post-flop hand from the blinds

[Dallara]

PP 20+2, Level:3 Blinds(25/50)

Seat 9 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 3: ( $1045 )
Seat 4: ( $430 )
Seat 8: ( $2835 )
Seat 9: ( $1440 )
Seat 10: Villain( $1535 )
Seat 1: Hero ( $715 )

Trny:15589500 Level:3
Blinds(25/50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Hero [ Jc Qc ]
4 folds, Villain (SB) raises [75].
Hero calls [50].
** Dealing Flop ** [ 4d, Ts, 9s ]
Villain checks.
Hero checks.
** Dealing Turn ** [ Tc ]
Villain bets [50].
Hero calls [50].
** Dealing River ** [ 2c ]
Villain bets [50].
Hero?

OK, areas for comment:
1) I call defending my blinds, I think this is standard although I might fold here if I have less chips.
2) He checks a pretty harmless flop. I find this a little strange and decide to take the free card with the OESD. Should I bet here? I suck at betting draws.
3) Weak turn bet and I just call. Others raise here?
4) Weak river bet but I have nothing. Fold or call?

I play this hand almost exactly as you did, with a fold on the river.

A check is fine on the flop if you sense he is trying to trap his pair, but I don't mind to bet sometimes since it is a good flop for you.

Call on the turn is standard, but I have seen some raise to semi-bluff the other player out.

[ChrisW]

You cannot afford to play this pot passively. Villain would have to be a real donk to slowplay on this flop with potential straight and flush draws abounding, and taking the pot down will add over 20% to your stack. Considering that your hand would be worth calling an all-in bet on the flop even if villain showed you A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (TPTK plus the backdoor flush draw), you should be prepared to play the flop very aggressively.

The best line is to make a small bet on the flop (75 or so). Such a fishy bet may incite a bluff/value reraise with Ax (that is, he's hoping to push you off a weak made hand or protect his ace high if you haven't paired), and the small flop bet keeps the pot small enough that your all-in reraise will be large enough to force such hands to fold.

Of course, most of the time your flop bet will win the pot right there, as your opponent will realize that continuing with a marginal or worse hand OOP on such a dangerous flop courts severe negative implied odds. Oh wait, it's a $20+2? Well, you might have to fire again on the turn to get rid of your villain. If he calls the flop and checks the turn, he almost has to be on a draw himself. Thus, you should move in on him unless he is enough of a donkey to call a $560 bet into a $300 pot on a draw with one card to come. In that case, check behind on the turn and hope to make your hand.

[lastchance]

Betting draws is a very good thing much of the time. While the check behind isn't terrible, I don't like it too much either. I think I bet here, and check on the turn, getting two cards with FE.

[Manque]

Unless the villain has been playing tricky, he seems to be a very passive player. I'd assume he's checking to me b/c he missed the flop and try to pick it up right there.