A hand from my first Party session
 

As the title suggests, I've recently made the move to Party after finishing off the Paradise deposit bonus. This is one of the more interesting hands I had.

My reads at this stage were not very good as I was still getting my bearings and getting used to the software. This was a beginner table, and I noticed that it was an odd mix of halway-decent players and the obvious begginers. The villan in this hand was fairly new to the table, but he bought in for 30 BB, which indicates to me there is at least some chance he might know what he's doing.

Preflop and flop are standard I think. I'm most interested in the turn and river play. See my comments after each street.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Hero calls.

When he raises me, I figure there's a good chance he's got Ax or 5x and so I 3-bet it. When he caps, I start to at least consider that he's got A5.

Turn: (6.50 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG caps</font>, Hero calls.

I was thinking about check-calling from here, but decided that would be weak, so I bet for value. So, he raises and I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and raise for no good reason at all...he promptly caps. (thoughts?)

River: (14.50 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero...

The Kd is as good a blank as I can hope for as it doesn't complete any back-door straight or flush draw. I take a deep breath and evaluate where I'm at. I decide villan is either way overplaying his Ace, has a 5 with a lower kicker, or he's got 56 or A5 and I'm in trouble.

What line would you take on the river and why?

Final Pot: 14.50 BB

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

Nobody slowed down, so bet out. If someone has A5, oh well, but you should be good here. I think you get shown a medium/good Ace, lower trips, PP or something often enough to justify the river bet.

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

I'd call down after he raised the turn.

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

DOnt be fooled, this means he bought in for 50 on IGM and 30 is all he has left because he's a donk... I cap the river

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

I dont think UTG would raise at flop if flopped full house.
maybe 5 also, or some ace.

After turn capping I think UTG have 5 also, you have quite good kicker so I would bet at river and call if he raises.

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

[ QUOTE ]
Nobody slowed down, so bet out.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see how the fact that he didn't slow down makes betting out on the river the right play. Maybe he's trying to push me off a bluff with the flop cap, but the turn cap tells me he's not in the least concerned about me having a 5.

If he had just called my turn bet, or maybe even the 3-bet, I would definitely come out firing on the river...but a cap?

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think UTG would raise at flop if flopped full house.
maybe 5 also, or some ace.

After turn capping I think UTG have 5 also, you have quite good kicker so I would bet at river and call if he raises.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I can see the merits of this line. I hadn't thought about the probability that he would slowplay if he had the flush. Taking that into account, I can see a bet on the river. Anyone disagree?

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

It's a beginner table. Bet the river so you can 3-bet.

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

Check/call the river. I may have slowed down on the turn. You need reads badly on the player. Against a slightly aggressive player, I wouldn't slow down until the river. Against a passive player I would call down after I was raised on the turn. A passive player probably has A5, maybe he was tricky and had AA.

Re: A hand from my first Party session
 

[ QUOTE ]
Check/call the river. I may have slowed down on the turn. You need reads badly on the player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tell me about it! It just goes to show you how important reads can be. Not even having a default read on the typical players in the game, I was completely lost.