When the only way to win is to bet...
 

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (7 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. CO posts a blind of $1.
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG calls.

Flop: (11 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (7 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls, UTG calls.

River: (10 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB folds, UTG folds.

Final Pot: 11 BB

Lets see one of the Villians likes to play every single hand. The other one loves to see every last card.

I tryed to buy the pot on the flop. I figured they were drawing to another diamond.
I got a little OSED on the turn, tryed to buy it again.

River didnt help, I have King High, I figured the only way I could win this hand was to bet. I almost checked, but I figured I would lose if I checked.

Good play or bad play (in the long run?)

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

I think it looks good. Nice play at the end of not checking.

brophy

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

UTG raised preflop, this typically indicates a stronger than usual hand (unless you have a read that he's a loose raiser). The pot is also quite big on the flop. Anyone with a diamond has a strong draw. You have a read that someone habitually calls all the way to the river.

All of this means that you have absolutely no chance of buying the pot here. I still bet the flop anyway to try and define my hand a little bit and to possibly pickup a free card on the turn.

On the turn you should take the free card. Your OESD is worth 6 outs (the 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and the A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] are very bad cards for you) and your overcards I'd estimate at 2 outs total, because you may be dominated by UTG (and again, the [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]'s are bad).

With 8 outs and only two other opponents, and the fact that any [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] screws you, you don't have anywhere near enough equity to bet this turn for value.

It's true that a free card gives lone [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]'s a free shot at the flush, but at this point you probably aren't winning anyway. It would really suck to be check-raised here, too. Anyone that has a lone [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] isn't going to fold here so again you have no chance of buying the pot.

The river bet can go either way, it's very read dependent. They both need to fold here 10% of the time for this to be correct, so if you think that's true, go for it.

Generally, the more opponents that you're up against on the river, the less likely it is that all of them fold.

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

[ QUOTE ]
River didnt help, I have King High, I figured the only way I could win this hand was to bet. I almost checked, but I figured I would lose if I checked.

Good play or bad play (in the long run?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Against two players, it's a bad play in the long run. You can't win all the pots, and this is one where you should usually just let it go.

Against one player, it's a much closer proposition (and much more read dependent).

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Against two players, it's a bad play in the long run.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree.

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

[ QUOTE ]

Lets see one of the Villians likes to play every single hand. The other one loves to see every last card.

I think this answers your own question..
Can't bluff a stump
Brian


[/ QUOTE ]

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

Take the free card on the turn. It makes the river much easier to play.

Re: When the only way to win is to bet...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Against two players, it's a bad play in the long run.

[/ QUOTE ]

After it worked several times I lost much more on it, till I adjustet my play accordingly. It is nice when it works, but usually it doesn't. Just don't bluff two or more opponents in micro limits.