45suited, 1000NL

3 handed, 1000NL Empire. Stacks around 1000 each.

I'm in button with 4s5s. I raise to 35, SB and BB call. Just sat down, so no reads. Played with BB before, and seems to be solid but tricky (the kind of player who raises river blocking bets with garbage because he knows it was a blocking bet and knows you'll fold). 3 to the flop.

Flop ($110): 2h3c9s
Check, Check, I pot, SB folds, BB calls.

Turn ($330): 3d
Check, I quickly check behind.

River: ($330): 6s
BB bets $200, I make it $600.

Thoughts? I plan on puking if he pushes, but will call a push since I'm committed. Anyone advocate just calling? Is there really enough value in raising here?

[flawless_victory]

[ QUOTE ]
3Flop ($110): 2h3c9s
Check, Check, I pot, SB folds, BB folds.


[/ QUOTE ]
well take it.

BTW/ yawn.

just changed it, BB obviously calls.

dick.

[stealyourface]

this is pretty standard i think.

i raise here 100% of the time.

[RikaKazak]

STANDARD!!!!!

standard, i supposed, but upon deeper analysis, bad?

he pushed, i called, and he showed 33.

my raise commits me to call his all-in, which most likely 100% of the time, has me beat. if he's bluffing air since the turn was checked, my raise would fold him anyway, and he's only calling with something like a3, a9, or tt-qq. So would a min-raise not be better? Min-raise, then fold to a push or 3-bet?

I just don't know. Even if I had won the hand that raise didn't sit well with me when I was making it.

[iceman5]

[ QUOTE ]
standard, i supposed, but upon deeper analysis, bad?

he pushed, i called, and he showed 33.

my raise commits me to call his all-in, which most likely 100% of the time, has me beat. if he's bluffing air since the turn was checked, my raise would fold him anyway, and he's only calling with something like a3, a9, or tt-qq. So would a min-raise not be better? Min-raise, then fold to a push or 3-bet?

I just don't know. Even if I had won the hand that raise didn't sit well with me when I was making it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If youre not going to raise that river, then dont raise 54s preflop and dont play 3 handed. You have to raise that river.

[edge]

[ QUOTE ]
If youre not going to raise that river, then dont raise 54s preflop and dont play 3 handed. You have to raise that river.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one of the worst arguments commonly put forward in SSNL. "If you're not going to raise/call/whatever, don't play [x]". Luckily, it doesn't show up too often in Mid/High. That's good, because it is a bad argument. As you play a hand, you get more information. Preflop play and river play don't always link up. If you hit a set, you don't always have to play it fast, nor are you required to take it to showdown. There's nothing wrong with raising 54s and then playing cautiously against a good player. I'm not saying anything about this particular hand; I'm just attacking the argument. I didn't really look at the hand to be honest.

iceman, that's a ridiculous line of thought. absolutely awful thinking. what is he betting that he calls my raise that doesn't beat me? if i call, i beat air, and if i raise, air folds, so raising is ONLY about extracting value from actual hands that can call me. and i'm saying in this case, raising for value is thin IMO.

[creedofhubris]

[ QUOTE ]
iceman, that's a ridiculous line of thought. absolutely awful thinking. what is he betting that he calls my raise that doesn't beat me? if i call, i beat air, and if i raise, air folds, so raising is ONLY about extracting value from actual hands that can call me. and i'm saying in this case, raising for value is thin IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's going to look you up with TT-AA, possibly A9, certainly any trips hand.

In general, raising the river here is fine if the stacks are deep enough for you to get away from a push, or short enough that push is the only raise.

The stacks here are an awkward size though. A raise seems to commit you.