99 in the CO, fairly large pot

JP2k1 · #1 02-01-2005, 01:05 AM

What do you think about my play here?...

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Hero posts a blind of $2.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, Hero (poster) raises, 2 folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (12.50 SB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (6 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, MP3 checks, Hero checks.

 Here I flashed back to reading the chapter in SSH about "when betting will not protect your hand." I figured if I happened to be ahead in this large field, my hand was still vulnerable and I should wait until the turn and see if I can raise on a safe card and thin the field. It seemed like a good play, but was this really the right one? 

Turn: (6.25 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (6 players)
BB bets, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, Hero calls.

 Here is the first place where I think I may have made a mistake. The bet was from EP so it wasn't the spot I was looking for to raise. Yet the pot was big so FOLDING seemed wrong, but I'm not sure if calling was right either, maybe I should have just gritted my teeth and raised. 

River: (10.25 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, MP3 checks, Hero checks.

 And here I think I may have missed a value bet. Without seeing the results yet, what do you guys think?

Final Pot: 10.25 BB

 I think a flaw in my game is that I play too passively in situations just like these, with a decent but vulnerable made hand in a large field. Any constructive criticism would be great, and if a play is wrong, some kind of explanation would be nice too.