A2 Diamonds BB

[Schmed]

A /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 2 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif BB

EP raises, lep calls, mp calls, CO calls, button calls, SB calls, I call. 7 players

Flop

J /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 2 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

SB bets, I call, EP calls, LEP calls, MP calls, CO calls, button folds.

Turn

K /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

SB bets, I call, EP calls, LEP calls, MP folds, CO calls.

River

9 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

UTG checks, I bet, EP calls, MP folds, CO folds, SB calls.

Thoughts,

I wonder about my preflop. Should I have reraised? I have seen Sklansky talk about raising the BB with Axs. I don't really understand it all that well. Better said I'm not confident enough that I can identify the situation when that play applies so I just called.

I thought about raising the flop as well but I didn't want to thin the field. I had the best draw and if it hit I would win the pot. At least that's what I was thinking....

Turn I hit my flush and he bets in to me. I didn't have anything to fear on this board. I figured I didn't want to lose the callers by announcing that I had the flush.

River hit and was really a bad luck card. Outside of pairing the board I didn't want to see another flush card hit. I contemplated a CR for about a half sec but there was no way that any of them were betting. Well outside chance that the last player had the Q but I just felt I couldn't let them all call.

Really the thing that I wondered about this hand was my calling station act for 2 rounds. I don't think I missed a bet as I am pretty sure I would have lost all of those callers.

[Barry]

I think you played it fine. I wouldn't have 3 bet preflop here, although many would with 6 others in the pot.

With the bet coming from the SB, you have a lot of folks behind you yet to act, so calling and going for the overcalls has to be the best play here on the flop and turn. Now if a bet came from your left, it would be different.

On the river, you have to bet. I'm surprised that you got 3 callers here.

[J.R.]

I have seen Sklansky talk about raising the BB with Axs. I don't really understand it all that well.

Me neither. I think he talks about ATs on the button and such, but I don't know about Axs from the BB. Best to stay away from the unknown, this game is hard enough.

I think you played the hand fine (calling is not always bad, just usually). Don't raise the flop. Let them in to add value to you draw, you make money off each additional caller unless they are prone to call 2 on the flop.

On the turn, BB bets into a field when the flush card hits. Even if someone wanted to draw with a big diamond after your possible raise, you have the A, and the K and J are on the board, so only the Q or T of diamonds may call. The problem with the flush is that it is an action killing card, since only sets and two pairs are drawing live, and the big blind showed a lot of strength by betting the flush card into a big field. I would have called here hoping one of the flop callers had two diamonds and raised, allowing me to call-re-raise.

I wouldn't go for a river check-raise because:

1) your opponents seem to like calling,

2) while you could argue they had to be drawing to a flush, so someone improved on the river and will bet, well, that's not true (see #1) and

3) you want to try to check-raise an aggressive opponent who is on your immediate left to trap people into calling one more bet. The decision is based which one fetches you more bets. Here your opponents are passive, so they might make a horrible river call but are unlikely to bet (having the river checked through when they would have called you is a disaster). Even if one bets, will your raise shut people out who would have called one if the bet comes from LP? Although they are calling stations, a river check-raise with 4 diamonds on the board is a tough call to make, even for a loose chip tosser who has already out in one bet.