Is this an easy fold?

[McMelchior]

PStars $58 super to WCOOP $500:

5th hand at the table, button (who's been playing for more than two years) has been involved in two prior hands: One where he limped preflop, checked the flop and folded a turn bet, and one where he limped UTG, slightly overbet the flop and folded to a raise.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

CO (t1470)
Button (t1290)
SB (t2280)
BB (t1460)
UTG (t1450)
UTG+1 (t1980)
Hero (t1510)
MP2 (t790)
MP3 (t1330)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t60</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Button (thinks for a few seconds, then ) calls t60, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>.

Flop: (t150) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, J/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t80</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to t300</font>, Hero ?

Easy fold?

Best,

McMelchior (Johan)

[Dave D]

It's definatly a fold or a push. I guess b/c its early you can fold.

This is why I don't play that hand that early in the tourney *in that position*. Or if I do, I call w/ it hoping for two pair or better.

[cha59]

I think its a "should fold". It isnt that easy based on your description of villian.

It looks like he might be semi-bluffing a flush draw. The problem is, this pot isnt worth the risk at this point with your hand.

[ActionJeff]

this is a $58 satellite. You have 1500 chips. In 40 mins that will be half par. I would say screw it, if he has a fastplayed set good for him. But I like getting chips early in these stars events because of the fast structure...

Not an easy fold judging by the description of your villan. I think I might call here. I can only see two likely hands....J9 or heart draw. He may have smelt weakness with your 1/2 size pot bet and is making a play at you. I would make at least a 3/4 size pot bet. If the turn brings a blank and he checks I check and if he pushes i fold. If the river brings a blank and he pushes I call and if he checks I check.

[McMelchior]

[ QUOTE ]
I think I might call here. I can only see two likely hands....J9 or heart draw.

[/ QUOTE ] If that's your read calling is by far the worst option. If he's ahead I giving him 300 chips without getting any additional information; if I'm ahead I'm giving him a free card to hit his 12 outer (flushing or pairing his kicker) on the turn.
[ QUOTE ]
I would make at least a 3/4 size pot bet

[/ QUOTE ] If your read is that I'm ahead my bet was perfect - I made him commit an extra 300 chips with a losing hand. If he's aggressive enough to pot-raise a draw it's not clear to me why he wouldn't do it if I bet 40 chips more. If he's ahead I saved 40 chips without giving up any information.

I don't think a strategy based completely on whether he checks the turn or not (while commintting close to 20% of my remaining chips) is a good way of dealing with the situation.

It's either fold or push here.

Limping AJ in EP and [ QUOTE ]
hoping for two pair or better

[/ QUOTE ] makes little sense - I'm only going to flop two pair one time out of 50, and that still doesn't guarantee villain didn't flop a set. So there.

Thank for the replies ...

One orbit later seeing the villain raise KJ from EP and then calling the BB's all-in reraise for a third of his stack gave me a distinct feeling I should have pushed.

But I believe folding was correct in the situation based on the scant amount of information available to me.

Best,

McMelchior (Johan)

He is most likely sitting with connectors, thats what I would put him on, most likely J10, 109 or 98 so he did hit something on the flop and he smelled weakness in your bet and is trying to get the pot right here. Little do he know. Push all in and collect the chips.