Mid pair, top kicker - can I fold this?
 

with apologies to spydog

MP has shown himself to be somewhat too loose (a fondness for limping early with Axo and small suited connectors) but not unreasonable postflop.

PokerStars 5/10 Hold'em (5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.40 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.20 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (6.20 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP calls.

Final Pot: 10.20 BB

I've been defending w/Ax pretty consistantly against all but UTG raisers, but am unsure if this is SOP.

The flop bet seems automatic. His raise could mean a J, 89, 45, etc., or even just overcards - a pretty wide range of hands.

On the turn, I'm not getting odds if behind but factoring the percent of times (and river bets as well) I'm still ahead decided to call. This strikes me as a pretty questionable call, though. Who mucks here?

River plays itself.

Thoughts greatly appreciated - I think playing bottom/mid pairs is one of my bigger leaks.

Re: Mid pair, top kicker - can I fold this?
 

[ QUOTE ]
with apologies to spydog

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure about that statement??? Maybe villian was Spydog??? If so, it wasn't me. I've never played PS 5/10.

Anyway, turn can be a fold unless villian is capable of raising a draw on the flop. If so, then I might be inclined to 3-bet the flop and take it from there.

Re: Mid pair, top kicker - can I fold this?
 

I would fold this hand to an MP raise. I would definitely call (or 3bet) a button raise, and possibly call a CO raise. Postflop, I would checkraise the flop. Since you bet it, his raise gives you less information than if he had 3bet a flop checkraise. This is because a lot of players in the 5/10 game will raise a flop bet with a wide range of hands such as overcards or a gutshot. I think calling down is right. If you had checkraised the flop and he had 3bet, I think folding a nonimproving turn is good.