$8-$16 at the Bike

[onegymrat]

Unusually loose nine-handed $8-$16 game at the Bike. Two limpers to me in CO and I see 9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif10 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. I limp as does button. SB completes and BB checks. Six to the flop.

Flop: A /images/graemlins/heart.gif7 /images/graemlins/heart.gif4 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Checked to me so naturally, I bet. Button and SB folds. BB and two EP all call. Four to the turn.

Turn: 9 /images/graemlins/club.gif

Checked to me again. I bet. BB folds, both EP call. Three to the river.

River: A /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Your move?

[LivingLegend58]

I bet and fold to a raise.

[Analyst]

Hi, onegymrat!

At this point, I'd guess that EPs could have either a small pair, a weak Ace, or are also on heart draws. You'd have any of the pairs (except TT, but you might have heard from them PF?) or heart draws beaten. The question is if you're looking at Ax, easy to find at a loose table and something that I'd be worried about since they've been calling and may well have put you on an ace.

Are the players here tricky enough to:
- try and check-raise w/3 aces? In which case you're best off checking down. If not, you could bet out if checked to and you'd probably get called by a smaller pair.

- try to represent an ace and bet out on a bluff? In which case, you should call a bet. Raising could get you into trouble if they do have the ace. I'd probably call a bet regardless, though.

[onegymrat]

River was checked to me. Sorry I forgot that info.

[Analyst]

Same answer, then. If you think that your opponents are tricky enough to check-raise 3 aces (since you've bet out on the previousw rounds), then check. If not, bet out and collect some additional bets from 77, etc. Oh, and fold to a raise.

[biggambler]

These guys are known to play any ACE. You may be well behind at this moment. You have four hearts! Why bet the turn? Take the free river card.

[onegymrat]

Hi Analyst,

[ QUOTE ]
The question is if you're looking at Ax, easy to find at a loose table and something that I'd be worried about since they've been calling and may well have put you on an ace.

[/ QUOTE ]This is precisely what I was thinking, which as you can see, put me in a difficult spot.

[ QUOTE ]
Are the players here tricky enough to...?

[/ QUOTE ]This was information was vital, but I didn't have much knowledge. One EP was fairly loose-passive but the other was a new player from a broken game with a grip of chips. I was worried about him more. He wouldn't even look me in the eyes!

[Mike Gallo]

Loose passive I would say judging from the action.

Do you think someone with an Ace would have bet the river? I would say yes, so I really do not think you need to fear the ace. None of these players appear to have the knowledge to check raise, so I would not fear a check raise.

I think you should bet because someone with 55 88 67 45 will pay you off.

[Yang]

hey hows it going gymrat...I agree with all the replies and the most important part is how well you know your opponents. You mentioned that the early player is loose passive and the other player is new so you're in a tough situation. My guts telling me to make a value bet on the river and fold to a raise . And by the way i think that was a GREAT BET on the turn because you might still be in the lead with your pair of nines so a bet will make the pocket pairs or any other weak draw pay to see the river card. I've seen a lot of passive low limit players check with top pair if its a low kicker on the flop but make more aggressive moves when they hit trips so this is a close call. I still say bet for value fold to a raise.
Well thats my opinion =)

[onegymrat]

Initially, with five players in front of me, I was fairly confident I was ahead the whole way, clear of any aces. I put the loose EP on a seven, but the new player seemed too comfortable with that river. I'm not sure how to explain why I felt that way, but something told me I was way behind.

I had eight chips in my hand ready to fire and checked at the last moment. Loose EP had J-7o and the new player took the pot with A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif3 /images/graemlins/club.gif. He definitely lost money on the river.

[Mike Gallo]

Good read. Your opponent played his hand horribly.