check top pair on the button? (first time posting a hand)

[donnellan]

I am unsure of my decisions on all streets here, but there aren't other lines I like much better. I was planning to bet or raise the turn if a good card came, but chickened out when there was a bettor and two callers in front of me. What do you all think?

4/8 live at Commerce Fri. night (9-handed)

Preflop: Hero is button with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. 5 limpers, <font color="red">Hero calls</font>, SB completes, BB calls.

Flop: (7 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. 7 checks, <font color="red">Hero checks</font>

Turn: (3.5 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. 4 checks, MP1 bets, MP2 calls, CO calls, <font color="red">Hero calls</font>, 4 folds.

River: (7.5 BB) 10[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] MP1 checks, MP2 checks, CO bets, <font color="red">Hero calls</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds.

[Chris Dow]

You're play here is far too passive. You should definitely bet the flop. Do you mind posting your logic behind checking the flop? Waiting to see if the turn is "safe" or not isn't a good reason, you need to charge these people if they want to try to catch a card on you!

[PaultheS]

bet the flop.

since you didn't, raise the turn.

since you didn't, calling the river is fine.

[Carmine]

The safest turn card is no turn card. Bet the flop. C/R the flop if someone had already bet.
Raise the turn. It's your money out there for the taking. If you don't claim it someone else will.

[donnellan]

Against 4-5 other players, I bet this flop every time. Being this passive is really not typical for me at all--I posted it because I was so embarrassed at how passive it came out.

I thought that betting this flop and getting the typical minimum 3-4 callers would have created a big enough pot that people would have odds to call their long shots on the turn. Against 3-4 other hands that caught any piece of this flop, I thought my chances of winning would not be as good as if I bet (or raised) into a smaller pot on the turn.

I thought a better plan was to bet or raise the turn if a safe card came and to fold to a bet if an unsafe card came.

[CallMeIshmael]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought that betting this flop and getting the typical minimum 3-4 callers would have created a big enough pot that people would have odds to call their long shots on the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]

So instead you offered them infinite odds on the flop?

[ QUOTE ]

I thought a better plan was to bet or raise the turn if a safe card came

[/ QUOTE ]

So why didn't you? Raise the turn.

[chesspain]

They can't fold if you don't bet.