$55 Facing an overbet on the river

[applejuicekid]

This is from a $55 on Poker Stars. The game had just started so I have no reads. Comments appreciated on all streets, but especially the river. I took almost the entire time bank on this one. This isn't a turbo if that makes any difference.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) converter

BB (t2470)
UTG (t1580)
UTG+1 (t1390)
MP1 (t1910)
MP2 (t1470)
MP3 (t1470)
CO (t560)
Hero (t1260)
SB (t1390)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">6 folds</font>, Hero calls t20, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to t90</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Hero calls t70.

Flop: (t200) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t20</font>, Hero calls t20.

Turn: (t240) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t100</font>, Hero calls t100.

River: (t440) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets t1180 (All-In)</font>, Hero...

[splashpot]

I fold to the raise preflop. Then either fold the flop or bet something like 100 to see if he goes away. If not, give up.

[applejuicekid]

Do you open limp from the button?

[splashpot]

Probably not.

I'd fold to the preflop raise.

On the flop, I think raising or folding is much better than just calling. The problem with just calling is that you don't force him to make a mistake if he has overcards (he's only putting in 20 chips into a 200 chip pot to see a turn) and you also have no idea where you stand. I'd raise to 175 or so on the flop and be happy to take it down right there, if he calls and I don't improve, I'm checking the turn and considering calling a small river bet if the board doesn't look too scary.

Given the way you played it, I'm folding the river. In my experience at the lower buy-ins a huge river overbet is more often than not a monster, and I just don't need to go broke here. I'd guess he has a boat, or played AA very strangely.

[KingDan]

I raise preflop from the button and fold to the raise as this is kind of awkward to play.


If you think hes FOS throw out a raise on the flop/turn and don't anymore money in.

[applejuicekid]

A lot of the replies advocate throwing out a raise on the flop. The problem I have with this is that it really doesn't give me any information if he calls. I can usually find out a lot cheaper by just calling. Many times I give up when he fires the turn. But by raising I will win a very small pot when he has nothing or lose my raise which will have to be around 150 or so. But as another poster said the why I played it is uncomfortable.

Normally I would fold the turn, but the board was too good for my hand and I thought his most likely holding was AK. If he fired again on the river I would fold. However, when he pushed all in I didn't know what to think.

What kind of information can you gain by just calling? I really don't think villian would fire T20 into a T200 pot on the flop and then just give up on the hand once you call. If you raise, and he reraises, you can fold. If he calls, you can check the turn and check or call the river if the board looks ok. There's T200 in the middle (I don't really consider this that small of a pot, it's about 1/6 of your stack), there's a good chance you have the best hand, I think this flop is worth taking a shot at. I really think a flat call on the flop is a mistake, you're giving him correct odds to draw if he has overcards and it makes the rest of the hand much harder to play. The way it played out, with him firing small on the flop and turn and suddenly jamming on the river, I think it's more often than not a big hand that wants to get paid off. I hope this makes some sense, I'm a little out of it right now [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img].

[bigt439]

Pf: Whatever, sure.

Flop: Fine, raising is meh. People play big pairs and sets like this sometime so calling and seeing what he does on the turn is fine.

Turn: Thin call. Not many fire twice, but I don't hate a call.

River: Yeah, sometimes you fold the best hand, but not nearly often enough to warrant calling. You'd have to have a sick read... you don't have one at all. AA, KK, QQ could easily play this hand like this. So could AK, but I think this happens even less often than the big pairs.

[ace_in_the_hole]

I think preflop you could easily fold this although you do have position and could take it away from him on a low card flop. I think you make it 80 on the flop, fold to a re-raise but continue your lead if he calls and checks the turn.