3 Hands needed for comments and help!

[PocketKings]

A loose 20-40 holdem...

1. I was at SB with 99 and called an old strange player in middle position raise, BB called. Flop 8 3 2 rainbow. I bet, BB mucked, and he riased. I called his raise on the flop and his bet on the turn of another 3. River T and we both checked. He raised pre-flop with A8 suited.

2. Pre-flop I raised at SB with KdKs, with about 5 limpers, including BB and veeryone called. Flop came Qd5s2d. I bet the flop but raised by an "action and tricky" player (He liked betting/raising with draw hands before.) A woman player called his raise on the flop and I 3-bet it. Both the man and the woman called my 3-bet. Turn Jd I bet and he mucked and she raised. I called the raise. River blank. I called her bet and she showed me 55 for a set.

3. I limped in under the gun with 99 and got called by 5 players including the SB and BB. Flop Js4s4h. The player on the button (very loose player) bet flop and turn and checked the river. Only SB called him all the way from flop on and ended with a busted flush draw. The player on the button showed J5 suited to win the pot. Should I raise before the flop?

Any comments are welcome!

[Manzanita]

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1. I was at SB with 99 and called an old strange player in middle position raise, BB called.

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I like raising here in an attempt to get the hand heads-up.

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3. I limped in under the gun with 99 and got called by 5 players including the SB and BB. Flop Js4s4h. The player on the button (very loose player) bet flop and turn and checked the river. Only SB called him all the way from flop on and ended with a busted flush draw. The player on the button showed J5 suited to win the pot. Should I raise before the flop?

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Given how loose your game is I prefer limping with 99 (rather than raising UTG).

-- Manzanita

[Fianchetto]

1. I'd probably 3-bet preflop, but if I just called like you did I would plan on checkraising the flop and leading from there.

2. Overall I think you played it well. Only place to get away is on the river, but for one bet in a big pot, that is a tough laydown. I'd need a strong read to make it.

3. Yes, I'd raise preflop with this most of the time.

[PocketKings]

Thanks for your comments!

1. I do think I played the hand a little bit timid. However what if I check-raised him on the flop like you said but got 3-bet on flop, or he smoothly-called my check-raise but raised me on the turn? Should I muck my hand in either situation?

2. The river call was totaly on the consideration of the pot size, plus a slim hope that she had something like a combination of a pair, straight/flush darws.

3. What if there is a caller UTG? Should I consider a raise behind him?

[Fianchetto]

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1. I do think I played the hand a little bit timid. However what if I check-raised him on the flop like you said but got 3-bet on flop, or he smoothly-called my check-raise but raised me on the turn? Should I muck my hand in either situation?


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"It depends."

Yeah, you are usually going to have to slow down if this happens, but this is where opponent knowledge helps a lot.

Is this player capable of 3-betting the flop with overcards like AK/AQ trying to bully you or buying a cheap river?

I usually give more weight to a turn raise, and would consider laying down there. Does a raise by this player on a big street mean top pair is no good? If so, then you can probably fold.

However, a tricky/aggressive player may be using his position to lean on you with a worse hand like 77/66, or thinks his top pair of eights is good.