Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

Recently I've seen a lot of posts dealing with slowplaying and how sometimes just playing fast and straight forward is the better move in a lot of circumstances. So here I am ready to receive my admonishment for this hand. I just sat down recently and didn't really have a read on anyone.

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Button calls, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (11 SB) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, SB folds, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

I was initially going to bet this but I could just visualize the rest of the table folding. The chances are slim that anyone else got a piece of this. Although I am well aware that at this limit people will call down with just about anything so perhaps I should have taken a chance. When it came back around I didn't checkraise because I didn't want to give off any sign of strength yet. I thought that would be too obvious that I at least had a K.

Turn: (7.50 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, UTG calls, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, Button calls, UTG folds, UTG+1 calls.

Ok, now it gets interesting. I think it was a mistake not to bet. If it gets checked all the way through then that accomplishes nothing. This time however when the button bet I was going to checkraise and apparently I wasn't the only one.

River: (15.50 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button 3-bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, Button calls, UTG+1 calls.

Pretty standard...

Final Pot: 27.50 BB

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

That's how I'd have played it. You aren't really open to redraws, so you gain very little from anyone folding that flop. The most frequent reason not to slowplay IMO is because it can be dangerous, but it really isn't here.

On the turn, the button probably figures to have the best hand as the turn card isn't scary and nobody raised him on the flop. So he's quite likely to bet and I think you can go for the CR here.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

[ QUOTE ]
The chances are slim that anyone else got a piece of this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Underpairs, queens, straight draws, ace high, and someone who just doesn't believe you have anything will call here.

[ QUOTE ]
I think it was a mistake not to bet. If it gets checked all the way through then that accomplishes nothing.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the main thing. After raising pf and with only one player left to act behind you, you need to bet the flop. Even after the button bets the flop, there's no guarantee he will bet the turn, and that would really suck for you.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

I hate the flop check. There are still plenty of hands people will call with here and you can't be sure Button will bet, when he checks through you lose bets.

Once button bets I think not check/raising is a mistake as he may not bet the turn. The board's looking pretty scary and some players just like to bet if checked to as some sort of bluff. He's going to check the turn a reasonable amount of time and when he does you lose a lot of value. EDIT: Just noticed you already discuss this under the turn action. Check/calling the flop and the betting out on the turn would be bad because you win the same as just betting both streets but you risk having the flop checked through.

River is standard.

I think you're giving your opponents too much credit for their ability. They aren't going to be scared away or worried about you having a monster. They also probably aren't thinking about what your flop check could mean.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

bet flop.

given the check, check-raise the flop.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

The check-raise on the flop would have been great considering your position to the button bet, the whole table had already called you should have went ahead and raised. Bet/raise the rest of the way out.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

Although I might have bet this flop, this is a perfect hand for slowplaying, I would think. You've got a monster hand, and there are some draws to 2nd best out there (straights, flushes, sets, and lower boats, and yes, sure, runner-runner quads) but very few to a better hand than yours.

But I think I disagree with the others about check-raising. You would definitely get another few small bets on the river, but a check-raise is a strong play (I think one of the very few things that the average micro player actually notices) and it has a good chance to slow down your opponents.

On the turn. I might have now bet out, but I definitely liked the 3 bet after UTG + 1 raises.

River seems like you did exactly what you needed to do! Hope you didn't get beaten by quad 9s!

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

When you have all cards you almost always have to slow play. It would be different if you had 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and got to play for free out of the small blind and flopped 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Then people with overcards and pocket pairs and flush draws may give you some action on the flop But when yuo hold all the good cards...not many chances of callers on this.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

I also hate the flop check. With only one player behind you, you're risking (a significant risk) that this gets checked through. You raised pre-flop -- most players expect you to bet the flop in any case. You got lucky that button bet for you, but I wouldn't do this again.

Re: Fast or slow - flopped boat
 

Thanks for the advice. I was pretty sure I played that one poorly but just needed to hear it from others to make sure. Anyway, Button showed J9, UTG+1 had K4 and MHIG. Today this hand comes up and due partly to the advice here I was able to shut off the little slowplay switch in my head and just go forward...

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. CO posts a blind of $0.05.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO (poster) calls, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, CO calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (17.40 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (10.70 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

River: (14.70 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 18.70 BB