Am I a moron?

[phredd]

PokerRoom $10-1 MTT, 230+ players at start, down to about 60. Top 20 pays. I'm about 40th position overall, with roughly 4400 chips. Villain is button and overall chip leader with 20K. Blinds are 150/300.

Table has been together for about 30 minutes. It is beginning to tighten except for big-stacked villain, who has been entering 50 percent of the pots and running people off their hands.

Hero has 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] in MP.

One limper to hero, who rasies to 800. Villain calls, all others fold.

Flop: 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Hero checks, Villain bets 1200, Hero raises to 2400, Villain calls.

I took a risk with the check-raise, figuring villain would bet nearly anything here, and probably had two high cards to call PF. When he calls my flop raise, I figure I'm behind and am fully prepared to fold the turn.

Turn: 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hero pushes.

I'm a complete novice to no-limit. Is this correct? I assumed with trips, I can't fold, and the only other play is all-in. Any help would be appreciated. I may well be a moron, so use small words.

[Isura]

More important I think is the flop play. Your check/raise is pretty bad. If you want him to fold (which you do), just check/raise push instead of raise to 2400. I'm not crazy about the preflop raise either. I just muck and wait for a better spot with better position atleast.

You have some titanium balls to check raise 6's with that flop. I think I would have pushed and been happy enough if he folded. If I was inclined to check raise I definitely would have pushed on the raise because I would be elated if he folded with the new money in the pot and at that point you are pretty much comitted to the pot anyway. Best case you hit a 6 for a set on the turn but that might fill a straight if he is holding a 7 or a flush if the 6 is a club.

[-Oz-]

Let me guess ... you got one righteous chewing out in the chat box when you showed your hand. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Yeah, by any measure you misplayed this hand and got lucky to hit your 2 outer. It was probably wrong to raise preflop with a small pair in middle position with a very active big stack behind you. And the small check-raise is almost always the wrong bet, especially on a complete bluff (if you're going to bluff, just jam and give him a reason to lay down).

Otherwise, congrats if you took the pot down. I'm sure you had them scratching their heads. Just don't try any more pure bluffs at this table, because you just set yourself up to get called no matter what you do! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Oz-

[illegit]

[ QUOTE ]
I took a risk with the check-raise, figuring villain would bet nearly anything here, and probably had two high cards to call PF. When he calls my flop raise, I figure I'm behind and am fully prepared to fold the turn.


[/ QUOTE ]
You're almost certainly behind on the flop if he calls or at best a tossup favorite against someone with 2 big clubs or AT or something like that. Once you've invested 3200 in this pot though with the blinds the size they are your check-raise on the flop you're pretty much pot-stuck and should have just check-raised all-in. Or pushed to start with. If he's betting on the come he's gonna call your raise no matter what with the pot now as large as it is which you obviously don't want so a check-raise is way too dangerous IMO.

PF I either fold or push but I don't think I can make a standard raise with this hand and your chip stack against a loose big stack. With one limper that puts 750 in the pot, a pretty significant increase to my stack. I'd be inclined to just push right off the bat or fold.

[betgo]

Preflop, I think pushing limping or folding would be better than the raise you made. If you don't want the big stack stealing from you, don't commit a big chunk of your chips without commiting all of them.

This is a hand to let villain steal. This flop connect with almost any hand someone would be playing in a raised pot, except yours.

Once you make your set, you have to be ready to go allin. I suppose villain had a straight.

[tshak]

Actually, it's far worse than a tossup. Two big clubs with a Q or T is at least a 2:1 favorite. Even if he's playing half the deck, we're still a 3:2 dog against this range. He may bet with almost any holding, but our holding is so weak that almost any holding beats it. It may be frustrating that he's stealing so many pots, but this is not the time to challenge him.

[phredd]

[ QUOTE ]
You have some titanium balls to check raise 6's with that flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I think I have a titanium head. The end result was I pushed the set, was called, and said bye-bye when villain turned over a set of 9s. Hopefully, I've learned something, but it is tough penetrating titanium....

[tshak]

I'm sorry I should be more clear. I'm talking about your flop play. Your hand is incredibly weak, and I'll fold to any aggression here even to this villian. My flop line is an insta check-fold. Actually, I'd pass preflop as the pot really isn't big enough to play such a small pair. Unless you spike your set I don't think you can play this hand post flop because villians holding will be to hard to read.

[JC_Saves]

I would also limp with this hand, unless I was shortstacked.

The check raise is a horrendous play. If you are going to do that you need to shove everything into the pot to get the maximum folding equity.

I think on the turn pushing all your chips in is the only play you have left. he called your checkraise with something or he is on a draw. More often than not you are way ahead I think.

I don't see any other play for you with your trips