Jim Brier (Middle Limit Hold'em) Problem

[Mikey]

Here's one. It just doesn't make any sense to me at all. Maybe you can make something out of it.

For those of you that have your books. Look it up, it's on pg.206 #3. BETTING ON THE END.

Here is the problem.

A $30- $60 game. You are in early position holding the QsJs. A player limps in ahead of you. You limp. A middle player, the button, and the small blind limp. There is $180 in the pot and six players. The flop is QhTh7d, giving you top pair, decent kicker. Both blinds and the early limper check. You bet. The button and the big blind call. There is $270 in the pot and three players. The turn is 2s. The big blind now bets. You just call. The button calls. There is $450 in the pot. The river is the 8s. The big blind now checks. What do you do?

ANSWER: Check. The board is cluttered and you have the button behind you. The river card being an 8 puts puts four cards close together in rank, making a straight or two pair more likely than otherwise......................







Now here is what I see as the problem.

Preflop (fine).
Flop (fine).
Turn (ehh....)

I think on the turn this hand here merits a raise. What did the 2s do. Chances are if you are ahead on the flop, you are ahead on the turn.
I think you should raise the turn.

Now on the river falls an 8s.
Fine, we can't control what falls on the river, but now the authors suggest we check because we have "THE BUTTON behind us". I think that is fine too, as I would check, if I was in this exact situation, but I don't think I would be in this exact situation because I would have tried to knock the button out on the turn with my raise.