The Question is my play on the turn

Here is the hand, all comments are appreciated.


Playing in a decent 10-20 game at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant Michigan.


I'm the BB and have been in the game for about an hour, I've played two hands outside of my blinds but have yet to make it to the river on any.


Three players fold, an agressive player raises, the player to his left calls, the button calls and I call with 5,6 of hearts.


Flop comes


5c 6s 9s


I bet, pre flop raiser calls, next player raises, button folds, I reraise and pre flop raiser now caps.


Turn comes 3h


I check, capper checks, other player checks.


River comes Qh


I check, preflop raiser bets, other player folds, I raise.


He calls and mucks when I show my two pair.


Like the title suggests, I am undecided about my check on the turn. Please note that I was NOT trying for the check raise, I checked because I felt I could call a bet, fold to a bet and raise, but if I bet it out, I would be setting myself up to fold to the agressive player's raise, so I checked and was REALLY suprised when it checked through. On the river, I was ninety percent certain that I'd get the chance to check raise and am CERTAIN that I made the right play against this player.


So my question is this... how bad, good, marginal was my check on the turn? Also, please comment on how you would respond to being raised if you do think it is the best play to bet out here.

The cap looked real suspicious. If his original call was a slow-play (say with a set) surely he'd slow-play again, hehehe. Thus, I would conclude 2-pair was still the best hand and would play "accordingly"; in this case it means betting since nobody else is going to. Don't worry that it gives away the stength of your hand. At least you made up ground with the check-raise on the river.


Getting raised? I don't know, but you still need to bet.


- Louie

You got a near perfect flop for your hand! The raiser probably has a big pair or two big overcards.

You MUST bet on the turn with two pair with this particular flop. You are hoping for opponent to have a big pair and raise you on the turn so that you can 3 bet him.


When you get the near perfect situation (as you had) you must make every dollar you can!


Why give him a free card to beat you when you have the best hand? You were lucky he bet on the river and then called your raise!

The biggest problem with checking the turn is you can put yourself in a situation where you may have to call a double bet

on the turn. How would you react after checking if it went bet

and than raise? You put yourself in a situation where you can

be easily outplayed. On the flop you took the initiative and

why give it up on the turn? I would follow through on the turn

with my aggressive flop play and keep on betting. If raised on the turn I would definetely call. I would probably get my money in faster than the raiser. Your hand illustrates the importance

of position and how it can be difficult to play some hands when

first to act.


Bruce

I LOVE your check/raise on the river, but not the check on the turn. Although, you don't mention if the last player called the two cold after the cap. This would influence my decision some. The call and then cap by the pre-flop raiser doesn't make much sense, and wouldn't concern me a great deal.


I understand your thinking about why you checked the turn, but since it's not the pre-flop raiser I'm worried about, I'd still bet hoping to knock out the third player with a nine, 76s, 98s, etc. or if he has a legitimate draw, to make him call another two cold. If the pre-flop raiser raises after you bet the turn, I'd call him down assuming you don't get counterfieted on the river. Again, I can't tell whether the third player is still in the hand which might influence my decision. Of course, you might want to take this with a grain of salt after reading my post a couple of threads down where I bet the turn only to fold for a raise :>) Good luck!


Kevin