Passive Play w/ Puny Pocket Pair

[imported_The Vibesman]

I hate the way I played this. Didn't want to raise with the blind poster, and both blinds, CO and button to act after me, so I just limped, as if the blind poster had limped in, but I'm not sure if I should think like that, or treat this as more of a first-in situation.

Postflop, I don't know, it was late and maybe I fell asleep...

This table is very tight pre-flop and not very aggressive and tight-reasonably aggressive postflop. Villian is in first hand and is blind-poster. I am new to absolute and don't believe I've seen him play before, but the fact that he posted blind UTG makes me think he's not very good. This could be intentional on his part, of course.

Again, can't get converter to work, editing by hand:

Absolute, .5/1 8-handed

Seat 1 - UTG $10 in chips
Seat 2 - UTG+1 $36.41 in chips
Seat 3 - MP1 $23.55 in chips
Seat 4 - HERO $22.15 in chips
Seat 5 - CO $29.89 in chips
Seat 7 - Button $12.10 in chips
Seat 8 - SB $13.20 in chips
Seat 9 - BB $56.80 in chips

UTG - Post Blind
HERO - Pocket [5c,5s]

UTG-checks, two folds, HERO CALLS, 3 folds, BB checks ***

FLOP [9d,9h,4s] *** (3.5 SB)

BB - Checks, UTG - Bets, HERO - Calls, BB-Folds
(thinking he couldn't have hit a 9)

*** TURN [9d,9h,4s,3c] *** (2.75 BB)
UTG-Bets, HERO-Calls

*** RIVER [9d,9h,4s,3c,Qh] *** (4.75 BB)
UTG-Bets, HERO-Calls

I basically had just put him on a random hand here and hoped he was just being aggressive against one player. I didn't think it likely enough he had the nine to fold, but wanted to showdown as cheap as possible rather than raise. Should I have just let this go on the flop? I know it's a shame I don't have a read on this player, if he's the type to just charge at almost any flop.

[Asim]

well you wouldnt know if he had a 9 unless you played back at him... i mean, money is money, if you think you have the best hand, raise him.. extract that extra bit out of him, no point in letting him get off easy.. dont you think? if you raised him on the flop and then he reraised you, you may lead to think he has a 9.. but if you just ch/c, you never really get info... I dunno, that sounds pretty logical to me though. then again, I am new lol

[DeathDonkey]

I'd raise preflop and raise on the flop or the turn. As you said it is unlikely he has a 9 but why let him draw for cheap? Take control.

-DeathDonkey

[DeathDonkey]

Good post Asim, you are dead on.

[deception5]

I would raise the turn. If he 3-bets or leads the river I'll assume I'm beaten and fold, but I don't want him drawing out on me on the river if I can help it.

[deception5]

Yeah I'd raise this preflop too.

[Jaran]

If you are playing beyond the flop, you really need to raise it. Personally, with the pot this small, I'm just folding on the flop.

-Jaran

[tewall]

The pot is small, so I'd just fold. If it were larger, I'd raise. C/c ing him down from the turn and river is fine. You're either ahead or behind. If ahead, you want him to keep bluffing at you. If behind, you limit your losses by just calling. Against a known player, a raise on the flop might help you play the rest of the hand. But against an unknown it doesn't really help you. Say you raise pre-flop, get called, and the guy bets the turn. What does that mean? You don't know, so raising for the purpose of getting information doesn't make sense, unless you know what the information you're getting means. Raising to knock out the third player makes sense, but not in this pot, because it's small.

[VoraciousReader]

This hand feels like you couldn't decide whether you wanted to play it or not.

Many times, if I'm at a tight pre-flop and aggro post-flop table like this, I fold this pre-flop. If not, I raise. Here's why: I play this hand for one of two reasons: for its set value, or for its intrinsic value as a PP. Chances are, if your table is tight, you aren't getting odds to put your $ in preflop and hope that you spike a 5. So at this table, I'm not limping in and hoping I make my set.

However, if table is tight and you can get HU or 3 to the flop, you have a decent chance of taking it down UI. You are a little better than a coinflip against hands people love to play postflop like AK, KQ, etc. You may also occasionally hit a straight draw (or your set), and you have decent implied odds if you do because your competition will have a tough time putting you on a 5 with a pfr. But if you have 3 or more opponents and don't hit your set, your odds of winning are pretty dismal.

So, FWIW, I personally would decide preflop if I'm folding or raising; if I raised, and I got your flop, I would definitely bet out.

By the way, everybody else may hate this. This is just how I'd play it.

[aK13]

I muck preflop.

Closer to the button, I might try to raise for a steal.