Help me out here....

[Piper Tim]

I've posted a hand I played and my thought process with it. I reread the Protecting Hand section to try to analyze my play, but want more feedback.

This was a loose-passive (a mix of LPP and LAP) table for the most part. I applied a modified loose starting requirements (tighter than the loose SSHE requirements, but looser than the tight requirements) and try to limp in with A7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. When the raise comes, figure there will be at least 10 small bets. This is enough to justify calling the raise, correct?

I was pretty happy to flop middle pair with a backdoor flush draw and ace kicker. Two sevens, 3 aces, and the backdoor flush gives me what, about 6 maybe 7 outs? I bet out to protect my hand. Does it do so with the pot so large? Of the players left, one is LAP, one is LPP, and the other is new to the table. The LAP folds, making it three handed.

The pot is now pretty big. A diamond falls on the turn. I considered checking here, but I don't want it to get checked through. I bet out again and get raised. This concerns me, but the player has shown no aggression as yet. He may have a four, but I don't think it likely. I figure he is on a flush draw and reraise. I am sure folding here would be wrong and feel that reraising is better than calling. Correct or not? I suspect he is unlikely to fold with a large pot, but I was hoping to try to force the LPP out or make it costly for both players to stay in. But, at this point I only have middle pair but I think it is best. There is one overcard on the board, but aside from getting raised on the turn, it doesn't seem like it helps anybody. I can't place sb (LPP) on a hand as he plays almost everything (VPIP 85%).

I bet out again on the river. I thought about checking here, but like to be the one applying pressure and it is consistent with how I played earlier in the hand. Additionally, it would have been checked through. One folds, one calls.

So, how can you help me? Aside from folding preflop, which I would have done at a tighter table, what would you have done differently on each street and why? Are any of my decisions based on a flawed understanding of a concept? If so, what needs to be changed. These are the hardest hands for me to play but are critical for being able to win.



Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. CO posts a blind of $0.50. MP2 posts a blind of $0.50.
Hero calls, UTG+1 calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 (poster) checks, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO (poster) raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls.

Flop: (12 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, CO calls, SB calls.

Turn: (8 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP1 folds, <font color="#CC3333">CO raises</font>, SB calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, CO calls, SB calls.

River: (17 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO folds, SB calls.

Final Pot: 19 BB