Late Blind Hand

L-P 6-12 table. I've just sat down, and post my late blind in the cutoff. I get J5o. Ick. 3 limpers to me, I check, button folds, BB checks. 5 players, 5 SB.


Flop is 3 4 5 rainbow. Ooh. Top pair. Now my J5o is looking like a monster. Not. :-p Checked to me. I bet, hoping to just knock people out and win the damn pot. 2 callers. 3 players, 8 SB = 4 BB.


Turn is a 7. Crap. It's possible that one of these L-P shmucks is playing a 6, and flopped open-ended. Both check to me. I check as well, fearing a check-raise. Weak? Should I have bet out here and folded to a raise?


River is a J. Okay. Two pair. This is more like it. To my chagrin, EP checks and MP bets into me. I'm pretty sure he's got a 6 for the str8. I make a crying call. (If a J hadn't come on the river, I would have folded.) He shows me a 6. I muck.


I'm certain I would have been check-raised on the turn, but was I too weak by not betting? (I'm not sure if I made a good read or just lucked into it. I'm usually hesitant to be into a 4-str8, even with low cards.) It cost me the same, and I got to see the river. (Not that it mattered, since only a 6 could have saved me on the end, and it would have resulted in a 3-way chop.)


Damn J5o. I'll just have to play it more aggressively from now on. :-)

Your analysis is correct. Bet the turn and fold to a raise. Frequently players call these flops with overcards and your continued betting when the obvious 1 card straight is possible will get them to fold more often than not.