[Buzz]

Burdz - I’d rate your starting hand as cautiously playable in a nine or ten handed game and playable in a six handed game. The three card combo 2-3-5 is mainly a low combination and really needs to probably flop an ace, even in a six handed game. The pair of deuces can be difficult to play in a nine or ten handed game. If you make a full house using the pair of deuces it will be the lowest full house possible (of the six possible). I think you do best in a nine or ten handed game with the pair of deuces if you end up with trips (rather than a full house) and if the board is neither paired, flushed, nor straighted. That is, the trip deuces will probably be a winner for high in a nine-handed game if nobody can make a straight or better. (Sometimes your trip deuces will lose to higher trips, but not much). The hand also has some straight and flush possibilities, but will usually lose to a higher straight or flush in a nine or ten handed game. A straight flush or quads is possible but straight flushes and quads just don’t happen much. Gravy when you make one, but not to be counted much in terms of the value of your starting hand.

In a six handed game, 2235s doesn’t win for low much more than in a nine handed game, a bit more but not much. However the hand scoops more than twice as often - and it wins the high proportionally more often than in a nine handed game too. In short, 2235s is a hand that does substantially better in a short handed game than in a full game and it’s because of the high potential of the hand, which is not much realized in a nine or ten handed game.

Looks to me like you still need an ace on the board to have much of a chance for low in a six handed game, because with five opponents instead of eight or nine, you’re still going to usually run into an opponent with a better low. However, you’re not nearly as likely to run into an opponent who will make a straight or flush, if one is possible, or who will make a better full house if the board pairs. Finally, if you make a straight or flush yourself, it's more likely to hold up in a six handed game than in a nine or ten handed game.

At any rate, 2235s seems a fine, playable, starting hand in a six handed game, and mainly because of the increased chance of scooping or winning for high, two factors that can largely be ignored for the hand in a nine or ten handed game.

Then after this flop, you’re way ahead of a random hand, about 72 to 28 (as simulated). The obvious problem is Button doesn’t exactly have a random hand. Even so, I think you're way ahead after this flop.

In a nine or ten handed game, I’d see the flop for one bet with the hand and then probably fold to a bet after this particular flop. But in a six handed game, particularly as you’ve described Button’s play, I’d continue after the flop.

I think you should bet this flop myself. Heads-up, you almost surely have the best hand after the flop and you shouldn’t want Button to possibly get a free card. Given your description of Button’s play, if you’re certain Button will bet, you might go for a check-raise on the second betting round. I prefer a straightforward bet, but can also see the rationale for a check raise. Do that a few times and Button might become less likely to bet after you check. (But maybe you want Button predictably betting after you check).

Your bet on the turn seems correct, as does your bet on the river and your call of the raise on the river. You ought to get at least half of this pot, and maybe scoop.

Checking on the river to induce a bet is another option, even better than betting yourself if you're sure Button will bet behind you.

I don't care what the actual results were, it would simply have been poor poker play on your part to fold this hand/board to a raise on the river.

Just my opinion.

Buzz