33.

[Bob T.]

I believe that there was a post in the mid stakes forum, about why players never call down a pot with a low pocket pair, but they sometimes call down with an unimproved Ace.

Here is a hand that I called down with threes, and just thought that I would post it.

Online 5-10

MP limps, and I limp next with two red threes. My dreams of a multiway pot dissappear as it is folded to the BB who of course raises. MP calls, and I call.

Flop T /images/graemlins/club.gif 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif.

BB bets out, and I decide that if MP folds, I will call. The BB is close to all in, so this will be a little cheaper than normal. MP folds. The BB has 1 and a half bets left, there are currently 7 sbs in the pot, so if I call him down, the pot is laying me 5 to 2 including future action.

I call.

Turn, 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif He bets, and I call.

River 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif He bets all in, and I call.

He shows A /images/graemlins/spade.gifQ /images/graemlins/spade.gif. MHIG.

After the flop, if he indeed has two big cards, I am about a 2-1 favorite, and if he has a pair, I am of course a huge underdog. Comments?

[AceHigh]

The way you played it is OK.

If I'm going to call down with this hand and I'm not playing against a maniac I would often raise the turn, and if called, check down the river if I don't improve.

[AceHigh]

On reflection, I think you definately want to raise the turn because the 9 is a bad card for you and a scare card for your opponent. Your opponent just picked up 6 outs against you giving him 12 outs, any A, Q, T, 5, and is getting ~7:1 on a ~3:1 draw. So it would be a coup for you to have your opponent fold on the turn.

PS - I'm a little surprised you didn't take a raise or fold approach on the flop.

[bunky9590]

Not bad at all. I would put him on 2 big cards as well on the raise. I would raise the flop and bet the turn if a non scary card fell. He would be all in at that point anyway.

[slavic]

Bob - Against someone aggressive and with a proper stack I'd likely raise the flop or the turn. I probably shouldn't just because all I'm going to do is stop a bluffer.

Against an all in I let him put his money in the pot.

[Bob T.]

I didn't think a raise would matter, because he was so close to all in. I agree with everyone who says that against a player with a normal stack, raising the turn would be a better play.