funny and gratifying straddle hand

I'm in a 10-20 game, the texture of which is constantly changing but is currently quite sloppy due to a loose aggressive moron (LAM) who goes on tilt under a variety of circumstances, including winning several hands in a row.

Anyway, I am in middle position when LAM straddles the blind and I find black 3s in the pocket and call. Four players behind me call. It gets to the small blind, who says "I can raise this" and does so; Big blind folds. Everyone else, of course, calls. We see the flop 8 ways (x$30).

Before the flop falls, the man sitting next to me, a solid player who folded says "if you can call it, why not raise it." I told him that I was pretty sure it would be raised behind me and that the hand is highly speculative. I let him sweat my pocket 3s and he agrees about the speculative part.

When the flop came 3h3d-x his eyes almost popped out of his head. I could only manage to get another $40 into the pot, which was fine.

I enjoyed this hand very much and just wanted to share.

shaniac

[budman]

Nicely played!

[Dynasty]

I was pretty sure it would be raised behind me and that the hand is highly speculative.

That's a reason to fold, not a reason to call.

How do you figure? In a game as loose as this one and the complete randomness of the situation I was content to hold a pocket pair, albeit a low one but still slightly better than a "random hand."

to my thinking, if the flop hit me I would certainly take down a nice pot, if not, I've lost $30. OTOH, if I raise, the minimum I lose is $30 and, having commited myself to seeing a flop, I will have to call any raise that follows, as much as $50.

Perhaps my thinking is off but I never considered myself a great player and once in a while it pays to speculate.

shaniac

[M2d]

you either want them heads up or the more the merrier. the middle ground (which is what a raise is likely to net in a loose game) sucks for these holdings.