A5 on button

[Tommy Angelo]

$20-40. My third hand. One player limped who I didn't know. I was on the button with A5 and I raised. Both blinds folded and the limper called. Headsup. He looked fragile. The flop was 4-3-2 rainbow. He bet, I raised, he raised, I raised, he raised, I called. I pretty much decided he probably had the nuts or maybe A5 but I'd want to see how the story ended.

The turn was a nine. He bet and I called.

The river was another nine. He checked.

I had a fat urge to bet and then went Hmmm.

Did he have 65 or A5 and put me on 44, 33, or 22? I didn't feel so. I didn't think there was much putting on being done. I think he checked when the pair came because that's what he does in frantic pots when a pair is his fear card and it comes. What about if he had flopped two pair? Well, if I was right that he's the kind of guy who will freeze up that fast when the board pairs on the river even though he flopped the nut straight, then that would mean he's also not the kind of player who would bet out and raise twice, all on the flop, with such a vulerable non-nut hand as two dinky pair.

Which meant he had me tied or beat right on the flop, so I should check.

Or maybe I was totally wrong about everything, and maybe he was an excellent player, and I was in the middle of being sucked into a checkraise after getting sucked out on the river by his flopped set.

All of a sudden, I checked. He showed 65.

Tommy