has a pair. Except of course that he didn't until the river fairy rescued him.