Even more horrifically butchered 99 hand

[private joker]

I had a really good session today; making smart reads, wise folds, strong value bets, etc. And my cards were often holding up. But then someone took a dump in my brain and this hand happened. So it's the one I'm posting.

This is only the second time in the month of January that I've cold-called PF from outside the blinds, and both were this week, and both were with 99. And both were posted.

This time it was a bit more defensible, because my read on CO was that he was loose-passive post-flop and mildly LAGgy preflop. The rest of the table was an aquarium. I cold-called because there were 4 limpers, all of whom I expected to call one more bet, and I was on the button. I didn't want to 3-bet and ruin my implied odds, nor was I going to isolate the PFR with so many limpers in. My best chance was to cold-call, let all the limpers call, and get mad odds. Ever after whiffing the flop, I almost had odds (but not quite) to see the turn, but because of

1) my position
2) expecting the field to call
3) implied odds if I turned a set

I called the flop. But the later two streets were really weird. So weird that I didn't know whether or not to value bet the river. Welcome to passive-ville. I didn't think I'd fold any Tens, so I checked it through. Still, the whole thing made me feel like I just made out with Steve Buscemi and paid for breakfast afterwards. I probably shouldn't have called the flop since I wasn't closing the action, and I probably should have value-bet the river. I also probably should have folded or raised preflop. Ugh.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 9/images/graemlins/club.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, Hero calls, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (13.50 SB) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(6 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, UTG+2 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, Hero calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Turn: (9.25 BB) Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

River: (9.25 BB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: 9.25 BB

[AdamL]

lol /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
I also probably should have folded or raised preflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, come on. If I had 22, even, I would call and play for a set.

[River2Pair]

[ QUOTE ]
I also probably should have folded or raised preflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

The same can be said for the flop.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I also probably should have folded or raised preflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

The same can be said for the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

What in the world would a flop raise accomplish? Getting 3-bet and having to pay $6 to see the turn instead of $2? I think raising the flop is a distant third, with folding probably best and calling a very close second.

[River2Pair]

Knock some players out.

Short-handed with dead money is a good thing.

Maybe the raiser will chicken out too, fearing a queen.

I don't know though. I've been getting my clock cleaned trying to play over-aggressive in passive games lately though.

[gaming_mouse]

I like your PF call, and in fact MUCH prefer it to a raise, unless you think all those limpers are cold-calling your raise.

You have NO business calling that flop. One of your outs puts a 3 flush on the board, so you don't even have 2 outs.

And I havn't even mentioned the worst error in your post: Steve Buscemi is hot!

gm

[Nick C]

I think that this is a very difficult hand postflop. If you're ahead on the flop, then clearing out any overcards that aren't duplicated by whatever CO might hold would be nice. But you aren't going to get anyone who has you beat to fold, and flush draws and KJ aren't going anywhere either. Clearing out the only stray king or jack (or even an eight) would eliminate some redraws and improve your chances of winning if you happen to catch a set on the turn, but I wonder if the chance of creating such a flop fold is really worth putting in a raise, for the sake of protecting two outs. If you knew you were ahead, though, I think a raise might be in order. Or maybe it still might be better to wait for an unscary turn card. I don't know. The bet does come from the ideal place for you to put pressure on the field, and if CO doesn't have you beat he might check the turn (as he did) anyway.

I'd consider betting the turn, but a semi-bluff checkraise is possible with two potential flush draws and potential straights out there, and you've got to worry that a turn checkraise means instead that you're up against trip queens or better.

Checking behind on the river seems sensible to me.

I don't like doing a lot of checking and calling either, but maybe it's best in this hand.

[Nick C]

[ QUOTE ]
You have NO business calling that flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

If Hero knew he was behind, I think this is true. Since he doesn't, I'm not sure.

Plus, if there are a lot of additional callers (as there were), then the odds to draw improve, and no one has to have a flush draw or KJ (though lots of callers do unfortunately make holdings such as these more likely), and a turned set will give him a redraw if someone else gets a flush or straight when he hits a set anyway.

[DeeJ]

For one bet I'm calling the flop. If I can get a Jack or a 9 at the turn this is great, trips or an oesd (6 cards). Even an 8 or a King will give me a gutshot, and if the turn is checked through I then get a shot at the pot for nothing. And I might even win with the best hand after all of that to some ace high rubbish or low pairs.