15-30: Who takes the freebie?

[J_V]

Everyone but one person limps. I raise on the button with AQc. All call. We take the flop 9 handed.

Flop comes J-2c-4c. All check to the cutoff who bets. I raise. I really don't think smooth calling is a bad play like Dynasty would but raising certainly isn't bad either.

All fold to a tight player (likes to slowplay) who cold calls. Cutoff calls.

Turn is a red 7.

Checked to you?

What should you do? Results and analysis to follow.

[M2d]

Headsup, i think I bet, but threeway, I check. betting gets more money in the pot when you're ahead, but, threeway, this possibility is reduced. Betting also loses AK, which currently beats/dominates you, but you would have probably heard from it earlier, as you raised preflop.

I don't think betting loses underpairs or anyother hands that beat you. Any unpaired hands smaller than yours are likely calling also, so you're not increasing your chances of winning much.

in this situation, I'd check and call bets on the river if it blanks off, or if an A or Q comes. (of course, bet the pair if it's checked to you, but think about mucking if it's checkraised back). I think the chances of a hand like AJ or QJ are likely here, so one pair may not win it for you.

[Dynasty]

I check the turn and seriously consider calling one bet on the river even unimproved.

Smooth-calling on the flop is a poor choice in a pot which has 9 big bets in it. Raising is vastly superior. I really won't mind too much if everybody folds or everybody calls.

[J_V]

I checked. River was a K. All checked to me. I checked.

I won the pot with unimproved AQ - coldcaller had A3, other guy didn't show.

I still don't know what the right play is on the turn. If I had to guess, I like betting the turn and checking the river.

[Boris]

Overall, I think checking is the best play.
If I was running good I would be more inclined to bet. If I was running bad or had recently been busted trying to bluff, I would definitely check. It kills me to buy into this running good/running bad superstition crap, but it seems like other players really do fear me more when I have been making alot of hands. The reverse also seems to hold. I can't figure it out.

[bad beetz]

assuming you raise for a free card, I don't see why you woudn't take it on the turn.

[mobes]

I agree with beetz. You essentailly have nothing. I don't think a bet makes any sense.

[J_V]

I didn't raise the flop "for the free card." I raised it to increase my chance of winning the already large pot. Betting on the turn is one way to do this. In hindsight, I had the best hand and best draw, so a bet was in order. I have an image as a solid player who plays almost every day so it would be hard for them to put me on a bluff in this spot. In general, I would have a big hand here 90% of the time.

[angry young man]

I'm not sure if the confusion here comes from you not understanding the word "nothing" or the word "essentially"

Nothing (nuh-thing): adj. 9 cards to the nuts, 6 outs against probable hands, slim opportunity to win the hand without improvement and/or showdown

Essentially (EE-scent-cha-lee): adv 1. as viewed by those with little understanding of poker and no understanding of expected value 2. in relation to the "order of hands" card available with my bicycle deck

Neither of those definitions are correct.

Incidently I probably check the turn but then again I've been playing like a puppy just back from the vet lately.