Getting a Little Too Fancy Here?

I'm sitting in a really good game, very loose and passive. There's only one semi-solid opponent who appears to be thinking at all, and he's at the other end of the table from me.


It's early in the session, and I've been winning and showing down big hands, so I'm getting a little respect.


PREFLOP


I pick up Ac9c in early-middle position. It's folded to me, and I limp. To my surprise, the usual flock of limpers do not follow, and only semi-solid (SS) on the button calls. The blig blind raps on the table.


3 players, 3sb in the pot.


FLOP: Td 9d 3c


BB checks, I bet. SS raises. BB folds, I call.


2 players, 7sb in the pot.


TURN: 6c


I check, SS bets, I raise as a semi-bluff with 9 certain outs and a probable 5 additional outs. SS looks really displeased, and finally calls.


2 players, 7.5bb in the pot.


RIVER: blank


I bet, opponent hems and haws, and finally folds. I muck face down.


What do you guys think of the way I played the hand? Am I getting a little fancy with the semi-bluff (this opponent was the only one at the table at that time on whom I thought it might have a reasonable chance of working...) at 3/6, where possessing two cards is sufficient grounds to call (or even to raise)...

I like your turn checkraise since you think there's a reasonable chance SS will fold. Given your description of him, I'm guessing he's capable of folding in this spot with something like Q-10.


On the river I think you have to bet whether you improve or not, so good play.


If he had something like Q-10, I think he should have either folded to your raise on the turn, or called and then called the river (if he suspected you were semi-bluffing). Of course I may not have his hand right.


Caddy

Not sure if I like the turn checkraise (as I told you last night). When I get raised on the flop, I put him on one of two things: a good hand or a flush draw. When I check to him on the turn and he bets, I make it less likely he's on the flush draw and more likely on a real hand.


Since I have (optimistically, assuming I am behind, which I think is a fair assumption) 14 outs and only one opponent, I'd prefer to have a cheap showdown. I would plan to check-call the turn and river (barring making clubs on the river of course). I'd give this guy credit enough for having a big enough hand that he's going to show down (so I guess I was wrong).

button has A-T, no?

If you consistently try to push 3-6 players off of top pair, you're going to lose money. On this particular hand, I wouldn't be surprised if you had the best hand the whole time.


It's a great play if you know your opponent well enough that we will lay down top pair to a check raise. 95% of players at 3-6 won't.


I really don't like the bet on the river. If the player is only "semi-solid" and called the check-raise, he'll almost always call the river with top pair. I would like this bet much more if the river was a K, Q or J.


Basically, with your turn check-raise and river bet, you're risking 2 BBs to win 6.5. In my experience, at 3-6 top pair doesn't fold even close to 30% of the time.

Any player who will lay down top pair top kicker heads-up on the river after calling a check-raise is a horrible player.

No. I like the way you played this hand. Preflop, limping is fine. In this game I would limp with any suited ace. On the flop, with only two opponents, second pair with an ace overcard and a backdoor flush draw is certainly worth a bet. Obviously you must call the raise. Given that there are possible flush and straight draws, and that hands like QJ or two diamonds are likely hands for your opponent to have, I would consider betting the turn again if a blank comes. However, when the club comes, you aren't in that bad a shape if you give a free card, since that card can just as easily be one of your possible 14 outs (though the ace of diamonds might not be good). So once you check, and he bets, you certainly have an easy check-raise. On the river, heads up, there is plenty of money in the pot to warrant a bluff attempt, plus, you may still have the best hand, so I would bet. Well played.


Dave in Cali

i just figured him for a weak tightie...


we are talking about 3-6


any player who would call a check raise with a made hand and then fold for a river bet is horrible, either fold on the turn or showdown...


i dont think he's worrying about his kicker when he mucks here