Bad luck or misplayed?

[kingstalker]

I have A-J, 4 players limp in at Party's 25 NL tables, flop comes down 8-J-Q, Im on the button and everybody checks over to me, now usually I wont bet the second pair but this time I did, I bet 3 dollars, everybody folds except a female opponet, next card to come down is another jack giving me 3 of a kind, but this time my oppnet bets first and bets 5 dollars, I figured she had 3 of a kind jacks as well but I figured I was ahead, so I put her all in (50 dollar pot) and she calls, river comes down 10 but is not important, she has 9-10o and floped a straight, did I misplay this or just get unlucky to get 3 of a kind?

[Jon Matthews]

On the button I think you should have raised AJ. Also, you should definitely bet 2nd pair on the board sometimes, especially in your position. Remember, no one may have anything (about 2/3 of people) so make them pay if you have something.

You may not have shaken off T9 in this hand on party though, so you were probably destined to lose a bit....


Jon

[1800GAMBLER]

When betting 2nd or 3rd pair your first consideration has to be the number of players in the hand. If it's 5+ and checked through some is probably slowplaying all the good cards.

Your 2nd consideration is if the player involved would slowplay, which is going to be very hard to judge before you bet, but after you bet you can analyse just the players who calls.

Other factors include:

Draws - If there are draws out there that will call and you wont be able to tell if they are drawing or leading against you.
Free card - If you do check could a free card ruin your hand.


Those last two go hand in hand. If a free card can ruin your hand, they will be draws.

Then decide if you are going to get checkraised on the turn. AJ here would be almost a borderline, in this case i think i'd check and hope for a blank.

Back to the hand, the way you played it, i would have made less of a raise on the turn. But i don't play these blind structures, so that could be debtable.

Turn card was evil for you though.

[kingstalker]

Yeah getting that third jack was bad luck I would of folded on the turn without it.

[ZeeJustin]

At party 25-NL tables, i would make this play every time. People will go all-in with any jack or any queen there, so I think you have a lead against any random opponent. However, I would never play like that in a tough game since only better hands will stay in against you.