Couple of hands...

Typical 5-10 game. My image is VERY VERY tight and my raises and bets were getting a lot of respect.


First hand: I'm in the SB with red kings. 5 limpers, I raise, the BB folds and all the limpers call.


The flop comes As 8s 3d. I decide that I would bet once to see if I could take down the pot right now. Should I maybe just check/fold in this situation. In retrospect, I don't think any player would lay down any ace, but I went ahead and bet. All 5 of them called me. I figure I'm dead.


The turn puts the king of spades, giving me a set, but putting 3 spades on the board. I bet out, get called in two places.


The river is the 2c, a total blank. I bet, get called, then raised, I call and the caller calls.


Did I play this right? Should I have re-raised? Should I have bet the flop in the first place?


Second hand:


I'm on the button with Ac Qc. 5 limpers, I limp, SB folds, BB checks. 6 people see a flop of Tc 9h 4h. The BB bets out, all 5 limpers call, I decide that since I am closing the betting, 2 overcards and a backdoor flush is good enough to see one more card for 11-1.


Turn puts the Ah. Checked around, I bet, get called in two places.


River puts the Ad. Checked around, I bet, get called by one.


Should I have raised pre-flop for value? Should I have called on the flop? Were my turn and river bets ok?


Results to follow...


sam

I lost both hands to weak flushes that were made on the turn.

1) I would've re-raised the river, then called. No raise when the 3-flush hits would signal to me that people are still on the draw (if I made a flush on the turn, I'd raise to make it expensive for single spades to stay in).


I'd think that a flop bet from the SB would only get called by Aces, underpairs/sets or 4-flush draws. It's hard to fathom that all five limpers would fall into that category, but I guess it could happen.


2) Raise pre-flop with AQs. Good call on the flop. Too bad it was checked to you on the rest of the streets. No check-raise probably means no flush, however.

If a "typical" 5-10 game is this weak, I'd like to know where to sign up...

OK, I didn't peak this time.


[1] You are going to get called with this flop but not necissarily by an Ace. Betting, therefore, does little to improve your chances AND you get almost no information from it and disguising your hand doesn't do any good. But it looks like you'll get about 15:1 to call for you 2-outer so calling may not be so bad; and if calling isn't so bad then betting isn't so bad either. Betting looks like a toss up. Otherwise you played it fine. DEFINATELY do not 3-bet the river since you are probably beat and you WANT the over-call. The raiser, BTW, knows the tight-wad in the SB has a set and waits until he sees there is not pair before raising. Make a mental note that this player understands and respects your raises; but I guess you already did that.


[2] Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes. Well except maybe since you have such a tight image and won't expect to get called.


- Louie