"It's so simple! Maybe you need a refresher course."

[Munga30]

I haven't played in a while.

Paradise $0.50/$1. I'm new to the table and have done nothing to call attention to myself. I don't have any info on my opponents.

One EP limper, MP poster checks, I call on the button with A[img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] , and the blinds come along. Five take the flop for 5sb.

*** FLOP *** : [ A[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] T[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] ]

Checked to me and I bet. Blinds fold, EP and poster call.

*** TURN *** : [ A[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] T[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] ] [ 6[img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] ]

EP bets out and poster folds. I raise. I honestly can't say I would fold to a reraise. EP calls.

*** RIVER *** : [ A[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] T[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] 6[img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] ] [ K[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] ]

EP checks and calls my river bet.

Comments?

[Bob T.]

Hmmm, you played it like the forum seems to on the KQ suited thread. Maybe he was just checking to see if you really had top pair.

Good Luck,
Play Well,

Bob T.

[lil']

I see this hand differently from the KQs hand, as there was no heavy action pre-flop.

I would raise pre-flop on this hand. A bet from EP would tell me a lot more if he was betting into me after I had shown some strength. It would also knock the blinds out.

[mauisupaman]

Munga,
You know I've run into situations like this on a number of occasions on micro limit PP. You limp in with Axs (having a medium kicker perhaps not worth raising) in LP or even on hands where you raise with A and a good kicker, and the flop comes A x x. Everyone checks to you, you bet and everyone calls. The turn comes and a player in front of you bets into you and you sit there thinking maybe he had an A and hit his kicker or maybe he had only middle or bottom and hit his kicker. In any case, you raise to see where you're at and the player who bets into you only calls and on the river checks and calls your bet. And of course he shows A's up or some other two pair.

It seems to me that a bunch of players on 0.5-1 when they do make two pair on the turn will bet into, but won't reraise if raised and won't bet into you again on the river (some stronger meek players just call the turn raise and bet into you again on the river) and generally play their hand meekly.

But that's just what I've seen. And I end up raising the turn anyway when bet into and alot of times it turns out well.
-Adam

[JTG51]

I agree about raising preflop here. Raising with medium strengh hands after just one or two limpers is something I've been doing with good success more and more lately.

[Ed Miller]

I would raise preflop.

I would have checked down the river. The point of raising the turn here with position is so you can show down your weak Ace without a fight if you don't improve, but charge him once more if you do improve.

[Homer]

Preflop: I would raise here most of the time, though I can see why you might prefer limping.

Flop: Fine

Turn: What do you put EP on? What is your reason for raising? Do you think you have the best hand, or do you think that EP has a marginal hand that might be slightly better than yours, and there is a chance he will fold to your raise?

I don't think raising is good if you are unable to fold to a reraise. If this is the case then I think you should just call him down.

River: I don't like this bet. I think you should have checked behind.

Basically, the way I am looking at this is that from the turn on you are putting no more than two bets in the pot. You can either call him down, raise the turn and check behind on the river, or raise the turn and fold to a reraise.

I am guessing that you were beaten by AJ (just a guess).

-- Homer

[Munga30]

Thanks for all the dead on comments. I think raising preflop is not a bad option as the blinds are likely to come along for 2 sb at this level. OTOH, my hand loves multiway and I already have the button. It's when I hit top pair that I have issues. A slightly better hand, more limpers, or being in the cutoff would make it clearer for me.

My turn raise, even if I know I will fold to a reraise, is poor. I only have 3 outs against A8 or better and A6, I'm dead to AT, and I don't want A7 or worse to fold. I think I have to consider how likely is EP to have 86 or T6 (or even a poorly played T8) to decide whether to raise because I'd rather do it with 5 outs than 3.

The river was also awful. The preflop raise may have been helpful here.

EP had AQ. Almost Homer!

[Ed Miller]

You have a gutshot with any 7, do you not? Your hand is not as weak on the turn as you seem to think. I think the turn raise was just fine... in fact preferable to just calling (for the reason I said in my first post). But you need to check the river when you miss here.

[Munga30]