How to play top-bottom two pair

[shark6]

I'm still learning NL. How was this played?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.01 BB (8 handed)

UTG+1 ($$2.76)
MP1 ($$2.30)
MP2 ($$3.12)
Hero ($$1.91)
Button ($$2.65)
SB ($$9.87)
BB ($$1.20)
UTG ($$1.03)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG calls $0.02, UTG+1 raises to $0.04, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero calls $0.04, Button calls $0.04, SB calls $0.03, BB folds, UTG calls $0.02.

I figure I have a drawing hand here, so I call the min-raise.

Flop: ($0.22) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $0.12, Button raises to $0.24, SB folds, UTG calls $0.24, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls $0.12.

Button is a fairly straight forward player. Since the Button didn't riase PF, I couldn't put him on a made set here. So, I figured him for a pair of A's or Q's, and/or a gut-show straight draw.

Turn: ($0.94) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.15, Button raises to $0.86, UTG folds, Hero calls $0.71.

Maybe a weak bet here on my part. I thought his large raise was a semi-bluff on a flush draw with his A's and Q's.

River: ($2.66) 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Button bets $0.44, Hero raises to $0.77, Button calls $0.33.

I thought he missed his flush and straight draw since he didn't try to put me all in. Figuring his bet was a bluff, I pushed on the reraise.

Final Pot: $4.20

Total pot $4.20

Results:
<font color="white"> shark0613: shows [Ac Tc] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Button: shows [Ah Qs] (two pair, Aces and Queens)
Button collected $4 from pot </font>

Please help.

[shark6]

.

[deacsoft]

I may 3 bet the flop here. His raise was small and didn't seem to give you too mouch information. However, I don't think that you played the hand poorly. You both simply flopped good hands. His lack of a preflop raise, as you said, makes it hard to put him on A-Q as well.

[sniperd]

This is a good example of a problem with playing the .01 bb games. I have played them myself, and it's tough to play them correctly. Your calling 73 cents on the turn, your calling 73 big bets, that is a HUGE call. I would not call that many bets pretty much unless I had the nuts. It's just so hard to look at it as bets when it's pocket change.

Also the logic on the river is wrong. Your raise is the worst thing you could do if you think he is bluffing. If he is bluffing on the river, why raise it? When you have a solid hand to show down, but your raise would only get called by a better hand, just call the bet. He will just fold and you would win the same as just calling. If he does call, then he almost certainly has you beat, and you lose 33 (!) more bets.

Try and think of all the money as bets, not pocket change. I hope I don't come off sounding too harsh, just trying to help out!

-sniperd

[shark6]

First, it should say $.02BB at Poker Stars, not $.01.

Second, I think I really went wrong with the flop bet. I should have potted it, because if he reraised back, I would have put him on a set or made straight. By betting as little as I did, he could reraise with any decent part of the flop and I would not have gained any real info. Given how I did first bet the flop, I should have reraised back on the flop, then check/folded from there if he played back at me. I would have layed my hand down then, instead of losing my stack.

Live and learn.

[sniperd]

I wouldn't feel too bad. 2 pair is hard to lay down, it's all player dependent. Your opp may have played AK the same way, and your way ahead of that on the flop.

[tewall]

Another possibility would be to just check the flop and see what happens. This isn't a hand/flop you want to commit a lot of your stack too, but you wouldn't mind a showdown if it didn't cost too much. Checking when you have a piece of the flop often isn't a bad plan. It's true you might be giving a free card, but your hand isn't very strong given that flop. If you just checked and folded that wouldn't be bad either.

The worst mistake was the raise on the river. The way you should be thinking is what are the chances you're hand is good if you are called, not "I'm ahead, so I'll raise." You can raise for value when you think you'll win most of the time you are called. If you almost positive you're beat you can raise on a bluff if you think the chances your opponent will fold warrant it. With the in between hands (good enough to possibly be ahead, but not so good that you'll probably win if called) you should call.