Raised on the river by a live player $6-$12 @ the Borgata

[Mike Gallo]

I had the following hand at a good $6-$12 game at the Borgata last night.

Five limpers to me and I check my option from the big blind with K 7 off suit.

Flop 7 9 4 rainbow

I bet the player to my immediate left calls, folded to a live player who calls everyone else folds.

Turn K 7 9 4 completes rainbow

I have two pair, I feel confident I have the best hand. I check because I thought the live player would bet and I could check raise. He usually would bet when checked to. I missed the check raise because neither player bet.

River J K 7 9 4

I bet the player to my left called, the live player raised. What action should I have taken?

I will provide some background information on both players. The player to my immediate left most likely had a J. He most likely had J 10 or J Q. He played over cards from UTG and usually chased to the river. He played in a predictable manner. When he bet he thought he had the best hand, that didn’t mean he had the best hand. When he called, he usually had a piece of the flop. If he raised he had a big hand.

The live player could have just about any hand. He played any two cards. He paid me off earlier with 33 against a final board of 10 10 5 A 9. His raise could have meant something. He could have had 8 10 or Q 10 for a straight. He could have had a better two pair. However I thought this unlikely since he took the free card on the turn.

So the decision comes down to re-raising or calling.

If I re-raise, the player to my left will fold and I can get re-raised by the live player who could have a better hand. If I call the player to my left will most likely call also.

What action would you take?

[JTG51]

Well, there are some issues to think about. Would the live player have bet any pair when checked to on the turn? Would he raise the river with second pair? If he would bet any pair on the turn, and he wouldn't raise the river with just a J, then just calling is better.

Are you really, really sure UTG will fold if you 3-bet? If he will that's another reason to just call (and go for the overcall).

Without solid answers though, I say reraise. Remember, it doesn't look like you have much. When you are raised by a live player and have a stonger hand than your action to that point has indicated, it's almost always correct to reraise.

[Apocalypse]

does it matter what he has? i mean, u do not have the nuts in a long shot(probably second-best nonetheless), and calling will give u just as many bets as a reraise-call would give u, taken into account the player on your left calls. So why take the risk of a possible 4-bet that will only let u pay off 2 bets more for what u already know by then: you got a bad beat by a bad player

[Mike Gallo]

I decided to call. I did not think I had the best hand. The player to my left also called.

I had the best hand.


The player to my left had AJ and the live player did not show. He did not know the rule that whoever made the last action had to show first. I did not want to embarrass him so I never asked to see his hand. He claimed a few hands later that he had J7.

In hindsight I realize I missed a bet. I thought he would bet any pair on the turn if checked to. I saw monsters under the bed for this hand. I should have re-raised and call a re-raise. Since the showdown started three handed we do have a cap if one of the players folds. The Borgata enforces this rule, unlike the Foxwoods.

[gonores]

I'd call and hope for the overcall. I can't imagine the guy to your left will fold for one more bet here, especially considering the source of the raise. Consider the fact that he checked the turn...given your description, don't you think he is pairless here? Unless he's got the balls to raise two opponents on the river with just a jack, I'm guessing he found his straight.

I'm not sure I like your turn check-raise attempt either...I'd try string out the guy between you two instead, especially if he is an overcard-chaser.

Doug.

[Mike Gallo]

I'm not sure I like your turn check-raise attempt either...I'd try string out the guy between you two instead, especially if he is an overcard-chaser.

Doug,

I thought the live player would bet and I could check raise.

His check on the turn through me off. I did not think he would check with a pair.

I did miss a bet on the turn and a reraise on the river. I lost $24 this hand.

[dirty_dan]

I can't quite see where the dilemma is. If you know you can get the overcall, you've got to go that route. The only way you'll win more is if the live player likes his hand enough to reraise AND you've got him beat. There's a number of plausible hands that he can be holding that are ahead, and there aren't many losers on that board that he'd cap with.

I'll just call all the time here.

[Apocalypse]

okay i must be dumb(so please put me out of my misery /images/graemlins/grin.gif), but how did u lose a bet for not reraising if u say the player on your left would fold on a move like that (and now called instead), and with J7 even the live one would just call i guess...

on the turn i agree u missed one..

[Mike Gallo]

Would the live player have bet any pair when checked to on the turn?

Yes, he bet when checked to on the turn with 66 against an A K 4 9 board. A player check raised him on the turn with AK. He paid off.

Would he raise the river with second pair? If he would bet any pair on the turn, and he wouldn't raise the river with just a J, then just calling is better.

My thoughts exactly.

Are you really, really sure UTG will fold if you 3-bet? If he will that's another reason to just call (and go for the overcall).

Yes, he almost didnt call the raise. He hemmed and hawed and finally called.

When you are raised by a live player and have a stonger hand than your action to that point has indicated, it's almost always correct to reraise.

A lesson I learned after this hand /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[gonores]

Correct me if I am wrong here....I could be reading it wrong. I'm thinking that if the live player bet the turn, you'd raise and confront the guy to your left with two bets. With two pair, I think I'd rather bet and have the guy to your left call 1 bet while drawing rather thin.

Given your reply, I assumed you called the river and won? Unless the guy to your left folded to the live player's raise, I don't think you missed a bet...you just made the bet from a different source, because I doubt the guy to your left is calling your reraise.

[Mike Gallo]

Clearly I made a mistake by check raising.