how bad did I play it?

[joker1976]

party 3-6 O8 game, table loose aggressive, hero on button, fold to MP call, cutoff call, hero call with Ac 3h 6h Jd, BB check.

flop: Jh 9h As

check to cutoff, bet, all call. I did not raise the flop because it's usually hard to knock out anyone on flop with a raise. If they are willing to call one bet, usually they'll call two bets.

Turn: 7s

check to cutoff, bet, hero raise, BB call, MP fold, cutoff call

River Th

BB auto fold, cutoff bet, hero call.

I called the river because I saw the pot was $78, there's slight chance that cutoff was betting with a weaker flush or a straight. My major concern is the turn. It's either a fold or raise situation, I'll usually fold to keep the variance down, my question is: is it a terrible play to raise? The result did not show BB's hand, assuming that he's on a nut low draw with a gut shot straight draw, I did some analysis, it showed that my raise was actually a good raise for value. I am not result oriented, but this hand made me think, is it better to raise or fold?

Results in white:
<font color="white"> cutoff: 4s 5h 6s Qh </font>

[Buzz]

[ QUOTE ]
I did not raise the flop because it's usually hard to knock out anyone on flop with a raise. If they are willing to call one bet, usually they'll call two bets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Joker - That's true, but BB and MP have not yet called one bet on this, the second betting round.

I think you either raise cut off's bet on the second betting round or fold. (I haven't looked at the results).

[ QUOTE ]
My major concern is the turn. It's either a fold or raise situation

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that's even truer on the flop than the turn.

just my opinion.

Buzz

[joker1976]

Buzz, consider if I am in SB position and cutoff is the button, is the situation an automatic fold on flop?

[Buzz]

[ QUOTE ]
Buzz, consider if I am in SB position and cutoff is the button, is the situation an automatic fold on flop?

[/ QUOTE ]

Joker - No. It's not an automatic fold.

You have flopped top two pair, but in a loose game that's usually not good enough to win unimproved. And you're out of position.

I think you either check/fold (probably best), or bet hoping to steal the pot or knock out everybody but one opponent. (With only one opponent, your top two pair may win unimproved).

But don't bet unless that tactic (knocking out either all or all but one) has a reasonable chance of success.

Check/calling is awful, in my humble opinion.

It's not an automatic fold, but check/folding, in general, is probably best.

Be nice to see a free card here, but that's probably far fetched - and even if you see a free card, the odds of improving to a boat on the turn are roughly ten to one against.

Buzz