Who played this hand worse?

[NNH]

Here it is...


Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed)

UTG+1 (t1035)
MP1 (t1140)
MP2 (t785)
MP3 (t655)
CO (t590)
Button (t710)
SB (t1610)
Hero (t975)
UTG (t500)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T/images/graemlins/club.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG calls t50, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (t150) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks.

Turn: (t150) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets t50, SB folds, Hero raises to t225, UTG calls t175.

River: (t600) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero bets t225, UTG calls t225 (All-In).

Final Pot: t1050

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows Tc 7d (straight, jack high).
UTG shows 3s Js (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins t1050. </font>


Was I right to reraise on a bluff on the turn? I pretty much read him right. After his bet, I reraised hoping to take his pot right there, plus I convinced myself to raise, since there was a distant gut shot straight possibility. I planned on checking on the river if he called.

I know it was not the greatest play, but was it a horrible play? Thanks in advance.

[Hood]

Personally I don't like the play. I very rarely bluff until the level starts threatening people's blinds. At 25/50, you've got a decent start and you can wait till you've got the better hand.

And this board doesn't seem like a good bluffing point. What hand are you trying to represent? Bluffs work much better when it looks like you've got a hand (I think this is explained in detail in Theory of Poker). If a heart fell on the turn, or the board pairs, then you can try to represent a better hand.

[NNH]

I agree. I was just trying to convince myself that he played the hand worse than me. He might have played it bad, but I shouldn't have put myself in that position to begin with. Luckily, I got out of it unscathed and went on to place 2nd.

Thanks for bringing up "Theory of Poker". I think it's time to go back and re-read relevant chapters. Thanks.

[Prickly Pete]

You made a semi-bluff, he called and you hit your draw. No problem. Granted utg has no business being in this pot and probably should have bet the flop, but I don't blame him for calling all the way down with top pair.

Your play is a bit of a gamble and that's fine. The only thing I'd suggest is to maybe save the semibluff for a bigger stack. When you do hit your gutshot, it's nice to have the possibility of doubling up.

[Prickly Pete]

[ QUOTE ]
And this board doesn't seem like a good bluffing point. What hand are you trying to represent?

[/ QUOTE ]

A turn checkraise from someone getting a free play in the BB is plenty scary on any board. 2 pair, trips, etc are what he's representing.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Your opponent played it worse and it isn't even close.

[NNH]

Like I said before, I had a good feeling he had top pair w/ a weak kicker. But what if he had reraised me on the turn. I would just fold there.

What about if I hadn't hit the straight. Would it still be worth it to put him all in on the river, or should I have checked. I guess in this case, he would've called anyway, but what do you guys think?

Also, is it a little too early in the tourney to be taking these types of gambles?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

You have to fold if he reraises on the turn, and if the river bricks, you're probably best off to give up there. One person who replied said you have to make sure that your bluff accurately represents a specific hand to be believeable, and yours really didn't.

He played far worse, though. His turn bet should've been much bigger and he has no business calling off the rest of his chips on the river with top pair/weak kicker on a board that has both straight and flush potential.

[Hood]

I didn't say it had to accurately represent a bluff, but I think it helps. Although the player played badly here (although it could have been a very good play - he could have read you exactly for what you had - a bluff with only 4 outs) I still don't see the need to make a bluff when the blinds aren't high.

[BradleyT]

It's not scary to someone who is willing to call all in with a hand that shouldn't even be played from the SB.

[Prickly Pete]

[ QUOTE ]
It's not scary to someone who is willing to call all in with a hand that shouldn't even be played from the SB.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. But barring a prior read, NNH doesn't have this knowledge until after this hand.