Raising the flop with 44 unimproved

[SoCalPat]

Normally, such a move is suicidal, especially with a PF raiser yet to act, but there's one important bit of info ... the flop bettor was all-in with his bet.

If the flop bettor is ahead, I've got a good chance of getting a free ride to the river. He also might be holding a singleton 7 and betting his OESD (and if I were in his shoes, I'd bet it). If I'm 3-bet by the PF raiser, I'll still have odds to call him down and check/fold the river unimproved. If I get several cold-callers, I'm pretty much screwed. I desperately want overcards and singleton 9s to fold here.

IMO, calling is the worst thing to do here. The pot is big enough, and I feel the extra SB on the flop is warranted to protect my hand with a raise and shut out the rest of the field. What think ye?

Paradise Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/club.gif. CO posts a blind of $0.50.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls, CO (poster) checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, Hero calls, CO calls.

Flop: (14 SB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(7 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, Hero raises</font>, CO folds, Button calls, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 folds.

So far, so good. No cold-callers and no three-bet from the PFR. Obviously, I wouldn't bet out here if checked to, and I'd dump if the PF raiser bet and got several calls.

Turn: (9.50 BB) 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

No flop three-bet, and the blankiest of blanks hits. Villian isn't getting a free card here.

River: (11.50 BB) Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button folds.

That's not the best card in the world if Villian is chasing AQ or KQ, but I'm betting for value here if he can't let go of AK for one bet.

Think my hand is good against the all-in player?

Final Pot: 12.50 BB

[krishanleong]

River bet blows. He won't call with AK with a player all in. He might check behind a 5 if you check. Check and call.

Krishan

[gvibes]

I think it's pretty bad. A limper doesn't bet unpaired overs into a pfr (unless you have a good read on him...).

The only way you're ahead is if MP1 is betting a 7 here. As such, the river bet is REAL bad.

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
Normally, such a move is suicidal, especially with a PF raiser yet to act, but there's one important bit of info ... the flop bettor was all-in with his bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good to know. I like raising more than folding against all-ins. Their holdings tend to be weaker (he may have as little as weak overcards at this point - the pot is big enough that he's calling any bet, so betting it himself is just as good if not better than calling).

[ QUOTE ]
IMO, calling is the worst thing to do here. The pot is big enough, and I feel the extra SB on the flop is warranted to protect my hand with a raise and shut out the rest of the field. What think ye?

[/ QUOTE ]

Thou thinkest your play is fine because of the all-in. If he were not all in, this is an insta-fold as your 4 brings 4 cards to a straight on the board, and the 7 gives you an idiot straight. Basically, I like this play solely for the generally weak all-in hands that you find and the opportunity to knock everyone else out. I think your 6 outs against the all-in player are pretty clean and you're getting a good price to play for it.

[ QUOTE ]
That's not the best card in the world if Villian is chasing AQ or KQ, but I'm betting for value here if he can't let go of AK for one bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not such a good bet. Betting for value when you can only think of one hand that will call that you beat is -EV.

[Malcom Reynolds]

A nice thing with the flop raise is to get people with 9's to fold. It sucks to draw to the ass-end of a straight.