VERY INTERESTING HAND.... how would you play it???

[Jason Strasser]

I'm going to disagree with nearly every response here.

First of all, this hand is not boring. And posting to tell us that the hand is boring is not productive. We really don't care that you think its boring. Usually its the situations like this, that appear usual are the most helpful in improving ones game.

I do not think a flop bet is bad. I would've made it a little larger, but I think that you can assume that a ten or better will call or raise, and the rest of the hands will fold. I like picking up small pots like this, and this is not a bad flop for 77 at all. On the turn, after the call, I shut it down. Which you did. Your opponent made a very small bet, and there was another call. You had 5 or 6 outs, depending on whether there was a flushdraw out there. If you count implied odds, this is a fine call. I really do not see why people think this call is so awful?

The river was played perfectly.

This hand was not boring, and I think there are some very interesting choices throughtout it. If you say, "nice hand, great job hitting the 2-outer", I think you are wrong.

[bonanz]

You’re right my post was not productive, but i made it strictly because of the fact that the topic was "VERY INTERESTING HAND." BAM in my face, it did catch my attention and boy was i disappointed...that's all. My intention was not that its bad to ask for help or a hand review or to say that play was bad or that it was an easy hand or whatever, but that topic caught my eye and i was expecting more...

as far as play it was fine to me...the guy with 9's played it poorly. But our hero took a stab on the flop, maybe could have bet a little more maybe. Got callers. Checked the turn ready to give up. Assuming nobody had a 4 or 2 diamonds, the villain's bet allowed him to call. and hitting your outs on the river is always nice and the check raise was a given....

The original poster had an idea pretty much. I notice newer posters tend to post hands where they hit their draws etc. my boring comment was in response to the topic in relation to the actual hand, had the topic been "how would you play" or "how did I do" I would have said nothing. I was really expecting an exceptional hand.

regards,
bonanz

[Pitcher]

Hi All,

Not a boring hand. I don't like the way it was played very much. 1st. I would have come out with a larger flop bet to try to take the pot right now. Even if someone has a 10 they might laydown (unlikely, I know, and hard to say without some sort of read) if they have a lousy kicker. It puts the pocket 99's in a bad spot. UTG played this completely wrong. That should have been an immediate reraise at which point you can throw your hand away. When he came out with a small bet on the turn, I think you were right to take a shot. Of course, the river was fine.

To me though, the reason you even had a chance to win the pot is due to poor play on the part of your opponent. Isn't that how it usually is?


Pitcher

[steeser]

I also think it's interesting hand. I like the bet on the flop, although like someone else said a little larger would have been better. The turn check and call is good as it's a very small bet relative to the pot, and you are closing the action.

The river is the toughest and most interesting part of the hand. I probably don't check here, as that is the type of card that most players will check behind. I would have bet out instead of check raising, but in this case it probably got you the most. But when you checked, your opponent bet small, and you raised, I wonder what you would have done had he re-raised (all-in especially). I would think fold...

[Jason Strasser]

I think I would call.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I think if you're going to play this hand aggressively on the flop, you have to make draws fold. By only betting 60, you're giving the first caller 3-1, which, while not on draw value alone is good enough to call, any additional overcard outs will make up the difference. So if you bet the flop, you really have to make it pot-size.

On the turn, you have 5 clean outs (you can be relatively sure 98 isn't out there), but you should have reasonable impled odds when you hit. It's a thin call, but reasonable.

[snowbank]

Thanks for the good feedback on the hand Jason. What are your thoughts on this... My reason for betting small is so if I get re-raised most of the guys Im playing against will only raise the minimum. So for example, if I bet 20 and am up against an A-10, if I get raised it will probably be to 40, which I would call. If I bet big trying to pick it up, if I'm going against top pair and get raised I'll probly fold it. Obviously I would always like to fold there, but I wouldn't know he had that hand then. What are your thoughts on that? Do you agree with my reasoning, or still say put out a large bet there and hope to close out everyone if there is no 10 paired?

[Jman28]

If you will look back at my response to the initial post, you will see that I was quite close in opinion to Jason. I must be learning how to play poker. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Jason Strasser]

I think I'd agree with Pitcher in that you should make a real raise. A tiny bet means nothing at all, and smart opponents will semi-bluff, and may even raise with hands you beat. I would bet 100-125 on this flop, and fold to any sort of raise. I think if someone raises a real bet, you can fold comfortably. But a real bet will also assure yourself the pot most of the time.

[snowbank]

If I check/fold on flop, that's basic ABC poker. Nothing wrong with that at all! I like to try to stay unreadable, mix up my play. I can check fold all day long, but sooner or later I'm going to have to make some plays. Now, I didn't think I would win the pot there with the 60 bet. I thought someone might have a flush draw or pair of 10's. I thought I would have 1 caller on the flop. That dodn't quite work out, but I like to try and switch up my play from ABC. You agree at all or no? Interested in your thoughts.