99 hand versus a maniac

[Brian]

Party 10/20 ring game. I am dealt 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif on the BB. Unknown EP limps, MP who is a loose player but plays decently post-Flop limps, maniac on the Button raises, I call, limpers call. 4 to the Flop for 8sb.

Flop: T /images/graemlins/club.gif T /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check, limpers check, maniac bets, I raise, EP limper folds, MP cold-calls, Button calls. At this point, I was willing to give my hand up. With no draws on the Flop, I thought the MP player probably had a Ten. 3 to the Turn for 14sb (7bb).

Turn: Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check, MP checks, Button bets, I fold. Results later.

-Brian

[Ulysses]

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Party 10/20 ring game. I am dealt 9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif on the BB. Unknown EP limps, MP who is a loose player but plays decently post-Flop limps, maniac on the Button raises, I call

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Did you consider 3-betting here? If I thought there's a reasonable chance one of the two limpers would fold, I'd definitely 3-bet here.

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I check, limpers check, maniac bets, I raise

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OK.

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I check

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Right here is where I like a vehn-like bet-and-fold-to-a-raise. If I'm feeling saucy, I'll think about checkraising the button again, though.... Whether or not I actually do that depends on a lot of stuff. Actually, it doesn't, 'cause I'd bet.

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Button bets, I fold.

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Did you fold 'cause Button bet or 'cause you thought MP was getting ready to fire out a checkraise? This is cool when MP checkraises. It's less cool when Button shows A5 on the river and MP takes it down w/ 66.

[samdash]

I think just calling preflop here is better as its a perfect spot to set up the trap (TM) (see winning low limit holdem by Lee Jones, calling out of the small blind vs. a late position raise with the intention of check-raising flop)

[doublesnapper]

I'd raise the turn, hoping for MP to fold. Keep charging till I find resistance, if/then call all the way to the river. IMO you folded a likely best hand.

[Brian]

Hey Ulysses,

I considered re-raising to attempt to isolate the maniac pre-Flop, but I did not think that it would eliminate the field any. I also did not want to be playing in a 3 or 4 way multi-raised pot out of position with a pair of 9's. As for the check-fold, yes, I folded because I thought that MP was going to check-raise. As soon as he cold-called, I gave my hand up. The Queen on the Turn didn't help matters either.

-Brian

[Al_Capone_Junior]

The cold call of the raise usually gives up that they have the ten. There's nothing else on the board they could have, unless they are that stupid to call with two overcards (or even one). Can't see it. You're beat. Fold.

al

[Ulysses]

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The cold call of the raise usually gives up that they have the ten. There's nothing else on the board they could have, unless they are that stupid to call with two overcards (or even one).

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Small pocket pairs are another possibility in this situation.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

small pocket pairs may be a possibility, but I generally look for better place to play my nines. it's going to cost a lot to get to the river, and any future raises you see are surely going to mean you're beat. I prefer to usually save the cash instead of getting beat, particularly with more than one opponent.

al

[Your Mom]

I see people calling with small pairs all the time here. How about bet and fold to a c/r on the turn. If MP just calls the turn, then check-call the river.

[Brian]

Turn:

Q /images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check, MP checks, Button bets, I fold. MP raises, Button calls.

River: 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif

MP bets, Button calls.

MP has K /images/graemlins/spade.gif T /images/graemlins/heart.gif
Button has A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif A /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Well, even maniacs get dealt AA on occasion... I certainly didn't read him for that, but I guess that's the one strength of being a maniac.

-Brian

[elysium]

hi brian
the flop check-raise is fatally flawed because of the loose player between you and the weak button. your better off check-calling. when the Q falls on the turn, you should then go into a sudden reversal by betting out on the turn and river.

when you want to check-raise a weak button but have a loose player in between, slow-play by check-calling and on the next round, if a scare card hits, bet out. it's a lot better if that card is the A rather than the Q, but your 99 looks like the leader and you'll have to figure out how to bet it like a leader. when you have a loose player in between like that.....whew, never check-raise. this is a clear SP on the flop, and in my opinion a sudden turn reversal. also, check-calling the flop and check-folding the turn isn't awful when the loose player shows strength. here, i think you may have folded the winner.

[Brian]

Hi elysium,

Notice that I said the loose player plays decently post-Flop. I do not think that the check-raise was fatally flawed, because I was sure he would fold any hand that wasn't a Ten, including overcards and underpairs (probably not an overpair, but he would've raised it pre-Flop).

-Brian

[AceHigh]

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MP has K T


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I usually play it exactly the way you did. In my experience at Party, MP is going to have trips a very high percentage of the time after he called 2 cold back to him on the flop. The way you played it makes it an easy turn laydown.