The ever improving hand

[Play Tight]

$2-$5 Colorado live action game. I'm in the blind with A2d. 7 players see an unraised flop.

Flop Jd Ah 9d.....I check hoping to check raise but everyone checks around.

Turn Ac.....I bet out get called by 4 people.

River 2s.....Take another chance and check, checks around to button who bets, I check raise, all drop to button who 3 bets? I think long and hard and decide to only call...Many times in the past I would have capped it here but I wanted to keep my ego in check.

As I called I showed my boat, the older gentlmen on the button shows A's full of J's.

I think that the button missed some bets here.

1. He's on the button with top two but probably will just be thought of as trying to steal and get callers. Besides it was 7 way action someone had to have some of this.

2. He missed the action from the straight and flush draws who by checking he could of let win.

Hingsight is always perfect. We discussed this hand at the table for a few minutes during the dealer change and I found out there was a gutshot broadway draw and a lower flush draw out there. I would of pushed this hand harder if I was the button, how would you have played it?

[oddjob]

it is my experience in colorado, and our low limits only, it is often a mistake to slow play most hands.

with that many people in the pot, i'm betting and raising at every opportunity... not caring how straightforward it comes off as.

this is if i have your hand or the buttons.

colorado players are bad bad bad, and will call you down with 92o, a gut shot, any 2 cards really. but they want cheap cards, so most likely will not bet it themselves, as you saw from the button

you have a big draw and top pair. bet it, hope you get raised, and raise.

[J.R.]

I think oddjob covered how your hand should be played, but I do think this is worth commenting on:

I check hoping to check raise but everyone checks around.

Unless you expect a bet from your immediate left, check-raising has little value. You have top pair and the nut flush draw. You want people in the pot with you, you do not want to shut them out by confronting them with calling two cold when you check-raise a late position bet. Same on the river, where you want weak overcalls, not your opponents folding.

As I called I showed my boat

Why give away information? He raised, call and wait to see his hand, then muck. No need to show your hand.