Did I butcher these flopped trips?

[chesspain]

Online 5-10...it's my first hand at the table, and the only player somewhat known to me is the villian, who pretty much is a donkey (sorry I can't provide a more accurate read). However, before I sat down, I noticed the 50% of the players were seeing the flop, so I pretty much assumed that everyone sucked.

I post in the CO, and am dealt 7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif.

Folded to UTG+1 who limps, folded to Villain in MP who calls, Hijack checks his post, I check, folded to the SB who completes, BB checks. As I lament to my wife the bad luck of getting 72o in a blind, and state "maybe I'll hit a miracle flop," the board comes:

Flop: (5 SB) 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif Q /images/graemlins/spade.gif 2 /images/graemlins/spade.gif (6 players)

Checked to MP who bets, Hijack folds, I raise, folded back to MP who calls.


Turn: (4.5BB) 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif (2 players)

MP bets, I raise, MP calls.


River: (8.5) 3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)

MP bets, I call.


1) Was raising the flop foolish or fine?
2) Even though MP is a donkey who could easily have a hand like A2/K2/Q2s/J2s, should I have raised-called the river?

[wrto4556]

It's pretty safe to call this flop.

For sure raise the river. I bet he shows you a Q.

[Willluck]

I think I'd raise the river.
rest looks good.

[Jdanz]

just as a question, i think it's correct to fold to a river three bet, but would you do it?

[Nick C]

I have trouble figuring out what to do when I flop a really good hand and the bet comes from my immediate right. Anyway, though, in this particular case I think there's a really good chance that no one who checked has much, so if you just call, you still may end up heads-up. And if there is a call or two behind you, you may get checked to on the turn, if MP just has 55 or something. I don't know. Facing a flush draw with two cold on the turn would be better than doing so on the flop, but there's a good chance no one has a flush draw, and you may not get the opportunity to raise the turn anyway. Plus, of course, waiting until the turn does represent the monster you actually have, whereas popping the flop doesn't, as much. Still, I think people without much of a hand are most likely folding to two on the flop anyway, in this small pot, even if they're loose, whether they believe you or not.

Anyway, I think the flop raise is all right. I also think just calling would be okay.

On the the river: Persistent stop-n-go's confuse me. So when MP bet the river, I'd probably start frantically trying to figure out what he might have and maybe come up with Q /images/graemlins/club.gif 3 /images/graemlins/club.gif as a possibility (in addition to hands I chop with) and just call. I guess Q2s and even QQ for a flopped boat also can't be ruled out. Neither can hands like A /images/graemlins/spade.gif 3 /images/graemlins/spade.gif.

I think it's quite possible MP just has a queen, and I suspect raising the river is best. But when I get as confused as I would be by the time I was getting bet into again on the river in this hand, I often find myself just calling. And I do think there's a good chance you're chopping anyway. The river card may, for instance, have removed MP's kicker concerns (if he has 42s or something) and also his fear of going on to lose to a flush with his flopped trips.

[SA125]

[ QUOTE ]
Even though MP is a donkey who could easily have a hand like A2/K2/Q2s/J2s, should I have raised-called the river?

[/ QUOTE ]

On a board of 2 2 Q 3 3, does that mean his A2o would beat your 72o? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Seriously, I hope that was a misprint and I've had my share of submits I wished I could retrieve from the recycle bin. Not raising that river is either a blown hand, which we all have, or just scared poker.

[chesspain]

Kids, don't do drugs--it will catch up to you when you are older.

[JDErickson]

I play the same.

[SA125]

If you figure it must be a chop, that'll cost you some bets. If you figure you're beat, that's worse. What part of that river call am I missing?

[chesspain]

I didn't like the kicker with my boat. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif