T8o in the SB... and here come the limpers

[MasterShakes]

How did I play this? The call pre-flop was due to the enormous pot odds. I wanted to check raise the flop and being able to re-raise was just a bonus. I wanted to push out any potential flush or straight draws that might have been lingering in early and middle positions.

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

Preflop: Hero is SB with T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (8 SB) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(8 players)</font>
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, MP2 raises, MP3 calls, CO calls, Hero 3-bets, BB folds, UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls.

Turn: (11.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls.

River: (16.50 BB) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
Hero bets, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO folds.

Final Pot: 20.50 BB

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows Th 8s (three of a kind, eights).
MP1 shows 7c 8c (three of a kind, eights).
MP2 shows Kc Kd (two pair, kings and eights).
MP3 shows Qc Jh (two pair, queens and eights).
Outcome: Hero wins 20.50 BB. </font>

[bisonbison]

I bet this flop a lot. I don't like to check-raise the flop unless I've got a real clear read on who's gonna bet it for me.

[illunious]

I don't think check-raising the flop was a mistake. How many times have you seen 8 .5/1 players check a flop through? I wish I had a pokertracker stat but my guess is 1%.

I think you played the hand perfect.

[bisonbison]

It has less to do with it getting checked through than with the vagaries of where the bet's gonna come from. It worked out really well, but it looks much different those times when UTG bets it and everyone calls around to you.

I don't know. I prefer to bet out. I might just be stubborn.

[illunious]

I agree, I bet the flop 90% of the time against any number of opponents.

I just don't think check-raising the flop was a mistake.

[MasterShakes]

I'm up against players who are clearly loose-passive (this hand was just one example of their play) pre-flop, but not so much post-flop. When I see potential flush and straight draws on a paired board, I want my check raise to scream to those draws that I have already made a boat. Being able to 3-bet here was enormously fortunate in my opinion, as it is a rare player who will call 3 bets cold on a straight or flush draw against this board and against this many players. If it weren't for the number of players involved on the flop, there is no way I would have done it.

The play is certainly debatable. Playing it differently could have gained me even more bets on later rounds, or it could have allowed me to be drawn out on.

I appreciate the input... maybe a check raise on a later round would have been more effective.