20-40 second pair vs. passive-meister

[Analyst]

20-40 9-handed B&M. Villain is mid-late 60s man in his first orbit at the table, so no reads.

I'm on the button with J9s. UTG limps, UTG+1 (villain) limps, folded to me, I limp, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop is AA9 rainbow. Checked to UTG+1, who bets, I raise, folded to UTG+1 who calls. I figured that raising would clear out a number of players with overcards to my 9; even a J wouldn't make me very happy.

Turn is rag. UTG+1 checks, I bet, he calls.

River is rag. UTG+1 checks, I bet, he calls. Figured at this point that I'm likely to be good.

He shows JJ and takes the pot. No raise PF, no 3-bet on the flop; turns out this guy is virtually incapable of raising, but will call down with a wide range of good and mediocre hands.

Regardless of the outcome, any comments on the play?

[Joe Tall]

I think your play is fine.

Now and then when I'm mixing it up or feeling testy, I'll raise preflop.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[Nate tha' Great]

I think you can consider checking behind on the river especially if he's passive enough to play an ace with a weak kicker this way but betting isn't a huge mistake.

His play was fine except for his preflop limp. A more aggressive line on his part would probably have folded out a 9, which he doesn't really want to do, and wouldn't have done him any good if you did in fact have an ace.

[Gabe]

I read a book that said not to raise JJ before the flop.

[VeryTnA]

[ QUOTE ]
I read a book that said not to raise JJ before the flop.


[/ QUOTE ]
I read one that said 74s was a good hand. I put it back on the shelf.

If you don't raise with JJ how do you play TT and 99? These hands play much better against a small field. You increase your chances of winning by getting rid of (mainly)the blinds who would see the flop cheaply with Ace little, K little, etc. You must charge these players a fee to draw.

[Gabe]

straighten this guy out, please.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
Clarkmeister, straighten this guy out, please.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm retired. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[andyfox]

"I read one that said 74s was a good hand."

Me too. It also said to split 8s and aces.

[AJo Go All In]

what an idiot superfish. why would he let you bet your 2-outer when he could have taken it down uncontested with more aggressive flop play?

[Analyst]

The guy isn't an idiot superfish, mainly just passive/calling station to the extreme. You're right about the flop, though - he'd have lost me to a 3-bet, so just calling my raise was the correct play. He could have been somewhat more aggressive on a later street, though, if he in fact did read (correctly) my flop raise to indicate that I did not have an ace.