A9 flop play early (30+3)

[wuwei]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

BB (t740)
UTG (t600)
UTG+1 (t165)
MP1 (t570)
MP2 (t960)
MP3 (t835)
CO (t2570)
Button (t775)
Hero (t785)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 9/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls t15, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP3 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls t15, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t72.50) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets t40</font>, MP3 folds, Button calls t40, Hero...

I checked the flop with the intention of folding, calling, or raising depending upon the action. Thoughts at this point?

[Maulik]

I'd triple his raise here to t120.

brilliant

[zaphod]

I would fold. A bet and a call with 5 players seeing a flop, small pot, flushdraw, BB is still alive could be planing a checkraise... It is not worth it.

[BradleyT]

TPTK and backdoor diamond draw, are you high?

[nWirb]

I'd make it 150 on the flop hoping to check it down if I get a caller and don't improve.

[john_]

Depends on the reads you have of the players.

This hand is not as strong as you make it out to be. I really don't see the nut backdoor diamond draw as a powerful asset you should use in your debate.

As for the TPTK, do you realize how many "bad" cards could come up on the turn or the river? Lets just assume for the time being nobody has an overpair or a set or something of that nature, there's 24 different cards(Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings &amp; the other 8 unaccounted diamonds) that could all come up to hurt you. Of course, less diamonds hurt you if indeed one of them have the flush draw. But to play this hand as if it were a monster would be in my opinion a mistake.

[BradleyT]

He said fold, I say raise it up and if some 6 outers want to call, good for them.

Another good example of why so many people on here need more postflop experience.

[ripped]

I also like this idea. Bump it up around 3x the bet and see where you stand at this point. You might be up against TT or JJ that didnt want to raise from this position and waiting on a rag flop. You might even be up againt KK or AA that was waiting for a raise behind him so he could reraise. THis is a tough spot. If you get reraised you can figure there is an overpair out there and toss the hand.

[john_]

He said fold you didn't really advocate a line before.

The point of my post wasn't to advocate any particular line either it was only to show that this TPTK with backdoor flush draw it not that strong. Under the right circumstances I take each line: folding, calling, raising

I fail to see how you can ascertain anything about anyone's postflop experience from any of this. Perhaps, it is your own inexperience or arrogance of your postflop abilities that make you feel your raise line is always best here.

[wuwei]

I liked the flop action enough that folding wasn't an option. My first instinct was to move the slider to 150 and raise the size of the pot. I had some second thoughts and decided to call and lead a safe turn.

The turn was the 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I bet 245 into the field.

[BradleyT]

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps, it is your own inexperience or arrogance of your postflop abilities that make you feel your raise line is always best here.

[/ QUOTE ]

No it's simply a matter of protecting the best hand when it's vulnerable. Another basic poker concept.

Plus calling gives you no more information than you had before you clicked the call button.

Come on, this is easy stuff.

[adanthar]

Yeah, really. You have to raise here, if only so you can fold to a 3 bet, or make sure KT folds, or find what/where the draws are...

The way you played it, you deserve to lose to the 86 that's now going to push and that you probably can't fold to.

[wuwei]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, really. You have to raise here, if only so you can fold to a 3 bet, or make sure KT folds, or find what/where the draws are...

The way you played it, you deserve to lose to the 86 that's now going to push and that you probably can't fold to.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, it wasn't quite that bad... but close enough. I hate when I know how I should play a hand but fail to follow through.