One turn, two decisions

Although my work situation limits my opportunities for playing poker, I am a great fan of this forum and have been lurking here for some time.


Here is a hand I played a few nights ago which still has me puzzled. Maybe some of you would be kind enough to shed some light on it.


I am in the cut-off seat in a 15/30 game; two middle-position players limp in and I raise with QsQc. The BB and two limpers call.


The flop comes 9d7h6d. All check to me and I bet (or should I check here trying for a raise on the turn?). The BB folds and both limpers call. We are now three-handed with 11 2/3 bets in the pot.


My two opponents are the loosest players in the game. At least one of them has seen every flop during the 45 minutes I've been at the table. The First Limper (FL) is pretty straightforward--when he shows aggression, he has a strong hand. The Second Limper (SL) is tricky and likes to control the betting. If he were more selective with his starting hands, he could probably be running over the game.


The turn card is the 5h, so the board is now: 9d7h6d5h. Both players check to me, and I thought about my decision for two or three seconds. As you can tell from the title of this post, I bet. (Correct? Mistake?).


The FL calls and now the SL raises. What now, coach?


I will post the results later.


Gus Contos

I think we saw a very similar post by Bruce earlier. The only difference was a limp-raise before the flop by the player to his friend's right. You are going to have to either fold or call here and the river. It is not unlikely that he limped with A8,89,8T,J8,78,68 since you question his starting hand selection.


When I am in these situations, I find it hard to check-raise and possibly miss a bet, so if I had the 8 I would have bet it on the turn, especially with two flush draws out there. You could also be beaten by a set or two pair at this point. I am guessing he has one of these hands.


Because you can not be certain of your hand on the turn, I would check it almost everytime on the turn and call the river. For the same one bet I see the end of the hand. I'm sure they looked pretty, but your QQ lost a lot of potential with this board.

Check the turn. You are against two limpers who certainly can

have big hands on the turn and you very well may be drawing dead.

If I was up against one player I might bet the turn, but against

two players the likelyhood of one having a made hand is too strong. If you call on the turn you might face a recheck-raise

or some fancy river play where one player bets you call and then

there is a checkraise. I would probably fold on the turn. I might call only if I thought the checkraiser was making a play

at the pot with a flush draw which he just picked up. Life is

a lot simpler if you just check in this situation in general.

On the river you can then play accordingly.


Bruce

For the love of God don't even think about checking that flop. You are probably beat on the turn, and should probably check if you aren't going to fold to a check-raise. If you are sure a check-raise means something and will fold to it, then bet the turn. You are then paying the same amount you would to call on the river and lose, but charge the draws when you are ahead. If you are not sure if you will fold to a check-raise, then check the turn and play the river as you see fit.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm always suspicious of a check-raise on an obvious straight board on the turn. What was SL waiting for? The 5 would scare most players from betting the turn behind him. Why not bet? Also, an open-ended straight draw might have bet the flop.


Still, you could be beaten in one or both spots even if neither player has a straight. Plus there's now two flush draws on board. Lots of cards could come on the river you won't like. I would have checked the turn to see what the river brought, but once I was called and then raised here, I'd probably give it up.

As Drew pointed out, this hand is remarkably similar to the hand posted by Bruce as "A Poor Read". Had I done my homework and read the earlier post, I would not have needed to submit this hand. I want to thank those who, in spite of the duplicated material, responded with advice.


The outcome? I folded my queens (as I had planned when I bet) and the river brought the 2c, making the board 9d7h6d5h2c. The FL showed JhTh and the SL took the pot with AdQd (in Bruce's post, the pot was also taken by an unimproved AQs!).


GC

i think you should've checked the turn, the board is scary and either one could have an 8 with their preflop requirements. betting serves no purpose as if they have the 8 they aren't leaving. at this point you need to get out as cheap as possible, being in last position the river should cost the minimum to see what they actually have.