Turning the straight and flush draw. $10-$20 at the Taj

[Huh]

Went up to AC this weekend and played some $10-$20 at the borgata, as well as $15-$30 and $10-$20 at the taj. The following hand came up, and a friend and I disagreed on how to play it. So.

I am on the button, five limpers to me and I call with
7 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 8 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

The small blind raises, and the six of us call.

The flop came 9 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif T /forums/images/icons/club.gif 2/forums/images/icons/heart.gif
The small blind bets out, and one guy calls, I call.

The turn puts up the 4 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

It's checked to me, I bet, and both call.

The river is a blank.

It's checked to me and I bet.

Comments on all streets appreciated.

Thanks,
-Huh

[Buckshot]

I'm guessing you got picked off, but if the SB and BB fold 9% of the time it makes this a good bet.

If you didn't wouldn't it be easier to win the pot by raising the flop?

~stephen

[Dynasty]

When the Small Blind checks the turn, it appears he has a no pair hand (AK,AQ) but could also have 88-55. The turn bet is a good. On the river, you can be fairly sure the Small Blind will fold. You're betting hoping that the other opponent folds as well.

I think it's a good river bluff.

[rtrombone]

[cosmo kramer]

I think it's a good river bluff. My guess is the SB had AK and the MP player had QJ, and they both folded to your river bet. This is interesting because if you raise the flop and take the free card, this bluff will not work. However, if you raise the flop and bet the turn when you pick up more outs, you could follow through on the river and pick it up.

[Huh]

The small bind thought for a while and called, the other player in the pot folded. AKoff dragged the pot.

Unfortunately, it looked like the other opponent was going to call, if the small blind folded.

-Huh /forums/images/icons/confused.gif

[DaBartman]

I would have not played it any differently. Flop call is fine, getting correct odds. I would not have raised flop for free card try as only one end of draw is to the nuts and I want to make this hand cheaply. Turn bet is correct with 15 outs even if only 4 are to the nuts. The flush would most always be good given that it is backdoor. River bet is also correct as you have no other way to win against SB raiser. You do not have to win very many of these pots to make this bet profitable. Well played.

[SittingBull]

[DaBartman]

Gotta disagree. If you get played with, how comfortable are you going to be with your hand when a Jack hits? KQ, AQ is correct to take off on the flop. How 'bout a K or Q hitting the turn and you get bet into or check raised? A freightload of outs just went out the window. And even if you re-draw how comfortable are you going to be your bitty flush? IMHO

[rtrombone]

This raise has to be +EV. You're going to make your straight one out of three times, so right there you're getting the proper odds from your opponents, who will call your raise. More importantly, you will have the option of checking the turn if it's a blank and they check to you. If you get there at the turn, you can of course bet it and you make more than you would have. Other good things can happen, like someone making two pair when a jack comes and betting into you or check-raising you.

The only hand you're afraid of is KQ (why do you care if someone has AQ?). The odds of someone having this exact hand do not turn a raise into a -EV play, IMHO.

The fact that you have position makes raising almost an automatic play. I would even check-raise the flop with this hand if I could get an extra bet from everyone. But that's me.