Troublesome turn

[runa]

Absolutely no reads makes this a tough spot.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 max, 6 handed)

Preflop: Hero is SB with K/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. MP posts a blind of $1. Hero posts a blind of $1.
<font color="666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, Hero (poster) checks, BB calls, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls, Hero calls, BB calls.

Flop: (9 SB) 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Button folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">UTG 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (7.50 BB) A/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, Hero checks.

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

Final Pot: 9.50 BB

[naphand]

After his Turn check and you check behind, calling the River is standard.

[runa]

Should I have bet the turn if I was considering continuing in this hand? And if I was unsure of my hand in the first place and checked the turn why is calling down correct with 2 overs on the board?

[naphand]

It is not always, but he could easily be raising 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif on the flop to get the free card (correctly in this case, as you checked the Turn), he might have JTs or TT or other PP you beat.

The A and Q make life tough as a lot of hands you were beating are now ahead (AQ, AK, KQ, QJs). However, if he is playing AK or AJ and missed a CR on the Turn, then I am happy to call the River to see this. Fold would not be hideous given the board, but without a read I see his cards to get a handle on his PF raise/flop 3-bet/Turn check standards. If I lose to AJ I congratulate myself on the Turn check-behind, knowing he tricked himself out of a BB.

That said, AJ surely bets the Turn too after 3-betting the flop (against a flush draw/weaker J). AQ is possible though less likely than AK. The Turn check could be tricky or it could be genuine fear, without a read you don't know which way he swings. My feeling is KK or KJs, maybe K/images/graemlins/spade.gifQ/images/graemlins/spade.gif or QJs, or TT/JJ. But this is Party $1/2 so hands like low/med PP are not unrealistic. No read... /images/graemlins/mad.gif

I'm slightly puzzled how UTG can be acting first and you act after the Button? I am assuming you are SB.

[runa]

The hand must have converted wrong because I think I posted in CO in this hand. I'm pretty sure party doesn't let you post in SB.

In any case, I didn't like the free card on the turn, especially with the flush draw, but given the fact that an overcard fell and he is likely holding something higher than a J with the PF raise and flop call, I wasn't sure how to proceed.

Luckily, he was holding AK and missed a CR, but I'm not certain I would have played this the same if I encountered the same situation again.

Had I chosen to be the turn, and he raised, can I be fairly certain I'm behind and fold? This at least stops draws from getting a freebie.

[naphand]

If you get CR on the Turn then you can safely fold here, unless player is a known goon or complete nut.