Outthinking myself?

Playing 3-6

I get 88 in cutoff and limp behind 3 others. Button limps and both blinds are in so 7 see the flop. This is a very loose aggressive game for the most part, so I'm very happy to slip into a pot for one bet with a hand like 88. The two loosest most aggressive players are directly on my left (so in this hand, they are button and SB).


Flop: K-10-7 twotone


Checked to me. I consider betting briefly, but decide to check. Mistake? Button checks.


Turn: 10 flush not there yet


Checked to me, I check. Button, a real "never let it be checked around twice" kinda guy bets. SB calls. One limper calls. Now, on the nature of the game, its absolutely impossible that anyone has a K and didn't bet the flop. Button's bet doesn't mean much. So, I reason that if no one has a K, and no one checkraised the turn, no one has a 10 (unless its button, but I'm willing to gamble that this particular guy doesn't have one).


So I go 12. Button calls. Now SB checkraises to 18. Person in between calls (I'm now figuring him for a flush draw that's getting uncomfortably expensive based on the look on his face). However, I'm worried that SB actually does have the 10. So I just call. Button calls, saying "I guess I should have kept my mouth shut!"


River: 5 no flush


Now SB checks (?!). In between checks. To me. I steal a glance left and button looks, to put it mildly, disinterested in the hand (and there is zero chance this is a reverse tell). I check, button checks.


Thoughts on this hand?

SB showed A-10 and I spent a fair bit of time puzzling over why he played it the way he did before coming to the conclusion that I had no idea.

I think you need to consider what your real deep turn check-raise looks like to the aggressive players? Sure looks suspicious to me. Raising in that spot is a DISASTER if you ever intend to fold since you can expect to get one of these two to play back at you. Good for you you didn't fold to the 3-bet.


You probably should have bet for value on the turn since your hand is almost surely best.


Even after all that action I'd still suspect my hand was good, and since THEY think you are screwing around I would bet your 88 for value on the river. Its a great bet and regardless of the outcome it will be great for your image, ESPECIALLY if you win.


- Louie

I think you are best, but I don't think you should bet. I think there may be 2 busted draws, who will fold to your bet, but unless someone is playing a 7 (Possible given the way the betting has gone) noone you can beat will call.

SB cant bet his 2nd pair in terrible position on the flop, and on the turn I am sure that he knew that the button was going to try to buy the pot, and he was going to wait for the river to checkraise. Once you raised for him, he put you on a flush draw, or trips with a lesser kicker and had to three bet it to make you pay for the river. A great play by SB, and I agree with your check on the river, since he knows you're a good player, and probably figures that he'll save money by not betting into you, and possibly make more money if you check, and the button (stupidly) puts you both on draws and bets, and allows SB to checkraise again.

I think that your thinking is fine, but if I'm at the table with you, am I going to believe that you have a K or a T? No way. If you had the K, you'd bet the flop, and if you had the T would you really go for the check-raise with only one possible person left to bet? Seems fishy to me. I agree - SB's play also seems weird.