should / could i get my money in faster?

[lawpoker]

i think i got lucky checking the turn here after calling such a large bet on the flop...i'm assuming he believed i was on a heart draw and was trying to shut me out of the pot....and on second thought, he could have KK. damn, i gotta learn to play this game.

Input appreciated....

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed) converter

saw flop|<font color="#C00000">saw showdown</font>

Button ($25.4)
SB ($20.25)
<font color="#C00000">Hero ($40.65)</font>
<font color="#C00000">UTG ($34.1)</font>
UTG+1 ($24.5)
MP1 ($16.25)
MP2 ($22.75)
MP3 ($87.7)
CO ($25)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.25.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises to $2</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls $2, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP3 calls $2, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Hero calls $1.50.

Flop: ($8.25) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets $7</font>, MP1 folds, MP3 folds, Hero calls $7.

Turn: ($22.25) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, UTG bets $25.10 (all in), Hero calls $25.10.

River: ($47.35) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>

Final Pot: $47.35

[TheWorstPlayer]

With an ace or a king on the flop, especially with a draw, my default is to lead into the preflop raiser on the flop. If he raises, it is just SO much easier to get it all in.

[xorbie]

UTG has bet preflop, which means you should be able to put him on a range with some confidence. Have you been paying attention to how he plays his hands? Both what type of hands he plays, and how he plays them when they hit or miss on the flop?

Given that he raised preflop, I would assume he has AJ-AK o/s, or 1010-AA. He might have very loose raising standards, but those are what I'd put him on, especially UTG.

If he is the type to bet on the flop no matter what has hit, then he could have any of these. A smooth call will probably make him somewhat unlikely to continue to bet with QQ-1010, unless he hits his own set (in which case you lose). If he has AQ or AJ, he is unlikely to be betting unless he hits an A (again, this is read dependent). AK, AA or KK he will probably continue to bet, not wanting to let you hit a flush if you are on it. What you can't do is let him stay in this hand with AQ [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or AJ [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] for free, or AK[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] because he has a RR flush draw there as well.

I personally think the optimal move here is to re-raise him $14 or so. This would just about force him to go all in (it would leave him with $10 and a pot of $50 with any hand he likes (AK, maybe AQ or AJ suited if he really likes to gamble) and fold with any hand that he was unlikely to bet on.

I just really don't like giving him another card for free with the two hearts here, becuase there's really very few hands that can improve without being better than you, that he would still bet if unimproved.