River play

[DeuceKicker]

I ususally subscribe to the raise-it-till-you-drop school of playing flopped sets, but this river made me pause.

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, Hero calls, MP3 folds, CO calls, Button folds, <font color="CC3333">SB raises</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls, CO calls.

Flop: (10 SB) Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif, 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, CO folds, SB calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) A/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">SB raises</font>, UTG calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">SB caps</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls.

River: (21.50 BB) 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets</font>, UTG calls, ???

Final Pot: 24.50 BB

[DeuceKicker]

... forgot to add my read. SB seemed a bit loose, but could have been anything from slightly passive to slightly aggressive--only 2nd orbit

[Klak]

keep raising and capping on the river. the only hand you have to worry about is AA or maybe 99. the bet by SB on the river is not signifigant to me since you were in a raising war on the turn. i assume he wants to cap it with AQ or something and i would let him do it.

[Nick Royale]

Is that 9 scary? It only helps pocket 9's in this situation. AA would be more likely, I guess. Keep cappin'!

[imaptone]

I don't see how this river card could have helped him. I think you raise if you believe that you are best on turn. I dont think that UTG is a factor, bad ace or queen. I would think SB hit his second pair when the ace hit, and raise. The only hands he could logically hold that beat you are QQ and AA.

[Thebram]

When you can count the number of hands that beat you on one hand, and the read on the player is "a bit loose", then I think it's save to keep raising. Especially since you have someone trapped between you.

Now if the river had completed a flush or feasible straight draw, then I'd be more concerned about UTG than the SB.

I like the read of AQ for SB and maybe a missed diamond draw with a pair for UTG.

[DeuceKicker]

I should have mentioned that UTG was a major LAG. He was seeing over 50% of the flops, cold-calling with any hand he'd limp with, raising 13% pre-flop, and tried to steal a lot after pre-flop raises. He even limp/reraised once with A4, raised the flop, and bet the rest of the way with his A-Hi. So although I know that fish catch cards, too, I dismissed him after my flop 3-bet. He was going to stay in no matter what at that point.

The 9 on the river didn't bother me, either. I was more concerned about the cap on the turn. I find that many/most players will only raise from the small blind with high pocket pairs, and they'll often cap only with the nuts or second-nut hand.

So when SB didn't cap the flop, I figured he didn't have QQ. But when he perked back up again on the turn I put him on only AQ or AA. (I also figured he had to be putting me on a set at this point.)

So anyway, on the turn I was thinking it was slightly better than 50/50 that he had AA. I looked down at the 20BB pot and told myself I wouldn't be too upset at missing a couple bets if I had the best hand, but might be kicking myself if he showed AA and I had capped it pretty much "knowing" what he had.

Right after I clicked "Call" I remembered UTG. So I wasn't giving up two or three more bets if I had the best hand, I was giving up four or six bets.

I should have raised at least once more. If SB 3-bet, my AA read would be more solid and I could call it down without feeling like too much of a wuss.

As everyone guessed, SB showd AQ and MHIG. The presence of UTG (who had a 8-hi flush draw) is making me feel like I really left some bets on the table with this one. I've been ratcheting up the aggression over the past three weeks, but I guess I haven't completely mothballed the skirt

Good calls, all.