Another hand for analysis.
 

No reads on UTG+1. I generally like to avoid min-raises on coordinate boards like this one. Anything more than a min-raise pot-commits both of us so I just pushed here. Is this a case where I'm only getting called by hands that beat me or is this the proper move on a draw heavy board?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (10 handed) converter

BB ($15)
UTG ($24.3)
UTG+1 ($25)
UTG+2 ($22.3)
MP1 ($24.65)
MP2 ($135.75)
Hero ($23.55)
CO ($5.9)
Button ($20.5)
SB ($23.75)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls $0.25, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP2 calls $0.25, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $2</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls $1.75, MP2 calls $1.75.

Flop: ($6.35) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets $6</font>, MP2 folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $21.55 (All-In)</font>.

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

I like it. It seems like there are basically three lines:
1. Fold - too weak
2. Call - let him continue bluffing (or protecting his worse made hand - AJ?) if that is what he's doing, potentially fold if he fires again on a turn scare card (heart?) since you are now beating fewer hands
3. Push - protect against draws, potentially lose value from worse made hands (fold AJ?)

I think that the combination of the facts that you won't want to fold the turn anyways because the pot will be big and you could still be ahead of a TPTK type hand even on a scary turn and that the villain probably won't fold TP anyways and that you want to protect against draws means that pushing is a nice play here.

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

I agree.

2 things.

1: Even if he folds it's not too bad. Since the pot is alread a decent size. With this flop you don't need to be overly worried about extracting from a worse hand.

2: Tons of people at this level will call with Axs (or worse), so I don't think you will only get called by better hands.

If you got beat by a set of 7's, 89, TJ or something just take a note on how he plays a big hand, with no reads it's too weak to fold here and board is super draw heavy.

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

I agree, nice play, I think that I would of done the same thing. By pushing here you protect the hand and you win a ok pot size.
did he call with Ax of hearts?

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

If Villain makes a good read here, he's a fool not to call with AhXh. He's getting 2:1 on his money while he's only an 11:9 dog. Hero makes a good value raise here, but from the moment UTG makes a good-sized bet with a (hypothetical) A-high flush draw, Hero can no longer protect his hand. It might be best therefore to call proceed after seeing the turn. The big disadvantage there is that it allows Villain to represent a completed draw that he may not have in the event of a scary turn card.

Yeah, draw-heavy boards are a bitch.

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I agree, nice play, I think that I would of done the same thing. By pushing here you protect the hand and you win a ok pot size.
did he call with Ax of hearts?

[/ QUOTE ]

He folded. I suspect he had AJ and was trying to protect his hand with the pot sized bet. I would have liked to try to extract more from AJ here but the more I look at it...the more I'm convinced that I shouldn't have played this any other way at NL25.

Re: Another hand for analysis.
 

All things considered, it's probably the only play you could have made. You're probably creating a lot of incorrect folds in this situation, from strong draws who don't realize that their initial bet basically pot-commited them.