TT in MP2

[Fiddler]

No reads.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (8 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">CO raises</font>, BB calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (6.25 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, CO calls, BB calls.

The flop raise sure looked like a free-card play to me especially when he didn't raise the turn.

River: (9.25 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero ???

What is the best play here? How about the rest?

[sin808]

I'd probably check behind.

[Brian]

Why didn't you 3-bet the Flop? You almost certainly have the best hand, and 3-betting the Flop then betting the Turn denies them a free card just as well as calling the Flop and then leading the Turn. You should bet the River.

-Brian

[topspin]

With an overpair I reraise the flop. I want to charge flush draws, and I figure I'm ahead of anything except a set or a freak two-pair, since AA-JJ would likely have re-raised pre-flop.

Given the way you played it and how passive the players have been, I bet the river and call a raise, but check-calling is probably fine too.

[Brian]

Hi topspin,

How does 3-betting the Flop "charge the Flush draws"? They are probably as happy as you are to see the Flop get 3-bet, and would be even happier if they knew you held only one pair.

-Brian

[Fiddler]

I wonder this too, especially with pocket tens. If one of them is on a flush draw and/or has overcards there are a lot of cards that beat me. One of them could have as many as 15 outs against me. Isn't it better to wait until the turn before I put more money in the pot?

[Brian]

Hi Fiddler,

No. While you aren't making any money off of most Flush draws by re-raising the Flop, you are certainly making money off the guy whos calling, calling, calling with 54h, A9o, or 76s. And the Flush draw isn't always out there. In fact, it's usually not. Most of the time, I wouldn't be surprised if the guy who raised the Flop has a hand like K9o, and the guy who called two cold has a weak draw like 76h, or a bottom pair/overcard kicker type of a hand like A2 or 54. Against those types of hands, you are giving up too much by not re-raising the Flop and getting the extra small bet out of both of them now while you have the best of it.

-Brian

[helpmeout]

You have an overpair, dont worry about flush draws worry about overcards. You dont want any overcards calling and beating your pocket 10s on the turn or river.

You want to be heads up against a pair of 9s.

A 3 bet on the flop would knockout people with just a JQKA.

[Fiddler]

Right, I checked a couple of hands with twodimes and even when I gave them reasonable starting hands my win % was slightly above 35% so next time I'll reraise.

In this particular hand I checked the river MP2 showed K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and BB showed K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and MHIG.

[Brian]

Arguably the biggest mistake of this hand is not betting the River. I've read a couple of your other posts as well and it looks like you aren't betting the River often enough. Heres a couple of quick rules to follow for betting the River (obviously not 100% accurate and situation depdendent):

1) If you have top pair or better, bet the River.
2) If you are first to act and plan to call a bet if you check, bet the River.
3) If you bet the Turn and have any pair, bet the River.
4) If you're unsure about whether to bet or check, bet the River.
5) If the River puts a 4-Flush on the board, you're heads-up and first to act, bet the River.

-Brian