QTs in late position

Loose, 9-handed, $4-$8 in Seattle with a couple of truly bad players in the game. I'm in the cutoff with QsTs.


Everyone limps to me. I raise. The button reraises. This does not necessarily indicate the button has an extremely powerful hand, but he probably doesn't have garbage either. Everyone but the BB calls including me. 8 players, 25 SBs.


Flop: Qd 7s 2c


Bad MP1 bets. He will play anything preflop and will bet any pair on the flop. MP2 and MP3 fold. I raise. Button calls. Bad EP1 calls. EP2 calls. MP1 calls. 5 players, 35 SBs.


Turn: Ah [Qd 7s 2c]


All check to me. I bet. Button calls. The rest fold. 2 players, 19 BBs.


River: 4d [Ah Qd 7s 2c]


I bet. Button calls.


1: Is my raise before the flop a bad play? At the time, I thought I should raise with my somewhat big suited cards in late position. I also thought I could buy the button. After thinking about this hand, the raise would be justified if they were big suited connectors (JT or QJ), but I'm not sure if the one-gapper was worth a raise.


2: Once the flop came, my mind went into "try to win this huge pot however you can" mode. On the turn, I'm trying to represent AQ. On the river, I knew I would call if I checked and the button bet, so I decided to bet out (although I can't say I could get myself to fold to a raise).


Results: Button shows As8s to take the pot. Any comments are appreciated.

The pre-flop raise was with good intentions, but once the buttom went for the re-raise, I would proceed with caution. On the flop you played it right. If the button has AK he might let it go giving you the positional edge.I would have checked once the A hit. let the button represent the A. You know with a game that loose and all those callers on the last bet, the A is active, and will more then likely not fold. Save your money and hopefully the button will check and you can try and improve on the river, and check and call or fold. TEL

Preflop raise is just fine. I also like the raise on the flop. But once the A comes and the button is still on you then it is time to slow down. Betting the turn isn't horrible, but betting the river isn't wise. He didn't 3-bet preflop, call 2 on the flop and call on the turn when an A hits without being able to beat queens with no kicker. Check the river down and save a bet.