Debated KK play

[DpR]

I thought my play was pretty standard here but my buddy thought not so just checking some third party opinions.

Mid Limit live game pretty average. UTG (from the little i have seen) is average player doesnt really get out of line too much, however doesnt necesarily have big hand everytime he is raising you - my only witness of this is that he has check raised a top pair, weak kicker on the turn with no draw vs. a straight forward player who already shown strength. Regardless, UTG is not a LAG or wild by any means.

Preflop: UTG calls, fold, I raise with KK, fold, my buddys calls, rest fold. 3 to the fops. 10s, 8s 3c flop. Check\, I bet, call, UTG check raise, I three bet, buddy calls, UTG caps and all call.

Turn is a red 5, UTG checks, I bet, buddy calls, UTG check raises, I call, buddy folds.

River 10. Check, i think for a bit then check.

I thought I played it pretty standard, if anything I was thinking i should bet the river - the only reason I didnt was I didnt want to get raised 4 times in 1 hand. My buddy thought my turn bet was bad......

[Kaz The Original]

I like the river bet, unless opponent is a habitual check raiser. Usually players who hit obvious improvements (like flush or trips on top pair) bet it as so many players check behind. Besides, small pairs call here. That's why we make money at poker : )

[DpR]

Agreed, I actually did not put him on a ten at all. In my mind if I was beat it was to AA, of a flopped set now full house. Neither of those seemed right to me at the time and I was a little confused by his play, so I checked in confusion.

But there is no f'in way your checking this turn right?

[Kaz The Original]

Checking the turn? I'm considering three betting.

[bicyclekick]

[ QUOTE ]
Checking the turn? I'm considering three betting.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that's reckless. Now raising any non ten of a river seems bet is better. I dunno. I'm betting the river...and if hehas the balls to check riase me for a 3rd freaking time, well I'm gonna pay his dumbass off.

A8s, 77 and 99 are all likely enough holdings I think. or any other small pp for that matter.

[CardSharpCook]

Hell, I'll even give him credit for J9spades. I think this is a draw gone bad. I like the turn bet, I like the river check. I like checking the river because ANY reasonable hand is beating you. If he was going nuts over his top pair, it just got better. If he has a set, he has a boat. What would he possibly be calling with, JJ? I think that an underpair goes against your read of him. Maybe he calls down, but all those chk/rzs? If you lost this hand it was to TTT or a boat - if you won, he was on a draw and would not have paid off any river bet.

Well played, hope it held up.

CSC

[DpR]

Turned out he had KK as well and we chopped, which I was surprised to see....

I obviously agree the turn bet was a no brainer, and a river bet marginal. I was just surprised that my buddy insisted I should have checked the turn, which made no sense at all to me.

Thanks for the replies guys.

[Gabe]

"My buddy thought my turn bet was bad......"

Yeah, cus he had a Ten.

[DpR]

you got it!

[slavic]

so I checked in confusion

I've done this. You get the added benefit of seeing what the heck they play like this.

BTW Gabe is correct as usual.

[China Willy]

Lemme guess -- your friend had a T. Sour grapes.

I think your play is fine on all streets. I would check the end b/c his hand makes no sense... he'll show you AA, a flopped set, or rivered trips way more than he'll show you a hand that makes you think you should have bet.

-CW

[bobbyi]

I really like the way you played it. I wouldn't check the turn because between UTG's flop play and his turn check, it really looks like he's on a flush draw. Once he check-raises you again on the turn, I think three-betting would be overplaying your hand because at this point it really looks like he has you beat. I like the river check as well.