Did I play this monster hand correctly???

[beginner]

Yesterday, just before calling it a night, I decided to stick around for a few more hands at a pretty profitable loose table... My question here is whether my play and reasoning is correct...

PRE-FLOP
I'm in Late Position with 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, I call, CO folds, Button raises, SB calls, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, I call

FLOP (6 players)
8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, I call, Button calls, SB folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls

(my reasoning here is that I don't want to scare off anyone this early, since I know that no one has an 8, and that MP2 probably does not have AA since he limped pre-flop so I don't see him 3-betting, I would not get much action because most will fold to 2 bets)

TURN (5 players)
K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, I call, button folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls

(So MP2 probably has an A and may call me here and on the river, but everyone else will probably fold to a 2-bet, so I call again - not sure about this one the most)

RIVER (4 players)
A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

UTG+1 bets, MP1 folds, MP2 raises, I 3-bet, UTG+1 caps, MP2 calls, I call


My question is whether I should have raised the turn, or even the flop??

[dfscott]

It's always hard to get action from flopped quads since no one but you can like it very much. Getting an A on the flop is probably your best possible situation.

In my experience, I've found that just playing these fast are as good a plan as any. However, with the flop bettor to your immediate right, I think it makes sense to just go for overcalls and hope for a good turn card here.

On the turn, I'm definitely raising. This is exactly the kind of card you want to see when slow-playing. If someone likes their hand enough to 3-bet you, you can consider calling and raising the turn depending on your relative position, but I would generally just pull out all the stops from the turn onwards.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm in Late Position with 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]


FLOP (6 players)
8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, I call, Button calls, SB folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls

(my reasoning here is that I don't want to scare off anyone this early, since I know that no one has an 8

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I was all over that one also. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[prayformojo]

I like the flop smooth call, and I agree you should raise the turn. You should get action from an ace or a king, and anyone without a King or an ace who is willing to stay in the hand for one bet on this turn will probably stay for two.

[pstripling]

I think your reasoning is dead on. IF the players were thinking people you could raise the flop because most people will think you have ace/good kicker here. Most people who flop trips want to wait until the turn to unload so most opponents will not give a raiser on the flop credit for the most powerful hand, however that would make it difficult for something like A3s to call 2 bets cold.

Deciding to raise the turn would be the toughest descision to make, I guess it would mostly depend on how loose your opponents really were. Would they recognize the king as the nut kicker to aces up or would they reason that you must have an 8 therefore they only have 2 outs and fold? You do not want to win the hand right here. No one can have another 8. Given the preflop action no one has a draw that can beat you either (KK or AA). I would want as many callers here as possible so I would just call along. Every now and then the miracle card will come along that allows you to easily extract the maximum from the opposition.

To answer your question... I think your patience paid off here big time. I would play it the way you did every time on this board, UNLESS I knew that my opponents COULD NOT lay down an ace. Having said that, you may gain the raise on the turn but lose some action on the river.