Bring-in with small pair vs zero aggression
 

I never know how to play these pots that nobody seems to want very much. I guess that third and sixth are the only streets that are clear-cut. I bet fourth to see if anyone wanted to play the pot, and I then kept going on fifth because I thought villain was possibly on the draw. I thought that there was a value bet on the river given villain's open pair - I was planning to fold to a raise here. Anyone else play it the same?

7 Card Stud High ($3/$6), Ante $0.50, Bring-In $1 (converter)

3rd Street - (1.17 SB)

Hero: 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___brings-in
Seat 2: xx xx Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 3: xx xx K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 4: xx xx Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 6: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 8: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds

4th Street - (2.17 SB)

Hero: 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 2: xx xx Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___checks___folds
Seat 6: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks___calls

5th Street - (2.08 BB)

Hero: 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 6: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___checks___calls

6th Street - (4.08 BB)

Hero: 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 6: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

River - (6.08 BB)

Hero: 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 6: xx xx T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] xx___calls

Total pot: (8.08 BB)

Re: Bring-in with small pair vs zero aggression
 

This all looks fine. You give your opponents a chance to fold on fourth and fifth, and by sixth it looks like you have the best hand. I do like the value bet on the river, but checking wouldn't have been the end of the world. The only thing I see as debatable is fourth street. Fives ain't much. While your opponents have both checked, they both caught straight cards, so it's somewhat unlikely that they'll both fold. Betting does set you up to buy the pot on fifth, though. You haven't told us much about your opponents, but I think against typical players at this level this is a reasonable game-plan.

Re: Bring-in with small pair vs zero aggression
 

I second Andy...good point about 4th street. It seems like a good bet because of both the lack of aggression and the set -up for 5th if any of the remainding players catch blanks. I like the value bet on the end, because he could have something like a wired small pair, the case 10, or 9's up. Interesting thought...what's your play if the villian raises on 7th? I'll leave that for discussion [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Bring-in with small pair vs zero aggression
 

I would have folded to a raise on the river, given that I've not seen him try to be tricky so far, and the way he played the hand suggests he could have been drawing to a straight.