AQs in the BB

[RiverJohn]

$3/6 5 handed, Paradise Poker

The table has only rational and pretty solid players.

I'm dealt AdQd in the BB.

Cutoff raises first in--he is a fairly frequent raiser.
SB calls--he does this a little too much in the SB, especially since it's only $1.
I reraise and both call.

***********

The flop comes: [ Js Td 4c ]
SB check, I bet, both call

*** TURN *** : [ Js Td 4c ] [ 8s ]
I bet here...I believe I should check/call in this situation? Or is that too lame?
co raises, SB folds, I call

River is a blank
I check/fold

Should I have saved the bet on the turn?
Do I call the river if I check and the cutoff bets turn and river?

[stripsqueez]

been here heaps of times

for what its worth i like calling pre-flop...sure you likely have the best starting hand but your not kicking anybody out and when you hit a pair on the flop , you are likely better off , ie you can gaurantee action from the guy behind you

i think given you raised pre-flop you played it ok - 10 cards make you a good chance or certainty to win on the river so having been raised on the turn the call looks right to me - whether you should bet the turn is of - course a factor of what your chances are of winning it there - a big part of that equation is what does the guy behind you normally have for his raise ??...i play these games sometimes and your average punter can have crappy hands so i would bet (all this is predicated on reraising pre-flop)

as to whether to call the river if you check and call the turn - you may have answered that question by checking and folding the river on the actual hand...ie on the actual hand you may have induced the semi-bluff raise on the turn , if you check the turn you have definately induced a bluff on the turn and then the river

either way most of the equation is what you know about the guy doing the betting

sometimes its a lame mans game

[mike l.]

on paradise someone almost always has a very good hand when the board is semi-coordinated especially w/ medium-high cards like that, even shorthanded. so you may drawing very thin in that spot. the best play is probably to check-fold the turn.

im guessing you called the turn and a Q or A came on the river forcing you to pay off cutoff's superior hand. am i right?

[Ikke]

Check-folding??

There are 9BB in the pot and a K gives him broadway and a 9 a Q high straight. Also his A and Q might be good. No way you can fold here.

I think he should have check-called.

Regards

[tewall]

Of course it's going to depend a lot on how your opponent plays, especially how likely he is to give up on a hand that beats yours. If he's not likely to do that, then you can check/call. If he'll take the lead with a draw, you'd have to call him down, so your number of bets will come out the same. Which way you should go will depend on whether he's more likely to fold a hand that beats yours or bet at you with a hand that yours can beat.

The checking route is safer in one respect. That is, your opponent could have a hand like KsQs. Would he try a semi-bluff raise on the turn? If so he may have manipulated you into a bad fold.

One last point is in a situation like this which has more than one reasonable way of playing, it's a good opportunity to vary your play, which is something you need to do anyway shorthanded.

[Sirens]

When the cutoff smoothcalls the flop and raises on the turn it usually means a bigger hand that single pair. Unless the game is very aggressive and the player in question often does this with single pairs or draws then i would call the turn otherwise i think even folding here would be correct unless you had the odds to chase for the gutshot which i dont think you have. So bet the turn and i think you should muck if he raises and your pretty sure from playing him that he has two pair or better. Thats why its important that you let us know your opponent, after all shorthanded play is more about playing opponents than starting hands.
-Sirens

[Ikke]

He has a double belly buster. 9 and K makes straight. He simply can't fold on the turn.

Regards

[Sirens]

Ooops, sorry misread it. I agree you cannot fold with a double belly buster but with a gutshot you could fold.
-Sirens

[CreamPuff]

Concerning a semi-bluff bet on the turn...A bet would only
be ok, if:

#1) you thought you had the best hand (not really
a semi-bluff)
#2) there is a good chance an opponent will lay down
a similiar or better hand right away.

with this board, you can basically rule out #1 with 2 callers. You would have to be very lucky to have the
best hand now, ESPECIALLY with the turn card being
coordinated to the flop.


And based on the size of the pot, you have almost no
shot of winning this pot with this board, and 2 opp's.

So I see it as a check-call...If the board came:
JT4T, I think a bet would be better, but you still
might cost yourself a free shot at a K.
(A check might be better here still, vs. an aggressive
player, since they might still bet as a bluff,
if SB check-raises you can fold (JT4T board), if SB folds,
you can call him down on river....So basically you
would use a check to induce a bluff, and to use the
SB to protect you from a bluff (also you wouldnt overcall
river if SB called))

Hope you understand my rambling.

[mobes]

I would check call the turn and river, but the bet isnt too bad. He was the origianl raiser who called your flop bet tho. I would see this hand out tho.