Two Plus Two Older Archives - View Single Post - 99 capped preflop, do you get aggressive somewhere?

#3 09-13-2005, 11:58 AM

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PokerStars 2/4 Hold'em (8 handed) converter

Button is new to the table, but I want to think he is aggressive given his image(baby with pokerstars knit cap).
BB is aggressive 27/14/1.8 and I put him on a wide range.
UTG has a high WTSD% of 42, with VP$IP = 37 over a short sample.

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG calls, 1 fold, Hero calls, 2 folds, Button raises, SB calls, BB 3-bets, UTG calls, Hero calls, Button caps, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (20 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks, Button bets, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (12 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (12 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, UTG bets, Hero calls...

Please comment on all streets. Oh and I normally raise 99 preflop, but something here told me to play for set value. I had been raising a lot preflop and was starting to get played back at quite a bit in this game. Looking back at the table being 8 handed I think this was a mistake. Thoughts?

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In this spot with just one limper in front of me, and im in middle position I usually raise preflop, but limping for set value isnt a horrible idea either given the fact that you are still in early middle position. And youre right as far as being in an 8 player game means you have even more incentive to raise here. In the long run it shouldnt matter much how you play 99 in this spot, so I wouldnt worry about how you played preflop, you seem to have a good understanding of how to play 99 preflop anyways so lets move on. On the flop, your check and call play is standard in my opinion since even if youre trailing you have the odds to see one more, and if you somehow do have the best hand a bet by you will not likely fold anyone is this huge pot, and youll probably get raised by a better hand anyways so just pay one small bet to see the turn. I would check the turn and fold if the button bets, but the button checked so lets go to the river. Should you call or not? What hand does the utg guy have? I have no idea. What I do know is that the utg is betting this river with 4 opponents yet to act in this large pot. Which means if he is sane, he cannot be bluffing in this spot, he must have a hand that he believes will win if hes called. I think you can safely fold in this spot even given the large pot odds. Also if you did think the utg was capable of a crazy bluff like this or capable of betting a very weak hand in this spot, you should consider raising to shut out anyone with a better hand than you. In a large pot like this, investing two big bets to potentially fold a better hand is worth it as long as you think the initial bettor is capable of betting a weaker hand than you. So I would fold the river, but i dont think calling is all that bad. You really didnt make any huge mistake in this hand. Next time raise preflop.