Shorthanded 75-150 67s hand

[Diplomat]

Very good 75-150 game. We are currently 4-handed. UTG is a very loose, very wierd-playing guy, likes to push bluffs very, very hard, but "milks" his pairs, etc. The button is too tight for shorthanded and has too much respect (it seems) for the small blind and I. The small blind is a normally strong, although much a too loose and aggressive player, who has taken some rotten beats and is quite on tilt. Anyway.

UTG and the button fold. The small blind raises and I call with 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

The flop is 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] He bets, I raise, he calls.

The turn is 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] for a board of 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]]. He checks, I bet, he raises, I call.

The river is 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] for a board of 3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]] [7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]]. He bets, I...

-Diplomat

[James282]

He'll call a raise with an 8 or an overpair. I would raise.
-James

[Broyle Dunson]

Just my opinion but playing small suited connectors against overly agrressive live players can become a problem because very often your in with the same or slightly inferior cards too.I feel you can only call here.

[legend42]

I can't imagine doing anything but calling here, especially if you're going to call a 3-bet, which I'd think you'd have to from an aggressive, tilting player. Since you can't comfortably eliminate a 9 or a 4 from his hand, and won't get a call from a lot of his other possible hands, I think calling here is the clear choice.

[elysium]

hi diplomat
calling pre-flop is o.k. here. the question is whether or not to raise the flop. i don't like it diplomat. from first position a check-raise is o.k., however, since your hand can improve, and this is a loose aggressive type opponent, a raise will only cost you more to allow the improvement to occur. when you're in this type situation, a tentative one albeit with lots of outs, and o.k., maybe stronger than tentative, but calling the flop and raising if you should pick up a flush draw on the turn, gives you a better chance of folding him out than almost any type play made on the flop. do you have the outs needed on the flop to give your raise value? yes, but only if you won't face a reraise, and that's not the case here.

on the river, calling is best diplomat. i think he has an over-pair and you take it down, but i'm not so sure as i would need to be before making the raise. i'll say this, it's close. 70% ish. you need 2-1 here though because he might reraise with nothing or a real hand, 50-50. and no diplomat, just because an aggressive will reraise you with nothing doesn't mean that you should therefore raise, which is exactly what you're thinking right now. "don't i want to raise if he will reraise with nothing?". no diplomat, no. you must learn to control the aggressive when your hand isn't stellar. raising on the river though, isn't that bad.

you called the river.

i do advise you to stay out of these short-handed games. you are not short-handed skilled diplomat and i don't think that you have tightened up multi-way a whole either. if you're playing at this high limit, i'm sure money is no problem for you win or lose. i just think that you have the brains to win but your game isn't set yet. and yes, you're still lashing out with small suited in multi-ways because your big hands are getting folded to or beaten more than you think is appropriate. i know. you are probably a math wiz, but what neither i or anyone else can really teach you is how to fathom what your opponent is holding and will do in response to your action. or whether you should care what he thinks or does. and when you should play it just like it is because it doesn't matter. he will call or raise anyway. your posts are lacking in this area. they are good, don't get wrong, but also screaming that you're not playing in the areas that you should be, but rather leaving these important areas up to chance.

the next time you're in this situation on the river, and you want to raise but don't want a reraise, say something like, "either i've hit the world's biggest straight, or i'm totally bluffing!". would it be nice if you set this up when you have hit the biggest straight but also know that your opponent won't raise but will call? yes. that would be nice. as it is diplomat, you are not even holding your cards properly. you are sitting better though. i think my 'slouch thread' sunk in.

[Steve Giufre]

I'm a little surprised at the replies so far. I would probably raise here, I think you have the best hand, and at this limit he isn't laying down an overpair on the end. You beat a lot of his likely holdings. That being said, I'm not sure anybody can really give you the right answer without being at the table and really knowing the player here. As far as Elysium's post, he gives a lot of useful information as usual, but he thinks everyone is playing over thier limit with the possible exception of himself. I imagine you know whether or not you belong in this game.

[glen]

. . . I'm the type of guy who says "the puddin' is delicious."

[obi---one]

with the type of player you are describing, i would call. The reason being, i dont want to have to pay two more bets if i am wrong, because you probably have to pay him off he if he three bets it. if i am in diplomats opponents shoes i have a hard time putting him on a straight, the only hand that diplomat could have hear that is a straight is 99. and i would have a hard time believing that because i would have expected a three bet in a short handed high limit game. (btw- i think you have to three bet or fold before the flop) So, if he is really thinking he cant put you on a straight so he could three bet bluff you so you would have to pay him off so i would call down here because it is the easiest way to play the hand. hope that makes sense

[Steve Giufre]

Dip,

Didnt read your description of the SB very closely, perhaps calling is the best play. Is he really capable of 3 betting a worse hand on the river? That looks suicidal given the board and the previous action. There are players who I would raise on the end and fold to the three bet. However, it doesnt look like this guy is one of them.

[Diplomat]

Hi Steve,

I am fairly sure he would re-raise the river with QQ as easily as 44 or 99.

-Diplomat