did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

7 Card Stud High ($2/$4), Ante $0.25, Bring-In $1 (converter)

3rd Street - (1.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls___calls
Seat 2: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 3: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___completes
Seat 5: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 6: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 7: xx xx 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___brings-in___calls
Seat 8: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds

4th Street - (6.00 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___double bets
Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 5: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 6: xx xx 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 7: xx xx 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls

5th Street - (6.00 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___bets
Hero: A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 7: xx xx 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls

6th Street - (8.00 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 7: xx xx 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls

River - (10.00 BB)

Seat 1: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___checks
Seat 7: xx xx 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] xx___checks

Total pot: (10.00 BB)

I was tempted to fold 4th but with the dead nine I didn't think he had trips, but likely two pair. Would a raise been better than calling? On fifth I just didn't like my situation and got out. Comments welcome

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

If you think he has 2 pair call, if you think he has trips fold. If you are really unsure I think folding while the pot is still small is the way to go, your going to have 3 more BB's to call if your wrong, and he does have trips. and if your right and he has 2 pair your still chasing.

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

How aggressive was this player? I think the fact that he's betting into Seat 7's board after that player represented a possible draw suggests he has legitimate trips. I think most players would check 9's or two pair in this situation.

Hello,djr! In a situation like this RAISE 4th to...
 

try to narrow the field. His most likely hand is 2 prs. With ur big over pr. u will improve ur changes of winning heads-up.
However,in a multi-way pot,it's much more difficult for ur hand to take it down at the showdown.
Calling on 4th was ur worst play.
HappyPokering, [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
SittingBull

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

4th:I believe that if he had the trip 9's,he would check rather than bet.This would look natural & tend to be deceptive since a 9 has been exposed.Looks like he's just trying to represent the trips. Raise & try to find out.Then,If he check raises you on 5th,you can be sure you're screwed.LOL.
5th:It looks like you encouraged him to keep representing trip 9's & then gave up when he did it.Better to call.Then,if he checks 6th,bet.If he bets 6th,fold.5th is too early to believe him,imo.
By the way,seat 7's apparent strong draw is not really that fearsome.There were 3 hearts out against him on 3rd,so he probably didn't stay for the flush,& 2 A's & 2 sixe's are out blocking the possible straight.

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

I don’t think calling 4th is a bad play. There is nothing even remotely scary behind
you (seat 7s hearts are dead; besides, he was the bring-in and basically has a completely random hand). You will have to improve anyway to beat seat 1 (at least most of the time) so your not worried about someone behind you making two pairs.
If the pot was bigger - say raised and re-raised on 3rd - the risk-reward ratio for raising is much more favourable.
That said, I don’t see anything wrong with raising. Or folding, for that matter. Just base your decision on seat 1.

I don’t see anything wrong with folding 5th either. Two things just happened - seat 7 caught “scary” and seat 1 bet anyway. Hmmm….
Of course, seat 1 should bet here with two pairs. Hearts are plenty dead, the 3 is unlikely to have made him a straight and these morons call paired doors with exactly nothing all the time. So like dsaxton said, base your decision on your read on seat 1. If you think he’ll only bet with trips here, you should obviously fold. If you think he’ll bet with two pairs, call.

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

villian can only see 1 ace

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

I think you did fine. fourth is a tough spot. If someone has a four flush and will call for one double bet, they may call for two. You usually don't have to raise to thin the field here cause your opponents should be scared of the paired door card too.

On fifth, you really have to figure the hearts for a flush, given the call on fourth. He could of course have a str8 draw..

There are just too many signs pointed towards you being beat, folding is prudent. You don't have to get married to your big pairs. Be willing to let go of them once things start looking bad. Your opponents won't be able to, and that's where you'll make your $$.

** I think if we almost always folded to paired door cards, we'd be saving ourselves a lot of $$. ** (Exceptions of course would be against maniacs, or when your opponents cards are dead, etc..)

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

I would raise 4th given the dead nine. You might get rid of the bring in and take control of the hand with his checjing to you on 5th if he does not have trips. If you get rerasied, you need to fold there.

on fifth, the nines keep betting although the 7 seat is showing a scary board(although there are several hearts out). Given that he is still betting plus the potential hand of the 7 seat, plus your being sandwiched in, a fold is a good play. Tough to lay down those aces, but it seems appropiate here. You do not know if aces up or 3 aces would even be good enough if you caught them.

Re: did I just get scared off the best hand?
 

Let me help you out here.

Seat one started with a pair of nines. He wanted to play the had just so the others would not think he was too tight. How do you all put it? A "Rock".

So he caught three nines and decided to play the hand he didn't really intend to play in the first place.

The reason that there were no check raises is that sometimes folks at 2/4 will just check behind you the whole hand giving you nothing when you have three of a kind.

The straight didn't seem scary to seat number one so he kept betting. At the end, he questioned the villians sanity so just checked out of curiosity and the hope that a bet would come out of him.

The dead nine was a nice distraction, looks like you didn't fall for it.

That's how I read it anyway... [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]