The Man vs. The Kid

[zman]

Since i am a novice at hold'em i enjoy playing at Dynamite.com where at a fairly low cost i get to practice against some expert players.
The other day i sat down at a low limit game. There were 5 players including myself when i was dealt 7 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif at the button. There's a call and a fold, and since i figure the hands pretty good i raise it. Now, sb reraises. Ah, who is this and whats he holding, i think. None of the regulars, never seen the guy, but i get the impression he's a good playa. bb fold, seat 3 call, and i'm thinking fold? - nah, hands good, put in the 4th bet? - i really like to see the flop as cheaply as possible, so i call. FLOP: 3 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/club.gif sb bets, seat 3 fold, i call, TURN: 9 /forums/images/icons/club.gif sb bets, and i quickly dismiss the flush, i think i have a good hand, i call. RIVER: 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif sb bets, i raise and get reraised, i call and see Q /forums/images/icons/club.gif 8 /forums/images/icons/club.gif . Now, i like to make this kind of play myself, rarely at dynamite, because it gets punished too often, but against weeker competition. Why did i dismiss the flush so soon? Well, probably because in this situation i was The Kid. I guess i made misstakes on all betting rounds, and i also guess that The Man would have won the pot was he holding my hand.
I would appreciate any comment on the play of this hand, and also some thoughts of how the better player (him, i suppose) can pull the same stunt on me that i pull on worse players. Is that all it comes down to: the difference between players?
The conclusion i made of this hand is that the misstake i did was i had too much respect all untill the river where i had too little. Any other conclusions i should draw?
Happy for all comments.

[Paul Talbot]

PF: easy call when it is three bet.
Flop: why didn't you raise with your overpair? You want to find out now if he has a bigger pair than yours or something like AK or AQs.

Turn: if you don't put him on the flush, why not raise?

I think you need to be more active on the flop to try and better distinguish your opponent's hand. Simply calling here doesn't help you at all.

Regards,

Paul Talbot

[Louie Landale]

77 is more or less a "stealing" hand because its only a very slight favorite against a single player with over cards, such as the first caller. It drops in value fast with a couple-three tight callers since they pretty much all have over-cards.

You are a serious underdog against an over-pair, such as when the SB 3-bets. Calling the 3-bet is routine, 4-betting would be obscene.

You SHOULD dismiss the flush since there are SO many more hands he can be betting that don't feature 2-big clubs. The real question is whether or not he really has a big pair. A tight player may still not have a pair when he bets out on the flop, but is sure to have one when he bets the turn. Against everybody else, you might as well call it down.

Well, call it down unless an Ace or two face cards hit, since then he's sure to have a pair.

Well, call it down unless you snag a 7, in which case raise of course, since there are MANY more big pairs he can have than flushes.

- Louie

[zman]

Tks for the replies.

So, if i understand u right, u would have played the hand the same way i did? I would rather go with Paul Talbots suggestions, raise flop to get a feel for the big pair im scared of, raise turn since i dont have him for the flush. This would also be my normal play, but The Man outplayed me this hand /forums/images/icons/mad.gif or if u prefer i played under ability. I was partly trying to be fancy, and fill the doublebelly and THEN hit back...

Yes, the preflopraise was obviously a stealtry, since i figured the circumstances where ideal for that particular hand, or...?

Further comments welcome and appreciated..

[Your Mom]

Once, somebody calls ahead of you, you aren't going to steal by raising because virtually no one calls and then folds to a raise. I'm not saying I disagree with yor raise, I just wanted to point that out to you. Definitly raise the flop with your overpair and gutshot. He'll probably then check to you on the turn and I'd probably bet it again and then check the river if he checks it to you again. Realize that he 3 bet you with Q8, so either he made a play at you which happened to work out or he sucks.