Hands & situations like this give me slight problems

[Gomez22]

UB $.25 BB NLHE - 10 handed

I'm SB with A /images/graemlins/club.gif J /images/graemlins/spade.gif and $33.65

MP1($14.85) limps, folded to me, I complete(bad position for rest of hand led me to this decision), BB($7.50) checks.

FLOP($.75): K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif J /images/graemlins/heart.gif 4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

We all check it through....

TURN($.75): 2 /images/graemlins/club.gif

I bet $.75, BB folds, MP1 calls.

RIVER($2.25): 8 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I pot it for $2.25, MP1 thinks.... and folds.

Hands like this(out of position against a caller with MPTK) always make me wonder whether to make the value bet on the river or check/call the hand. In situations like this, I really can't call a raise, can I? But I can call a bet..... Sometimes I just don't know what to do in these situations..... any advice?

[Zag]

It is very dependent on your opponent. If you know he would have raise you on the flop with top pair, but will call you down with bottom pair, and he never bluffs, then go ahead and bet. These golden players, however, don't grow on trees and they don't last long (or their bankrolls don't) when you do find them.

On the other hand, if he is the type that will bet whenever checked to, with second pair or a bluff, then, by all means, check and call.

But if he is a tricky, good player, who usually has the goods when he bets but also bluffs enough to be unreadable, then you just want to avoid the situation altogether. Take, at most, one shot at the pot with this out-of-position hand (usually not even that) and give it up as a bad job.

These bets where there are not many worse hands that will call, and not many better hands that will fold, are very dangerous. Against the right players, with a good read, you can bet them for value, but it is very risky.

[schwza]

I wouldn't bet the pot. You're only going to get called by a worse hand, and it's unlikely you'll chase out a better hand.

I would bet $1.25 or so into the $2.25 pot hoping to get called by a hand like 77 and fold to a raise.

[Ben]

[ QUOTE ]
I would bet $1.25 or so into the $2.25 pot hoping to get called by a hand like 77 and fold to a raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

...and I will steal your weak bet with my near-automatic reraise /images/graemlins/smile.gif

If I'm too weak to make a pot-sized bet I usually don't bet at all.

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would bet $1.25 or so into the $2.25 pot hoping to get called by a hand like 77 and fold to a raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

...and I will steal your weak bet with my near-automatic reraise /images/graemlins/smile.gif

If I'm too weak to make a pot-sized bet I usually don't bet at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, very difficult to say that when you know my hand. I sometimes make this play when I have a big hand and I want to increase the chance I'll get paid off.

[Ben]

Fair enough.

However, I quickly put you on a hand when you call, and fold if you reraise.

[ohkanada]

With only 1 limper and the blinds in, I would bet the flop quite often. You have 2nd pair best kicker.

Once you checked the flop, I think you played it fine on the turn and river.

Ken Poklitar

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
Fair enough.

However, I quickly put you on a hand when you call, and fold if you reraise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Call what?

[Ben]

My reraise to your weakly bet, but huge hand.

I tire of this thread... /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[schwza]

[ QUOTE ]
My reraise to your weakly bet, but huge hand.

I tire of this thread... /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

me too, but i also loooooove getting the last word in /images/graemlins/smile.gif.
[ QUOTE ]
Fair enough.

However, I quickly put you on a hand when you call, and fold if you reraise.



[/ QUOTE ]


You don't need to "put me on a hand" when I call because we're talking about plays on the river - you can just wait to see what I flip over.