Just a very strange hand

[The_Bends]

Party Poker (6 max, 6 handed) NL $50 converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Button calls, SB calls, Hero checks.

Flop: 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

Turn: 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

River: 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB bets $0.50, Hero Raises to $3, Button calls, SB raises to $8, Hero ....?

Ok so sometihng odd has happened here and I'll admit that at the time I really didn't know what was going on. Clearly with no flush or higher straight on the board my hand is very strong and the lack of action before the river would suggest that the hand is good. However I could think of literally no hand that play this way tht I could beat. An overpair seemed unthinkable. A slowplayed set of sevens or eights seemed possible if very unlikely, nines seemed even less likely since surely there would have been a raise on the flop or turn. This simply left a hand with a two in it that had been played very slow or a 9-x hand that had woken up on the river.

The buttton only had enough to cover the RR to $8 so I wasn't worried about him since I was obviously calling. My question is, is ther value in raising here? Is the hand strong enough, does it get calls from hands it beats?

SB was pretty standard for this level, a little lose preflop and a little too passive. He had $50 behind and I had him covered.

[gunslingner]

seems to me like opponent is full.

I don't think there is value in raising - 56 might play this way after making the low end of the straight - another JT is possible here giving you a split but a flopped boat/quads seems at least equally likely - just call

[swedeD]

I started as a tight weak player at PP NL25 and that worked really good at both full ring and 6 max. Then I started to, after suggestions from this board, play more aggressive and my winrate became lower. Players at this level slowplay a lot and bet to little which make it cheap to draw to a better hand. Play aggressive only with really good hands or if you are making it heads-up preflop.

So, in my opinion, you only have two options here: fold or call. His smallish min-bet is typical for a slowplaying low stakes player who wants to induce a raise.

With a good read that your opponent is a tight player, I would fold.

[DWarrior]

I remember when I was playing $25NL beginning of this summer, the way to destroy these games is to bet out for 2/3 of the pot 90% of the time regardless of what hits. Most of the time, you'll take the couple of bucks in the pot.

[ajmargarine]

[ QUOTE ]
The buttton only had enough to cover the RR to $8 so I wasn't worried about him since I was obviously calling. My question is, is ther value in raising here? Is the hand strong enough, does it get calls from hands it beats?


[/ QUOTE ]

I think I would rather just call because of the button actually. If you just call, button may call also. If you raise, chances increase that button folds. You may be able to get a similar amount in the final pot by just calling: we don't know as no stack sizes are provided. Because we possible could be behind here, I think it's safest to call and hope button calls as well.

[DWarrior]

I'd say the SB either has 22 or 88. There isn't a whole lot you can beat, but I'd still call the $5 because there's a chance he's just playing two pair Ace kicker.

I'll usually bet the turn here though because 1.) that's what I'd do with 88 or 22, and 2.) I want to see if my draw is even good. On the turn, all you've got is a gutshot with overcards, so you're outta there if anyone raises.

[JobyWan]

I think he is more likely slowplaying than bluffing, but he could easily think he's slowplaying with a 2 or an overpair. I think only a call is correct here for a couple reasons. 1) A re-raise opens up the betting to him and you're really against a wall if he pushes. 2) A call may bring in the button, so you'll be making an extra 5 bucks here as opposed to trying to squeeze it from a guy who might have you beat.

I definately play 77 this way (and 22) as you want folks to catch up. I doubt he plays 88 or 99 this way unless he's spinelessly afraid of the 22 on the board.

JobyWan

[DWarrior]

I think you mean it the other way. Flop was 228, so the only hands I'd be slowplaying are 88 or 22. It doesn't make sense to be playing 77 or 99 this way on the flop unless they're really passive (7 came on turn, 9 came on river). Checking with 77 or 99 is just plain dumb, he'd need to bet in hopes of taking it down on the flop and get out to a raise.

I do agree that he might be slowplaying A2 this way thinking he's golden.

[swedeD]

Can be true on many of the tables at NL25. I only play at 6 Max tables with a high average pot. There you can find nice opponents who bet small but call large bets. But, of course, if it's checked to you, a small bet will win the pot. Restealing is not that common.

[JobyWan]

Yep, 88.. Thx