Final Table Hand from Full Tilt WPT qualifier

[98romaine]

This was a preflop steal attempt gone bad on the flop at the final table last night during the Full Tilt WPT Championship satellite. Man I really screwed this one up. Interested on thoughts playing this on the flop on.

The steal amount T3000 was pretty standard at this point, it seemed to be taking down the blinds unless BB/SB had a big hand in which case they were coming back over the top of the preflop raiser. Also had Layne Flack sitting in the SB with a huge stack and wanted to be able to get away from it in case he played back at me. Famous last words. Here it goes...

FullTiltPoker Game #81002726: WPT Championship Satellite (4183 - 600/1200
Ante 150 - No Limit Hold'em - 2005/03/27 - 22:26:29 ET

Seat 1: (29,015)
Seat 2: (78,874)
Seat 3: Villian (22,295)
Seat 4: (40,997)
Seat 6: (40,276)
Seat 7: (17,960)
Seat 9: Hero (31,583)

*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [9d Ac]

CutOff Hero raises to 3,000

Big Blind Villian calls 1,800

*** FLOP *** [Qs 9c 7c]
Villian checks

Hero bets 7,650
Villian raises to 19,145, and is all in

Hero calls 11,495
Villian shows [Kh Kc]
Hero shows [9d Ac]
*** TURN *** [Qs 9c 7c] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [Qs 9c 7c 4c] [3s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Villian shows a pair of Kings
Hero shows a pair of Nines
Villian wins the pot (45,940) with a pair of Kings

Couple of thoughts...in hindsight I'm thinking I should have checked the flop but I thought my 9's might be good. I thought villian would have reraised preflop with a big Ace or Kings or Aces. He played it well and laid a nice trap. I looked at the odds I was getting on the call and pushed it in. Addintionally, and I'm not sure this is good reasoning either, I called b/c of the payout structure, or lack of. There was nothing for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, only 1st got the $25k WPT seat. If I win this hand I have T55k and have a stack to contend with and have s shot to compete with the big stack, Layne Flack.

Thoughts on the flop play?

Also, if I checked the flop, and the 3rd club hits the river, if villian moves in, do you call putting him on a steal and having the nut flush draw?

Thanks for any help.

[adanthar]

You shouldn't check this flop but you also probably can't call that checkraise.

He's too short to just call, even on the weak/tight FTP. If he hasn't just called before you're in real trouble on *any* flop and should just bet 5K/bail.