An exercise in spew.
 

MP isn't here to play poker. He's here to gambooooooooooool. He thinks A6o and K2o be raising hands, as is 22 in the big blind. In fact the only thing he hasn't raised in 6 hands is 76o. Oddly enough he then quiets down postflop, but will always see a showdown. He's already lost a 10BB buyin, and seems intent on losing another. I intend to facilitate...

PokerStars 0.50/1.00 Hold'em (5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls, MP calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, <font color="#CC3333">MP 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, MP calls.

Flop: (20 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, MP calls.

Turn: (12.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises...</font>

...but this raise might not be the best way to do it. I'm trying to force other jacks out of my hand just in case I spike a ten (unlikely but not impossible), as well as someone who may have me reverse dominated if I spike an A or J, something like that. Then again, they look like they're not going anywhere. I doubt the villain has anything here, but you never know. I'm pretty sure the preflop cap is kosher given my read, and the flop is standard. Looking back this turn may be spew; anyone agree?

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

I think your trying to make something happen with your hyper agressive play. I find that its better to wait for a hand thats made PF or atleast hit on the flop or turn.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

Your play doesn't look bad. I can see the reasoning with the turn raise. I think that you've definitely got to see the river for one bet in this pot and I agree with your rationale for raising. As for the second poster's comment, I think that's a little weak-tight approach.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

I just feel that whenever you force yourself to take down pots without a good hand, your in trouble. thats all i'm saying.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

Well, as a wise man one said:

[ QUOTE ]
If you're going to spew, spew into this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't particularly like it, but if there's a situation that's justified for this play, this is it. The pot is big, you're against a maniac, and the pot is big.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

you've got 5 players to a turn that gives the board straight, flush, and FH possibilities. I don't think I'm raising this turn, but I'm not folding the hand either. I think calling is your best option here because regardless of what happens here I think you're gonna have atleast 4 people seeing the river given the size of the pot.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

Pre-flop: I would call the re-raise. Is that standard for you? Not being sarcastic, it's just that it is standard for me not to cap a re-raise with AJo. Maybe I'm too tight?

Flop: I would have bet, too, but wonder whether it was correct to do so. While the pot is large, I think this overcard situation is just so-so for you. With 4 opponents on this coordinated board, you very likely do not have the best hand now. In fact, you may be drawing nearly dead if someone has the 9, and even if you improve you are very likely subject to a winning flush and straight re-draws from your opponents. You have no backdoor draws, thus you are left with your overcard outs, which are not fully valued because of the threat of domination. I estimate 4 outs. Also, betting now is unlikely to win the pot right now, though I agree it may increase your chance of winning, perhaps significantly, if 2 will fold -- but is it enough in light of the weaknesses just mentioned? (I'm doubting it is). Betting here may get you a free card, but at this point I'm not sure.

Turn: I would not have raised. I understand wanting to buy outs, but in this case (mostly for the reasons stated above), I think you are better off seeing the showdown cheaply.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

The preflop cap is certainly not standard! Against nearly anyone else I wouldn't do it, but the way this guy had been playing just screamed "you wanna raise me, well in your face!" I think I have a huge edge over the range of stuff he might LRR, so my cap is purely for value.

I'm having second thoughts about betting this flop as well, but mainly because we can't bet for protection. The pot is so large that even 22 could call and hope to spike a set, and it is awfully draw heavy. On my side is the fact that it's only 5 handed to the flop (fun fact: there's less than a 20% chance that someone here is on a flush draw). However, a draw isn't a made hand; I can reasonably think that I have the best hand at this point, so a bet for value is probably sound. Waiting for the turn to raise might be a good idea, but that could backfire on me if SB were to lead the turn and MP raised. It's hard to say, really.

Here's the playout:

River: (22.50 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, BB folds, <font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, MP calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, SB calls $0.50 (All-In), UTG calls, MP calls.

Final Pot: 31 BB

Results in white below: <font color="#FFFFFF">
SB has 6h Qh (straight, ten high).
UTG has Js 8h (straight, jack high).
MP has Qd Tc (two pair, tens and nines).
Hero has Ah Jc (straight, jack high).
Outcome: UTG wins 15.50 BB. Hero wins 15.50 BB. </font>

I made $25 in 15 minutes at this table. Do you see why?

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I made $25 in 15 minutes at this table. Do you see why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Way to go.

Interesting hand, nice posts. Sorry I didn't see your BD straight draw the first time through -- obviously it makes a difference.

Re: An exercise in spew.
 

by capping preflop, you are making this hand harder on yourself postflop. AJo will flop hands that usually need to be protected, and by capping you are making the pot 20 bets and forgoing the chance to raise MP's flop autobet (because you have taken his lead).