Line for suited ace in the SB
 

BB is loose and passive,
UTG is slightly loose preflop and aggressive post flop
UTG is relative new but looks passive

How is my line?

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#666666">6 folds</font>, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (4 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: (3.50 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, UTG calls.

River: (5.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

Re: Line for suited ace in the SB
 

I dont think I'd bet out this flop, but you dont want them getting their straight draws cheaply either, so its a tough decision. Your b/d flush draw helps, but I still think I check-call or check-raise depending on where/if the bet comes is best.
I dont like betting out the turn either, especially now the flush draw has gone and an overcard is on board. Pot is small. I think I would check/fold this turn. This again seems all horrible though.
River, not an easy position to be in, you showed weakness on a scare card so he could easily be bluffing it up, but he must have been staying in the hand for something and that was likely the straight. If he had the 5 then the 8 completes his straight, if he had the 8 and was looking for a gutshot then he just beat your pair. I dont like calling this bet but I dont like folding either. Not much help!

Re: Line for suited ace in the SB
 

Kinda my thoughts too. I like the flop bet, I have two passive players, but any bet on this flop is likely to come from the middle player, either way I get one passive to face only one. I cringed after I did the turn bet, I think it would have been bad, but could I have called if UTG bet and I still have BB to act? Am I just throwing it away here? I think I have to call the river regardless against this opponent once I get there.

Thanks

Vern

Re: Line for suited ace in the SB
 

The only place I can see myself deviating from your line is the river. If checking is likely to induce a bluff significantly frequently, go for it (you list two UTGs in the reads, so I presume this is the first one: sLP-A), but I'm inclined to bet/fold most of the time. It's similar to auto-betting a 4-flush out of position (Clarkmeister's theorum)... everyone but predictably bluffy opponents are likely to check behind hands with hands we beat, but bet hands that beat us, making checking OOP worse than betting if we're prepared to fold to a raise.

This isn't a good flop to try for a c/r. If UTG is only slightly loose pf, it's not hugely likely that he hit. The others are passive, and we can't expect a bet unless the board hit them hard. I bet this roughtly all the time with TPTK and the BD nut flush draw. We can't do much about OESDs, but we're giving 4 and 5 out draws incorrect odds and we don't want it checking through -- not only would we give a free card, we'd miss a value bet.

On the turn, we're pretty happy with an overcard. It's not exactly a blank, but neither is it particularly scary. We probably have the best hand, don't want to give a free card, and can fold to a c/r in this pot, so we bet.

Re: Line for suited ace in the SB
 

Bet/fold or check/fold the river. I can't imagine him betting a hand you beat if you check the river. The rest looks good, definitely bet flop/turn.

-DeathDonkey

Re: Line for suited ace in the SB
 

I can't think of a hand he can call with flop and turn and now
bluff with on river. Your clearly beaten and should fold.