Yet another straight.

[Entity]

I hate these hands, but I think playing them is integral to actually learning how this damned game works.

4 limpers in the SB and I complete with A/images/graemlins/heart.gifK/images/graemlins/heart.gifJ/images/graemlins/diamond.gif9/images/graemlins/spade.gif. I have about $30. Now the BB ($25), a terrible player who likes to minraise a ton and overplays pairs/trips frequently postflop, min-raises $.25. Everyone calls. Pot is $3.

The flop is a mixed-blessing A/images/graemlins/club.gifQ/images/graemlins/club.gifT/images/graemlins/heart.gif, flopping me a straight with a backdoor flush redraw.

I lead out for the pot, hoping the bad player will raise me with a set/2pr type hand, but he just calls. One other player calls. Pot is $9.

Turn is a 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif. I lead for the pot again. Both players call. Pot is $36.

River is an ugly A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.

Ideas?

I checked, BB led for $8 into the $36 pot (leaving him $4 behind), the middle player folded, and I called, feeling rather icky about it. Maybe check-fold?

Rob

[barongreenback]

I wouldn't fold the river. A bad players hand range at the river is quite wide and when you check he may feel obliged to bluff. Your getting 5.5 to 1. Wierd him not betting his stack when so short.

I don't see playing flop and turn differently. Turn is often unpleasant but you've got to be in a position to bet big when it isn't. Also if the river had blanked he would probably have paid you off with set/2 pair.

James

[mshalen]

In this case I agree that you hold your nose, take the odds and call.

My problem is what if he had a bigger stack and when you checked he bet the pot? This is the kind of situation that drives me crazy. And I have no idea how to deal with it.

[Cooker]

I think your line is correct. I think check/call a mild sized bet is okay. A bad player often has tells built into his betting strategy. A typical tell is that some players never bet the pot with the nuts, because they want to get paid off. These same players usually always bet the pot on the end as a bluff since they don't want you to call. Some do the exact opposite since they want to win the most when called with their nuts and lose the least when called on their bluffs. I find most PLO players fit into one of these molds, so you should be trying to figure out your man. I usually just always bet the pot since it is hardest to read.

The only way you can make money on a card like that is if someone will bet trip aces once you check. It is unlikely that a bet by you would just get called if you are ahead or will cause a better hand to fold if you are behind, so check/call and check/fold are your best options. When deciding which one, you have to play poker and know your opponents. Saving 4 here is suspicious to me, so I would probably go ahead and call. I also lean this way since trips or 2 pair might try to raise especially if this player overplays these hands as you suggest.

[Tilt]

I would soetimes pot sized reraise preflop. But thats just me.

If the players are aggro enough I would go for a check/raise on the turn. Worst case they check behind and a scare card on the river comes...but that has the added benefit of keeping the pot small enough that the river decisions are really easy.

Your river call is correct IMO.

[barongreenback]

[ QUOTE ]

My problem is what if he had a bigger stack and when you checked he bet the pot?

[/ QUOTE ]
I have a real paranoia problem at big bet poker but I'm not sure it's justified. I think most players aren't able to put in that big a bluff at lower limits and those that do are obvious lags. Most players they face won't fold the straight so its not a good move. A turn check raise would be nice against someone who could be relied on to bet if betting would leave enough money behind for a big river bet.

With a 2nd player here I wouldn't call a big bet because the bettor would have to bluff into 2 players. Also when MP folds he indicates he likely had a flush draw which makes it more likely that the BB had set/2 pair.

My reason for calling in this hand was the pot odds and the bad player. I try not to put really bad players on hands because they show something totally surprising so often.

James

[adam74]

I agree. I think the call is correct based on the odds you're getting and your read of the player. Actually, I'm not sure the read makes any difference - I think the odds alone justify the call. Having said that, there are a few regular players at these tables whose bet I wouldn't call here.

As noted above, what would be tough is if you'd both had $36+ left, and he'd bet the pot. [I think I fold - especially since he's betting into MP as well - unless I had a really strong read that the player bluffs regularly in situations such as this.]

Does anyone think a blocking bet is a good idea, taking into account that it's at a $25 table at Stars. Blocking bets are not something I've ever experimented with - can they be used successfully at these stakes, and what's a reasonable bet size?

Another thing that I find both interesting and damn annoying is that some players at these tables don't realise the value of their own hand, or that they have to use two cards from their hand. These guys can have anything.

[TheRempel]

Just a question: What would you do if reraised in this spot by a tight-aggressive player?

[Lafortezza]

I think a call on the river is correct, you may be chopping the pot occasionally.

Maybe consider check-raising either the flop or turn, but that's depending on how aggressive the villains are. It's safer to lead out.