How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

I have trouble with these mid PP where I'm the preflop raiser, I find it hard to tell where I'm at against LP players.

River bet was awfully suspicious, I probably should have called for just 1 more bet. But was my turn bet ok? Or should I have checked behind and c/c the river? Played only 20+ hands or so with villain, but so far he seems like a calling station.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 4 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, SB completes, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, SB calls.

Flop: (4 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls.

Turn: (3 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, SB calls.

River: (5 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, Hero folds.

SB made the straight here? Calling all the way down with a gutshot? I'm thinking KQ is unlikely, even a calling station would open-raise KQ from SB would they not? Or maybe he was slowplaying Tx all along... I'm baffled, I have no clue where I am at with this hand. Maybe he has Jx, but why bet now when he has been c/c all along?

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

Hey Will-

I like the PFR w/ 88 as long as it's shorthanded as such. But, you are right - it does make flop play more difficult when you are the preflop aggressor and it is a scary board. I think flop bet is good but I think the check bedind on the turn would have been a better line absent any reads.

Your fold is good. Small pot, another overcard, and that 9 completes some str8 draws.

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

The chances that he is bluffing are quite high. However if you already played with him for some time you should know if he is capable of bluffing or not. If you are new to this table you could call to "pay for the info".

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

Personally I'd take the free card on the turn.

I'd also fold on the river due to the pot being so small.

As for him bluffing at the pot - if you had checked to him and he bet, I'd say this could be the case - but at these limits people don't often bluff into someone who has bet / raised on every street. (at least not where I play)

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

I dont like free cards especially when he is calling all the way and there is a good chance that he will fold. Plus, this is a kind of the flop when every new card could help him aswell as help you.

I agree that most likely he had something valuable, at least 2 pair, more than half of his good hands beat hero's hand.

I would fold on the river too if I'd know what kind of player he is or didn't care about it.

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

Tough hand. Flop &amp; turn bets are ok, imo. Heads up, you probably have the best hand. Against a calling station, keep the aggro up. I would've bet the turn w/ the intention of checking the river, but he screwed that up for you. I'm 50/50 on whether or not to call the river. Probably leaning towards calling it against an unknown. If his play so far has been very passive then I fold.

Re: How\'s my line here with 88? (6 max)
 

I don´t like the river fold:

Opponent have a str at the river?.. Since you have pocket 8 the likehood of him having Q8 goes down quite a bit. If he had KQ he would often have raised preflop.

If he held a T or J he should have made a move on the turn. He might hold a 9 though.

The likehood of him having anything is not that big, meaning that bluffing should be more likely...