Fun 99 Hand

[PokerNoob]

This is a fun hand and features my favorite problem play, the stop and go. Is your read on SB that he just has some part of the board to bet, no matter what scare cards fall? Or is there some method to his madness? I guess a lot of it depends on MP and if SB is an "observant maniac" or just a dolt. Since he calls the raise on the end, I'll assume he has something (possibly very) worthwile to show down.

I don't use the stop and go too often, but when I do it is usually in a situation like this when I want to string along both an aggressive bettor and a calling station. Something like 87, 65 or A8 here. I'm almost always repopping this turn though, once MP coldcalls, and SB's failure to do so leaves me wondering. MP is coldcalling with something... is it possible he called your open raise with T9? I can't think of a diamond draw he picked up. Yet there he is, coldcalling a preflop raiser when an ace hits the turn. I think he has an ace with a decent kicker but he's worried about being outkicked OR he's got aces up or a set and is waiting for the river to raise, since he's got position on you.

When the river pairs the ace, SB is either 1) in absolute disbelief that anybody has an ace (not likely), 2) he hasn't noticed that his two pair is counterfeit (maybe) or 3) is exactly 65 and wants to bet and call a raise in case of the boat behind him. You've got to call in case it is #2, but when MP raises behind, you are behind far more often than once out of eighteen. Your only hope is that SB is some minor piece of the flop and MP is the 87 who both waited till the river and didn't notice the counterfeit.