Ponks the calling station
 

No real reads except that the raiser is pretty loose overall, but semi-tight with his raising standards. I didnt really have any reads on anyone else but UTG kept whining about poor players.


PP 5/10 6 handed
UTG calls, MP raises, CO calls, button folds, SB folds, I call in the BB with A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], UTG calls

Standard call here? I'm pretty tight overall (19 vpip) and I'm trying to loosen up. I'm pretty tight from the blinds, but figure I can loosen up in these situations with pretty decent odds. I'd like to get my VPIP up to atleast 22 and figure this is a good spot to add some more drawing hands, good?

Flop: 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Hero checks, UTG checks, MP bets, CO calls, Hero calls, UTG calls.

Seems like a pretty easy call here?

Turn: 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Hero checks, UTG checks, MP bets, CO folds, Hero calls, UTG calls.

River: 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Hero checks??, UTG checks, MP bets, Hero calls??, UTG folds

Well, I wasnt sure whether to bet out this river or to check/call. Should I go for an overcall here and risk not getting 3-bet by a better hand? Just felt weird to keep calling, and MP let me have it after the hand, but I just kept my mouth shut. I felt the only thing I mighta missed up was the river action, but let's hear it. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Hope my format here is okay to read, I don't have much experience outside the converter (which has been broken for months for me, hence the lack of my hand posts).

Thanks
Ponks

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

I'd play it the same. That means we both suck!

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

Why not check raise the turn? You have your diamond outs, the 4's and maybe you can get someone with an ace and a higher kicker to fold.

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

If you're feeling frisky, checkraising the turn might be an excellent idea, as someone pointed out, but this is fine. River play doesn't seem bad to me either.

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

I'm not afraid to semi-bluff raise usually, but against this opponent I dont think it would work that often. He's loose overall, but tight in his raising, so there's a good chance he has a pocket pair he's going to call down with. If he's a good player the 7 looks pretty suspicious and is a good bluff card too. I think most players would rationalize, atleast if he's paying attention, that I would have given action on the flop if I had a 7 or any pair pretty much.

Also if I semi-bluffed raised, I have to bet the river right? I'm usually not that good at deciding when to fire that last barrel.

Thanks
Ponkers

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

i think betting and folding to a raise is better than check calling on the river

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

Good point about the 7 looking like a suspicious bluff card. I still think I would have gone for the check raise, considering how many outs you have.
You will definelty need to bet the river, if you check raise the turn. I have just started recently playing the shorthanded games and really like them....but it seems to me that aggression pays off even more than the full ring games.

Just out of curiousity what did he have? I am guessing the way you wrote this a high pair.

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

[ QUOTE ]

Also if I semi-bluffed raised, I have to bet the river right? I'm usually not that good at deciding when to fire that last barrel.

[/ QUOTE ]

I normally do not fire that last barrell. Usually opponents that call the turn here will call the river, and you often will get desperation calls from A high and such. If there is an obvious draw they could have on the turn (and your hand doesn't beat the missed draw), or they will often call the turn with AK or AQ and then fold to a river bet, then I'll fire away.

About the hand, I prefer betting the river and folding to a raise over check-calling. If he is semi-tight with his raising standards I don't trust him enough to value bet a mid-high pair, but I do trust him enough to only raise a A with a better kick.

Results
 

Sorry if I wrote it biased and it seemed like he had a big pocket pair, but during the hand I thought there was a good chance he had an overpair based on his stats.

He ended up having QQ and MHIG. He let me have it after the hand saying I was sure to lose all my money [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks
Ponkers

Re: Ponks the calling station
 

What about check-raising the flop here? You called from the BB and you have a ragged flop that gives you a straight draw with an overcard. Looks like a perfect opportunity to semibluff on the flop. If the turn doesn't bring an overcard this pot is yours for one bet most of the time. The turn pairing the board is nice, as you can then bet out and take the pot unless someone is holding a seven, and you still have outs if you are behind.

edit: given your read i guess you were pretty sure about being behind [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]