Protecting top pair on the turn?

Askilus · #1 12-20-2004, 06:48 PM

Hi,

I've been doing some reading lately and I have focused on "Small stakes Hold'em" written by Sklansky, Malmuth and Miller. One of the sections that I have concentrated on is the "Protect your hand"-section. Therefor I would appreciate comments on my thinking in the hand below, where I tried to apply this concept.

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG raises, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls, Hero calls, SB calls, BB calls.

I'm not sure if this is a good call or not. I was pretty sure that one of the blinds where going to call so I quess it's an ok call.

Flop: (12 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP1 checks, CO checks, Hero checks.

With no aggression what so ever and a ragged flop I figured that the chance of me having the best hand at the moment was pretty big. So, how do I protect my hand? I didn't think that betting into this big pot would induce enhough people to fold so I decided that it was best to wait for the turn. With a safe card I could bet/raise to protect my hand and with a scary card I could fold.

Turn: (6 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (6 players)
SB checks, BB bets, UTG calls, MP1 folds, CO folds, Hero raises, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls.

Ok, i figured this card was pretty safe. It puts the straight on the table and a possible flush draw. But stil, it's a undercard to my top pair and I found it unlikely that someone would have 52, perhaps with the exception of BB who maybe could have called .5 with 52s. Anyhow, now I raised in an attempt to protect my hand, get people to fold (SB in this case, I didn't think that BB or UTG were going to fold) and maximize my chances to win this pot.

River: (12 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, Hero checks.

J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] is a overcard to my pair and makes the flush possible. Therefor I decided to check behind on this one.

Final Pot: 12 BB

My main question is about my play on the flop and the turn. Did I use the "protect your hand"-concept right or wrong? How would you have played this flopped, low, top pair?