40-80 Shorthanded

[bruce]

40-80 five handed game. Two live ones. My image isn't rather high, having had two big
hands cracked when this hand occurred about 10 minutes later. I am in the cutoff when
I open raise with K8s and the button (live one ) calls along with both blinds. The flop comes
Qs 9s 4c. I have a flush draw with an overcard. I bet the button calls and both blinds fold.
Turn brings 2h. I bet and my opponent calls. The river brings a Jc. I bet and my opponent
calls. He turnsover 94s and drags the chips. Comments appreciated.

Bruce

[skp]

Bad luck but what's up with the button never raising once after having flopped two pairs?

I see nothing wrong with your play.

[Boris]

you got very lucky. you could've very easily been raised on the turn and then had a king come on the river so you pay off one more bet.

You might want to think about playing more weak-tightish until you get your momentum back.

live ones know how to raise with flush draws, so you're wasting a bet on the river

When your getting beaten up you have to tighten up.....Even though shorthanded i don't like raising with that preflop.

[Trefo]

I agree you must tighten up early there when on a losing streak.

[JTG51]

I don't like the river bet. Sometimes you just have to give up. He seems to have something worth calling a river bet. As someone else pointed out, a live one will usually raise with a flush draw.

Although, this guy doesn't sound like a live one. Most rocks I know will raise somewhere with 2 pair, nevermind live one's. Maybe you should reassess your read of this player.

I much prefer a turn check-raise here, but it's OK to bet I suppose. I think the river bet is tough - the only hands he can lay down that you beat are KT, KJ and a big flush draw. I don't know if the odds he has one of these warrants a bet, but it might - you know his play better than I.

[M.B.E.]

Dan -- I don't think you can rule out the live one laying down a small pair on the river. It depends on the psychology. You might assume that if he called you all the way with bottom pair he'll call again on the river, and for some live ones that's true but not all. He might have been thinking something like "I know I'm not ahead, but if I hit my kicker I'll probably be good." Then when he doesn't hit his kicker he folds to a bet.

The fact that there are so many draws on board make this very unlikely. Were the board more ragged, this seems more plausible. In other words - "my calling indicates a draw, yet he bets the river anyway, why?". Of course, it's opponent dependent.

The hands I listed - KJ, KT, other draw with a K or A, may be enough reason to bet alone. I did not do the math, because I am in the dark about how opponent would play them pre or post flop.