Suited semi bluff.

[HentaiGaijin]

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, BB checks.

Flop: (3.50 SB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (3.25 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, UTG+2 folds.

Final Pot: 4.25 BB

I don't feel my call pre-flop was too loose, but feel free to post comments on that. A lot of people were seeing the flop at this table without preflop raises. I expected to see more calls behind me, but they didn't turn up.

[aK13]

Preflop is ok if you typically see 4-5 players per flop. Otherwise I think its an easy muck.

The rest looks pretty standard, I think.

[Bodhi]

If you fold well then I think the preflop call is ok, especially if the game conditions are good.

Nice hand. Good flop and turn bets.

[thesharpie]

I would want a read on CO and button both being loose passive before limping in this spot.

I like playing hands like these 5 handed+.

Edit: And I'm too tight preflop!

[SoftcoreRevolt]

I probably fold this PF with only one person in before me, but it's not a bad call. Post flop is perfect.

[scotty34]

I think I would fold this one preflop without another limper before me, or unless CO and Button are very loose and passive.

The rest looks pretty good. Why are you calling it a semi-bluff though? You have a made hand and not a lot of outs to improve. A semi-bluff usually means you are betting a strong draw when you don't have the pot equity to pump it, but you think there is a chance your opponents will fold.

Oh, and FWIW, I would check behind UI on the river if either called the turn, and I don't think I would call any bet made by either of them on the turn or river.

[HentaiGaijin]

[ QUOTE ]
Why are you calling it a semi-bluff though?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't consider middle pair w/ weak kicker and a weak draw to improve a very strong hand. I'm betting to try and win the pot, knowing that a slightly stronger hand might fold and that if I'm called down with no evidence of strength I can potentially improve to a better hand. I'm representing more strength than I have, hoping I don't have to show down but with a few options to improve if I have to. Seems like a semi-bluff to me?

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why are you calling it a semi-bluff though?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't consider middle pair w/ weak kicker and a weak draw to improve a very strong hand. I'm betting to try and win the pot, knowing that a slightly stronger hand might fold and that if I'm called down with no evidence of strength I can potentially improve to a better hand. I'm representing more strength than I have, hoping I don't have to show down but with a few options to improve if I have to. Seems like a semi-bluff to me?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not really. It seems much more like a value bet. It's somewhat likely that you have the best hand here:

1) It's a 3-handed pot
2) It was checked to you on the flop
3) It was checked to you again on the turn

Note that a value bet does not mean you're betting a strong hand, but merely that you are betting a hand that's likely to be best.

A semi-bluff here would be with something like A/images/graemlins/heart.gif 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif. It's far less likely you have the best hand and you've got a legitimate chance of pushing out a better hand, like a better ace or bottom pair.

[Delphin]

Next time you might want to cut off the action after your bet to keep from influencing the responses. Since you got two folds, the turn bet seems better than it might if you had been called or even raised.

The semi-bluff arguement is just semantics. The only better hand you might be folding is a 7 with a better kicker, so betting here is more indicative of thinking you have the best hand ie betting for value. I don't have a problem with calling it a semi-bluff, though.