How bad did I play this?

[sublime]

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, J/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (6 SB) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(6 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls, CO calls, SB calls, BB folds, UTG+2 calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP2 calls, CO folds, SB calls, UTG+2 folds.

River: (8.50 BB) T/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP2 bets</font>, SB folds, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 10.50 BB, between Hero and MP2.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by MP2 (10.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows Td Js (one pair, tens).
MP2 shows Ts Kd (two pair, kings and tens).
Outcome: MP2 wins 10.50 BB. </font>

[bisonbison]

Fold preflop. Check-fold the flop. Check-fold the turn. The river call is closer than any other decision in the hand.

[sublime]

I played this about as poorly as possible

J10o is not acceptable in MP?

[cold_cash]

I'd pitch it too, especially after only one limper.

I wouldn't call with this hand on the button after 2 limpers, either.

[sublime]

So its a borderline hand, that should be used in LP with at least 3 lipmers.

Cool

[thirddan]

folding preflop i agree with, but why would he fold the flop when he picked up a double belly buster?

The river is close but i would probably fold...

[sublime]

The River and Pre-flop I can see my mistakes, I am still eliminating the last few junk hands I still use.

It was good play, sandwiched by two bad decisions.

[cold_cash]

I think this is one of those hands that a really good player could consistantly make profitable plays with.

I, however, am not that player, so I usually just don't mess around with it.

We might find that hands like these that we "weed out" of our playbook will be put back in someday in the future.
I don't know if that's really the case, though.

Maybe JTo is an overall loser for most players, but can be played profitably by better player in the right situation. I only know that I'm not too comfy playing it at all at this stage in my poker career.

[sthief09]

what you attempted on the flop was a semi-bluff. at .50/1.00 in large pots, there is basically no such thing as a semi-bluff, for one major reason. there is 0 chance you'll win the pot uncontested. that is the major component of a semi-bluff. the reason why we say to bet a flush draw is because if lots of people are calling you down, you are getting more money in the pot with an overlay (meaning you're 2-1 against hitting a flush but if 4 opponents call, you're getting 4-1).

now you might be asking "how could I bet for value in this hand?" you have to pick a spot (ie a board) that doesn't appeal to other people. I don't know if you're familiar with the term, but this is referred to as an uncoordinated board. if the board had been [9 /images/graemlins/heart.gif 7 /images/graemlins/club.gif 3 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif] then you should go ahead and bet for value. you want QJ, QT, KT, KJ to fold here so that when you make one-pair you won't be outkicked. plus, you have 4 outs to the nuts, so even if you can't make anyone fold, you still have a chance to make the best possible hand. in general, it's hard for anyone to hit this flop, and that's why it's less risky.

in the flop in your example, there are 2 hearts and a king, plus 2 one-gap cards. this is a pretty coordinated board. the problem with betting here is that even if you hit a J or a T, you might still be behind.

I see that you're testing out being more aggressive, which is good. a lot of people are too weak-tight, and it's better to learn aggression now than when the stakes are higher. you'll learn in time how to pick your spots. I'm doing the same, and it's pretty difficult, but I can definitely see my aggression winning me more money.

but in general you should make a habit of always looking at the texture of the flop. automatically think of all the straight draws and flush draws, and consider how many hands the flop is likely to have hit. if I saw this flop, I'd be very weary to bet into it, because you have very few outs.

I'd also like to agree with everyone that said you should much JTo here. make a habit of considering the number of limpers in front of you, rather than just position. I personally hate that hand and rarely play it.

[bisonbison]

sometimes, I miss the double-belly buster when reading the board.

[afs]

[ QUOTE ]
what you attempted on the flop was a semi-bluff. at .50/1.00 in large pots, there is basically no such thing as a semi-bluff, for one major reason. there is 0 chance you'll win the pot uncontested. that is the major component of a semi-bluff. the reason why we say to bet a flush draw is because if lots of people are calling you down, you are getting more money in the pot with an overlay (meaning you're 2-1 against hitting a flush but if 4 opponents call, you're getting 4-1).

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't this a value bet? 8 outs to nut str8 ...

[kiemo]

I think you can play this hand from middle position, depends mostly on how good your postflop is. I personally muck it unless I have at least 3 limpers.

After semi-bluffing two streets, I think you have to bet out on the river, especially since you caught at least a pair with it.

[afs]

[ QUOTE ]
After semi-bluffing two streets, I think you have to bet out on the river, especially since you caught at least a pair with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

The flop bet isn't a semi-bluff -- he has a double gutshot and 5 opponants, four oh whom call. The turn wouldn't be either, if he could expect 4 callers.

Why do you say he has to bet the river? I think check/call check/fold are pretty equal here, assuming anything like a typical party .5/1 opponant (that is, he's folding ONLY if he's VERY beat.) All you do by betting is give your opponant a chance to raise.

[ZootMurph]

I play JT regularly, but only in late position. The value is in the straight, not pairing up. You need to be able to let go of this hand readily when you play it. And you have to value bet/raise the straight draws, since they are all nut straights.

In this instance, I would have built the pot for the double belly buster on the flop. Called the turn and folded the river, since some caller had to have a King.