AJs - Playing my draw passively to collect overcalls..

[Joe826]

Since my BR is big enough to play 5/10 i've decided to dabble here and there when I find a good game, not because I think i'm completely ready for it, but it will make the transition easier when I decide to take the plunge. Anyways, here's a hand I was curious about. I'm curious about this concept in general. UTG is a calling station and I haven't seen much from CO, so i'm not sure how he plays.

Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with J/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls, CO calls.

Flop: (8.40 SB) 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(4 players) </font>
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">CO bets</font>, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (6.20 BB) 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(4 players) </font>
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="CC3333">CO bets</font>, Hero calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

River: (9.20 BB) 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players) </font>
UTG checks, CO checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds, CO calls.

Final Pot: 11.20 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 11.20 BB, between CO and Hero.</font>


Alot of the time I would raise this flop/turn with such a good draw, but in this case I figured I was making more on my money if I allowed UTG and BB to see the turn for one bet. If I raise here, it's likely that UTG and BB would fold and instead of getting 3:1 on my money i'm just even money on the flop. I strongly considered raising the turn, but didn't for the reasons given above. Is this sound?

I know the advantage of raising would be the possiblity of picking up the pot with a semi-bluff bet on the turn or the river unimproved, but I chose not to do it as I didn't think CO would fold after he bets into me on the flop and turn. Are there any other advantages? How would you play this?

[Jeffage]

Not raising the flop or at least the turn is poor poker in my opinion. I'd raise the flop. Two bets from one player is the same amount as one bet from two players. Yet your chance to win the pot goes up and you give yourself more options with position if you need them. You played way too passively here. You need to splash with big draws like this in my opinion.

Jeff

[Joe826]

"Two bets from one player is the same amount as one bet from two players."

That's true, but the point is that it's a draw, and since I won't always win this hand i'm getting better on my money if I just call. I lose less and win the same when I call as opposed to raise.

You're probably right though, this seemed incredibly weak to me too and like I said I usually raise this flop in heartbeat, it just seemed correct at the time. I guess the real question is whether or not the added advantages I get from raising will make up for my bettered odds I get by just calling. In retrospect I probably should have raised the flop and taken a free card on the turn if I didn't improve (I would have bet though, since I got my 4 to a flush). How do you play this Jeff?

[adanthar]

On the flop, if you always raise with a draw, observant people will 3 bet you half the time anyway; in a borderline situation like this one, there's nothing wrong with check/calling just to vary your play a bit.

On the turn, raising is a possibility, but I haven't played enough 5/10 to figure out how +EV it is to semibluff a draw there. I don't really like that play yet (though that might change once I make the switch from 3/6 full time.)

[Crumpled Ear]

You also need to consider that there are 2 ways to collect--if you hit your hand and if you scare the rest of the players out. By playing your hand so passively, you are eliminating the latter of these two possibilities. That IMO hurts your game a good deal.

[Jeffage]

I'd likely raise the flop. You raised preflop...to your opponents, you could easily have AQ, KK, AA, JJ, etc. Raise and see what happens. Your call looks weird...either you have nothing or are slowplaying a monster. If you go that route, raise the turn...you have tons of outs (8, K, spade, ace possibly). You may win it right there and if not you have a good chance of drawing out. The way you played it you must hit ur hand to win...you have enough outs to give urself a chance to win it another way. Raising the flop makes it easier to play.

Jeff