[Zag]

I want to disagree with some of the others. I think this is a reasonable play on one condition: if this is the same betting pattern that you would have used with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] j[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] or Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] j[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Both of these hands would have flopped top two pair and a decent draw, but not a great one. I know that, given position and these hands, I would exactly have bet the flop but checked behind on the turn.

With top two, I want to get to a cheap showdown, if I can, and perhaps induce a bluff on the river. On the turn, especially, I don't want to get blown out by a big check-raise, because I do have outs even if I am behind, but I don't have enough to call a raise.

I guess I am puzzled that you all feel no one would put you on a hand like this. I would expect all the two-pair hands against you to assume that I have at least a 9, and to fold to the river bet.

On the other hand, I don't disagree too strongly with a turn bet, here, either. But the problem is that, if you are called, you really don't want to fire another barrel on the end when you miss. After all, there really aren't that many reasonable draws that would be calling you, because you hold the best draw. Therefore, calls on the flop AND the turn would mean a made hand of some sort, and you might just be blasting off extra chips on the river. But if he WAS calling with some sort of a draw, you definitely want to bet, since you lose to any stray kicker hitting a pair.

Bottom line: I like the way you played it. You still will get called by anyone with a 9, probably, but someone with just a Q or a 6 will fold.