A 99 Overpair with Four Opponents

[josh1122]

I recently moved up to 1/2 after a good run at .50/1 through about 7500 hands. I started well and ran the BR from $650 to over 1k but had a -100BB weekend and now sit at about $800. Anyway I'm having a little trouble adjusting to the aggression at these tables so any suggestions on that as well as this hand would be helpful. I messed this one up the whole way (except calling down, i wasn't folding but certainly couldn't raise, right?) so please bash me. [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="CC3333">UTG raises</font>, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, Hero calls, MP2 folds, <font color="CC3333">MP3 3-bets</font>, CO folds, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (13 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP3 calls, <font color="CC3333">SB 3-bets</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (12.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

River: (16.50 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls, MP3 folds.

Final Pot: 19.50 BB

[Sent]

I think after the SB checked and then 3-bet on the flop I would fold the turn unimproved, probably only drawing to a 9. You might be ahead on the turn if he has something like 54.

-Sent

[SoCalPat]

This pot is too big, my hand is good enough and outside of the SB, no one's shown enough aggression to warrant me folding my overpair for one bet on each street.

I don't trust the check/3-bet from the SB (that screams monster hand), but I've seen people play draws like that as well. If he's drawing and doesn't have a 3, he missed.

If he has two pair and didn't improve, you win.

If he has a set or a straight, you lose.

There's enough variables out there from the SB that warrant calling him down for the minimum allowed. And that's what you're getting here.

[Octopus]

With no read, I think you played ok.

The raise on the flop is clear. Calling the 3-bet is clear. (You are getting the odds to draw to a set.)

With UTG and MP3 hanging around, I now assume that I am drawing to two nines. If it were just SB, then I would call down easily. But surely not all three of them are on draws. The pot is pretty big; I call the turn, but I am not at all confident about it. (Your question was about raising here. I'd say no. With three opponents, it is too likely that someone has you beaten. The probability that you will get all three out is almost zero. The probability that you have the best hand is pretty small. Plus you open yourself to another 3-bet.)

Having chosen to call the turn, a river call is easy. However, I assume you lost. I suspect that UTG has a pocket pair. In hindsight, MP3 must have been holding the A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] [KQJT][img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], so SB didn't have the nut flush draw. He probably has a pocket pair as well. (Or he cold called 2.5 bets with A3, always a possibility at Party.) My guess is you lost to a bigger two pair.

[josh1122]

SB had 44 and MP3 had AA

On a side note, I don't know if this has been said anywhere previously but I'll say it now, the 1/2 jackpot games are great. The players are much, much weaker and looser than those in the normal 1/2 game. IMO it is well worth it to pay the extra $.25 rake to play with loose/passives who play much like $.50/1 players. And hey, you could get lucky and get a jackpot.

[Rico Suave]

josh:

I really dislike your preflop play. You were first to cold call after a UTG raise. Bleh. Either 3-bet or fold...and I fold to most ep raisers. Cold calling is ok if there are 2 or 3 cold callers between you and the preflop raiser.

I would consider raising the turn, with the intention of folding to a 3-bet and checking the river.

--Rico

[dfscott]

[ QUOTE ]
I really dislike your preflop play. You were first to cold call after a UTG raise. Bleh. Either 3-bet or fold...and I fold to most ep raisers. Cold calling is ok if there are 2 or 3 cold callers between you and the preflop raiser.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad someone commented on that. I love 99 -- it makes me lots of money, but usually because I know when to let it go. It's too likely that you're going to end up heads-up against an overpair to be the first cold caller.

[Octopus]

[ QUOTE ]
I really dislike your preflop play. You were first to cold call after a UTG raise. Bleh. Either 3-bet or fold...and I fold to most ep raisers. Cold calling is ok if there are 2 or 3 cold callers between you and the preflop raiser.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bleh, indeed. I didn't even notice that. I agree: this is a fold pre-flop unless you know UTG to be a loose raiser. In that case, 3-bet.

[josh1122]

Yes this decision made my clock use almost all 30 seconds, and then I took the weak and passive way out. I'll make a note to no longer do this. Thanks for the help all.