Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

Okay so normally I play from 10-20 to 20-40 but I found myself in a 30-60 game that just looked too good with about 5k in front me ready to play. I have no reads on anybody, except the UTG player who I recognize as a loose-passive fish whom I have played with for a lot of hours at 10-20. I also recognize the SB from playing higher limit games but have never played against him personally.

UTG limps, button limps, SB completes, I raise red tens out of my BB, this is my first hand. They all call and the flop comes.

9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

Sb checks, I bet, UTG and button call, SB check-raises, I three-bet, we lose UTG and the button and the SB now just calls.

Turn comes an ugly 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
He checks, I check.

River comes a 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

He checks, I check behind, wuss?
-James

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

I think the check on the river is fine. It sounds like you played the turn a little scared, though. I wouldn't put him on a 9 after his check-raise; that reads more like a strong draw that sees a chance to pad the pot at 3x his money. It could be a set, too, but I'd have to think he would have capped the flop (if it's a 5-bet cap) and/or led the turn after it got headsup.

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

At the very least you need to bet the turn.

The river check behind is fine as I don't see a worse hand calling all that often and you would probably want to puke if he checkraises.

Orange

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

I would bet the turn. For the SB to check-raise a lonely 9, after the PFR bets and gets two callers, seems to be a very odd play from the SB. Much more likely a draw.

If you bet the turn and are check-raised again, I would think a fold is then in order. Calling down can't be terrible, though, since it's 2BB more to call down, to win eventually 10BB (plus you are drawing live).

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

Anybody else think the PF raise was borderline, out of position against 3 opponents?

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

Yes, u wussed out.

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Anybody else think the PF raise was borderline, out of position against 3 opponents?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, preflop raise is good. If you're not raising pocket tens from the BB against limpers, you're making a mistake.

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

I don't think it's borderline. He does have position on one opponent who could possibly fold to the preflop raise. The UTG limper is probably a weak player to be charged for limping with QTo or 33 (UTG limping is not the norm for the sharks). The button's hand was not good enough to raise a single limper to get the blinds out.

All signs point to TT winning more than its fair share here.

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

Anybody else think the PF raise was borderline, out of position against 3 opponents?

No, I agree with the preflop raise.

Re: Taking a shot: Did I wuss out?
 

james,

what happened to hand reading? did it just fall by the wayside b/c you decided to take a shot? imagine you're in a 10/20 game and the same thing happens...do you check the turn and give this mand a freebee to make his flush or open ended draw?

i think this flop play by the sb is directly out of SKP's hand reading essay. preflop raiser is directly to the left of man-with-draw he checks hoping to build a pot to support his draw by c-r'ing. you thwart him by 3betting exactly as SKP says you should.

but then you switch your read on him to him having a 9 when it pairs on the turn? if you're really looking for those monsters under the bed i think you just found them. you must bet this turn as he likely has a straight or a flush draw and there are a TON of them out there and he played it EXACTLY as if he had what you thought (on the flop at least) that he had. just to go a little further: if he had a nine why would he c-r? hed bet INTO you hoping you'd raise and knock out the other guys right?

in any case bet the turn.

when the river falls a spade after you checked the turn you've basically said, " i have no intnetion of betting this river". if he had the flush he wouldn't try for a checkraise so you should value bet. BUT, for the life of me, i can't think of a draw that has a pair here that will call.

if you think he'll call you down with ace high then do it but it seems unlikely so the river bet is real thin. paper thin. nano-fiber paper thin b/c what would he call with?

so in sum the turn is the only spot in the hand in which i think a bet is 100% required. all the others are raises.

-Barron