a hand for Review in the BB (a little shorthanded)

[DMBFan23]

Hey everyone,

still find myself somewhat lost when playing 6 handed, any comments welcome. I had a very tight table image here, several times I took down a pot with a bet after a PFR. Button was tighter than normal preflop, but this is still party poker .5/1. I had a big ego at this table, I felt like I just owned it, which cannot at all be good.

Party Poker .5/1 Hold Em (6 Handed)

Hero is BB with T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Preflop: UTG folds, MP calls, CO calls, <font color="red">Button raises,</font> SB Folds, <font color="purple">Hero calls</font>, MP calls, CO calls.

The PF call was hubris. I thought I had huge implied odds here, and we were 6 handed so I cant get owned by aggression. right?

Flop (8 SB) 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img],K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img],Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
<font color="purple">Hero checks</font>, MP checks, <font color="red">CO bets</font>, Button calls, <font color="purple">Hero calls, </font> MP calls.

did I correctly apply a slowplay? I am afraid I didnt, since a lot of cards beat me, but I thought that if I raised here I'd hurt my action on the big streets, and I also wanted MP to stick around.

Turn (5 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
<font color="purple">Hero Checks</font>, MP Checks, <font color="red">CO Bets</font>, Button calls, <font color="purple"> Hero calls, </font> MP calls.

I debated this play the instant I did it. I wanted to milk it though.

River (9 BB) is the 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
<font color="purple">Hero Checks</font>, MP checks, <font color="red">CO bets</font>, Button Folds, <font color="red">Hero raises</font>, MP folds, CO calls

havent shown strength all hand, flush didnt get there, I dont think CO has a boat. check raise time? I didnt like going for the overcall, because I screw myself out of the times that MP calls my two. I may be three bet cause I am beat, but I didnt think it was that likely.

[TheCoronaKid]

Slowplay on flop is ok I guess, but you MUST c/r on turn. If he is drawing out his flush you have to make him pay for it. It makes no sense to wait until the river to put the heat on him, you are just letting him draw on you for cheap. Make them pay.

[Sidekick]

I'm no great poker master, but I'll chip in my $0.02 here.

I like the preflop call. From BB I will call a single raise with any hand that I would confidently play from late position normally. Six handed in my experience you have to loosen up a bit as well.

On the flop I would raise this whether it drives someone out or not. With two spades on the board I'm probably not going to drive anyone out that is on the spade flush draw, but I want to make it expensive for them if they don't hit their flush. I also prefer not to try and guess whether someone will call, fold or raise at these limits. Too often I see preflop raisers fold on the flop and limpers suddenly come alive after a raise.

I would definately raise the Turn. Again, I don't like trying to second guess whether my oponents are going call my raises. MP may fold, but you are almost certain that CO is going to call your raise.

On the River I don't like the 9, but I would again bet this as hard as I could.

I understand your reasoning on your bets, but IMO your straight was vulnerable and I would have bet it as hard as I could.

[SoCalPat]

Misplayed on all streets after the flop.

Your hand is super-fragile to draws. Any spade makes you a loser. Anyone with a J or T is in position to chop. And if anyone has a set or 2 pair, you're leaving large amounts of money on the table.

Bet the flop. Bet the turn. Bet the river. You want to be raised on the flop and turn, but you never give your opponents a chance to do so. Not only that, but you had two chances to put in raises with opponents already committed to seeing the next street, and you passed those up too. Just horrible.

By betting/raising on the earlier streets, it would've given you more of an idea of what your opponents had, thereby saving you the trouble of losing more than you should've on the river after the board paired.

[DMBFan23]

I agree with your assessments of the turn and river.

however, given my table read (see original post), I thought the flop smooth call was ok. calling the flop likely keeps MP around, and gives Button the chance to call CO's probable turn bet. if a spade comes and it's bet-raise to me, I can fold in this very small pot (yes, that might be weak tight, but I would know I'm beaten at that point, by these pretty passive opponents). otherwise, I think the flop call sets me up nicely for a turn check raise, which I failed to take. after the turn check raise, I'd bet the river probably no matter what.

[dfscott]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with your assessments of the turn and river.

however, given my table read (see original post), I thought the flop smooth call was ok. calling the flop likely keeps MP around, and gives Button the chance to call CO's probable turn bet. if a spade comes and it's bet-raise to me, I can fold in this very small pot (yes, that might be weak tight, but I would know I'm beaten at that point, by these pretty passive opponents). otherwise, I think the flop call sets me up nicely for a turn check raise, which I failed to take. after the turn check raise, I'd bet the river probably no matter what.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know where you're coming from, but this type of thinking just slaughtered me before I got away from it. It sucks to just steal the blinds after raising AKs UTG.

But whether they fold or not, you have to protect this hand. It's a cliche, but it really is better to win a small pot than to lose a big one, and you're setting yourself up for the latter.

If you feel like the table is too tight for that play, find another table.

[DMBFan23]

point well taken, I know the steal the blinds with an AA raise feeling all too well.

however, if the pot is still small, doesnt protecting your hand become slightly less crucial as opposed to building a pot? (I think SSH discusses this somewhere, and I posted the hand because I dont want to misapply the concept - this board is coordinated to the max).

if I think I can fold to a lot of turn action on a spade, am I being greedy?

Thanks for the input

[DMBFan23]

thought about it more. the board is way too scary, I should have bet the flop. and I might get to three bet.

anyways, dodged a bullet, MHWG.