($27) Strange spot with 99

PokerStars Game #2995454170: Tournament #14792085, Hold'em No Limit - Level II (15/30) - 2005/11/07 - 06:51:03 (ET)
Table '14792085 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: MR . CHIPSY (1655 in chips)
Seat 2: Trueblue333 (1310 in chips)
Seat 3: Rocky9870 (1640 in chips)
Seat 4: oznol (1470 in chips)
Seat 5: JJlatenite (1470 in chips)
Seat 6: Aceland (2520 in chips)
Seat 7: bigdstrtflsh (565 in chips)
Seat 8: Francis379 (1430 in chips)
Seat 9: CastarPollux (1440 in chips)
Francis379: posts small blind 15
CastarPollux: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to oznol [9c 9s]
MR . CHIPSY: folds
Trueblue333: folds
Rocky9870: calls 30
oznol: calls 30
JJlatenite: folds
Aceland: folds
bigdstrtflsh: calls 30
Francis379: calls 15
CastarPollux: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qh Qc 3c]
Francis379: bets 90
CastarPollux: folds
Rocky9870: folds
oznol: calls 90
bigdstrtflsh: folds
*** TURN *** [Qh Qc 3c] [Qd]
Francis379: checks
oznol: bets 180
Francis379: calls 180
*** RIVER *** [Qh Qc 3c Qd] [Jd]
Francis379: checks
oznol: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***

Preflop: Just limping trying to hit a set, normal play for me here with small/middle pairs

Flop: Reasonable flop for me, the fact that he led out leads me to believe he doesn't have a Q, and TT+ presumably raise PF so I call and see how the hand plays out.

Turn:
Good turn for me, it makes it less likely that he holds a Q and the club draw is now moot. I bet out a reasonable amount just trying to take the pot here.

River: Well he called my turn bet, which i'm not thrilled about. The turn was not a great one. He checks to me, which I don't think he'd do with a strong hand. I strongly consider betting (putting him on 44-88) but decide there's not much value in it so I check.

I think there are a few points of interest here. Any comments are welcome, and I'll post results later.

[pergesu]

Jack him up on the flop man. Your hand is not strong enough to let any cheap cards get there. If you don't think he has a Q, then he's probably betting a flush draw, some PP, a 3, or just taking a stab at it. Regardless, you're going to be ahead the vast majority of the time. Pop him on the flop (I take it to like 270), and shove the turn if called.

[tigerite]

I have to agree, raise the flop.

Just qualifying: I fold to a flop push right?

[tigerite]

Depends how you're feeling. By the way I wouldn't raise TT in his shoes, not at all. JJ, maybe.. but not always.

Ok, thanks.

I agree that I should have raised the flop, but can you comment on the turn/river just as a hypothetical?

[tigerite]

I think you should bet the river some amount you think he will call. It's a value bet, he will call with some 3's and mid pairs that you have crushed. I can't see the benefit of checking behind.

[pergesu]

[ QUOTE ]
Just qualifying: I fold to a flop push right?

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not so sure, because I think a lot of players with a Q would just call and go for a c/r on the turn. I don't think it's the right way to play trips here, but it's what a lot of people do.

If he comes over the top I think it's usually a guy who's frustrated that his steal attempt didn't work, thinks you might be on a resteal, something like that. Considering if you fold though you'll still have 1150 or so with small blinds, it's fine. I just wouldn't do it immediately, as you're often ahead. There is the possibility he has JJ/TT though, and would play it that way...if you had JJ I'd call for sure, TT almost certainly, and with 99 I'd be thinking about it. Maybe flip a coin /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[pooh74]

eh, I kind of like the way you played it...raising the flop is always good here, but once in awhile tinkering with the passive route is nice...sets up an image for later too when you need to be perceived as passive. I wouldnt make a habit of calling down like this though.

[pineapple888]

To all the pre-flop raisers, nines are very far from a powerhouse in middle position.

Call behind preflop. Flop call is marginal, but once you do that, the rest looks fine.