To play or not to play.

[pufferfish]

Micro-limit, 8-handed, loose, passive (except for a couple of players).

I'm on the button with T[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] J[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img].

LMP bets pre-flop. He is one of the aggressive players. I have seen him bet with random hands.

I think for a moment and decide to call. If any other player had raised I would have folded. I just didn't respect this guy very much.

Four of us see the flop, SB, MP, LMP and button (me).

FLOP: 7u A[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img]

Checked to LMP who bets, I call with my (non-nut) flush and back-door straight draws, SB and MP call.

TURN: 7u A[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] - 7u

If SB or MP wake up, I'm outta there.

Checked to LMP who bets, I call, SB and MP call.

RIVER: 7u A[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 7u - Ju

I have Jacks up. Checked to LMP who bets.

I'm pretty sure LMP is the only one that can beat me. I'm taking a chance that he's bluffing at it.

I call and LMP shows ATo, for Aces up.

I know this is pretty common stuff, which is why I'd appreciate some input.

Thanks in advance.

[Dynasty]

Call, Call, Call, Call: The formula for burning away chips.

If a player is raising with crap, then you should 3-bet him with JTs and the button. Otherwise, fold. Playing this hand heads-up against an over-aggressive raiser is great.

You should raise the flop. It will clean up your pair outs in case LMP doesn't have an Ace.

Given the way you played the hand, you should definitely raise the turn representing trip 7's or better and hope he folds a hand like KQ which has you beat. Folding on the turn if another player represented trip 7's would be an horrendous play.

[pufferfish]

Call, Call, Call, Call: The formula for burning away chips.

True, but I had nothing but the draws.

If a player is raising with crap, then you should 3-bet him with JTs and the button. Otherwise, fold. Playing this hand heads-up against an over-aggressive raiser is great.

Ok. Lesson learned.

You should raise the flop. It will clean up your pair outs in case LMP doesn't have an Ace.

Not sure I follow the statement that I put in bold.

I flopped that flush draw and figured if I made it I'd like some company in the hand. I think I may have lost SB and MP to 2-cold.

Given the way you played the hand, you should definitely raise the turn representing trip 7's or better and hope he folds a hand like KQ which has you beat.

OK, that was probably my only shot of stealing it.

Folding on the turn if another player represented trip 7's would be an horrendous play.

True again, but then I would really have felt between a rock and a hard spot. SB and MP were so passive that I don't think they would have tried that. I just thought this was a marginal situation for me as it was.

I have actually been playing much better in the past few days, and call, call, call is not my MO any more. I wanted to slam him with the flush and got stuck not thinking about other ways to take the hand.

Dynasty, I really appreciate your input and taking time making the points that you did. Thanks a lot.

[Dynasty]

Not sure I follow the statement: It will clean up your pair outs in case LMP doesn't have an Ace.

On a flop of As7x3s, a flop raise is very likely to fold out KT, QT, KJ, QJ, and any other hand with a Jack or Ten in it. If your opponent raised pre-flop with pocket pair 99 or lower, it's a huge advantage to fold out those hands. That way you win the whole pot by spiking a Jack or Ten (like you did on the river) rather than splitting the pot with someone else who has AJJ77 since the Ace kicker on the board plays.

Raising the flop may also give you free card options depending on your read.

[pufferfish]

Printing this. OK, thank you.