Stars 5/10 - TT turns a boat

[Che]

Stars 5/10 9-handed

Hero - $1602
Villain - $1009

Folded to Hero on the button. Hero opens for $35 (standard open from any position during this session) with T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif T /images/graemlins/club.gif. SB folds. Villain calls in the BB.

Villain (Swift Raven, if that means anything to you) is unknown to me as I don’t often play at Stars. Just wanted to do something different.

Flop: J /images/graemlins/heart.gif 7 /images/graemlins/club.gif 7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif (Pot=$72)

Villain checks, Hero bets $55 (standard continuation bet for this session), Villain calls.

Turn: T /images/graemlins/heart.gif (Pot=$182)

Villain checks. Hero bets $135. Villain minraises to $270.

What’s the plan?

Thanks,
Che

[gcoutu]

The min raise seems weak to me in this case. I know usually it is reserved for a big hand, but if you are playing the hand on auto pilot then your boat is going to be a big surprise for him. My guess is that he has a big J and figures you for trash. Maybe he has a 7...either way you are in good shape.

I would smooth call. If he doesn't have a 7 you will scare him off and unless he has JJ you are in great shape.

If he bets the river hammer him. If he checks I would bet $350-$450.

[parttimepro]

Smooth call, then push the river.

His minraise could be:

-Bluff/underpair/JX. Puts you on overcards, and wants to test you cheaply. If you reraise, he'll fold. Calling gives him a chance to either hit a 2nd-best hand (smaller boat) or try again on the river. If he checks the river, a push will look like either a steal or overpair, and you may get a call.

7X: Ding ding ding. He wants to put all his money in the middle. Don't let him rethink it by reraising his check/raise. He'll almost certainly bet the river, and you can easily put him all in.

[tbach24]

Call and lead the river for 2/3 pot bet on a non-J river. I really don't think he has a 7 because there's not too many hands he could be calling your pre-flop raise with and then not raising the flop.

[Che]

I "thought" for a while /images/graemlins/wink.gif then called his turn minraise. River was K /images/graemlins/spade.gif. He checked.

I again "thought" for a while then pushed, which was my plan when I called on the turn. Make it look like a bluff, etc.

Villain thought for a long time then folded. He got all-in on the turn the next hand and a guy with flush draw+gutshot rivered him and he complained that he had been rivered two hands in a row so I guess he had a J and had put me on AK.

Rather than pushing any river card, should I have bet less on any of the scare cards (overcards, /images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8 or 9)?

Given the high number of scare cards, should I have just pushed on the turn?

Later,
Che

[radioheadfan]

The way I see is that a 7 is paying you off everytime no matter what, and JJ is gonna take all your chips everytime no matter what too.

The question is how to get the most value from AJ, KJ, QJ, and JT or any overpair he may have.

The way to do that is to re-raise the turn, something like 500 straight. The reason for this is the large number of scare cards on the river that might make him fold.

I although I really like smooth calling and then pushing any river, as it looks like a desperation bet.

I would have probably played it the same way you did. Also note that the "scare cards" could actually make his hand (flush, straight, smaller boat) so maybe smooth call then push is actually the best play.

Nice hand.