Just moved up - Hand 1

[cockandbull]

Hi all,

This is my first post in this forum so hi to everyone. Haven't been at the table long so no reads on anyone.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

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

Flop: (10.50 SB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls.

Turn: (7.25 BB) A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, MP2 calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB 3-bets</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero calls.

River: (15.25 BB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 15.25 BB

[Festus22]

Raise the flop.

BB's turn 3-bet then checking a river blank line looks pretty odd. I'd be inclined to bet the river. You'll be ahead more than 50% of the time.

[cockandbull]

Thanks for the response. Could you explain why i'm raising this flop?

Harry

[bergh]

It might give you a free card and you might make someone who would outdraw you fold.

[Festus22]

You are drawing to a TPTK hand which is good but not great. The more players there are in the pot, the less likely your hand will be good if you hit it. You want gutshots and small pairs to fold. If you only call, so will they. By raising, you force them to pay 2 bets cold to continue so it's likely they will not.

As was already mentioned, you may very well get a free card on the turn AND it's also possible you'll win a showdown unimproved if MP2 was betting a draw.

If it was a bet and several callers to you, then it would be better to call but in this case, the bet came from your immediate right which ideal for you.

Read SSHE. This type of play is discussed.

[Fat Nicky]

Just read Festus' analysis of the hand in his 2 posts and that's all you need to know.

[PotatoStew]

Plus, there's a chance that the bettor was just taking a shot at the pot (being essentially 1 off the button) and so there's a very slim possibility that your raise will win you the pot right there. Too slim (with that many people still in the hand) to raise for that reason alone, but it's just an extra bonus when combined with the other reasons for raising.