How would you play this hand?

Buckshot · #1 10-02-2003, 01:35 PM

I haven't posted a hand in a while so I thought I'd bring this one up for discussion. I'm new to the table and just posted my BB. From what I've seen it seems to be a very loose table that's moderately aggressive. I only know of one player that's decent, but he's not in this hand.

There's an UTG raise and 2 MP cold callers. The SB calls and I call in the BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

FLOP: 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks. Would you bet or check?

I bet. Comments?

~stephen

SoBeDude · #2 10-02-2003, 03:58 PM

there is a diamond draw out there. You have an UTG raiser and 2 players calling 2 cold preflop.

There is no way your bet is going to win you the hand right away, and your hand is horribly vulnerable. You can easily be raised.

I don't like the bet.

-Scott

rivaridge · #3 10-02-2003, 04:17 PM

Personally, I check here and I know its passive but 1.) The UTG raised before flop so he should have something. He's in an ideal check raise spot with 3 to play. Let the MP's bet (they probably would have called me anyway) and see how SB responds. 2.)I am in EP. 3.) When I am at a loose table I wait to bet hands I know are ahead because people pay you for them.

Zele · #4 10-02-2003, 04:38 PM

But he's betting precisely because he wants to be raised by the UTG. I don't see this as a semi-bluff at all; it's a value bet hoping for help in narrowing the field.

Bandorn · #5 10-02-2003, 09:27 PM

Good bet. Im assumming yuo are wanting UTG to raise and thin the field for yuo.

Huh · #6 10-03-2003, 12:11 PM

I dunno....Betting out hoping it gets raised is putting yourself in a tough spot. Diamond draws aren't going anywhere, so what hand are you trying to eliminate? Specifically A9? If you are accepting the fact that you need to improve to win, than I think a call is reasonable here. I guess something could be said for raising to get out a singleton diamond who will stick around if another diamond comes off, but chances are if the board ends up four-way-squared you aren't liking your hand regardless of how many people you've eliminated. I think sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor.

-Huh

Baltimore Ron · #7 10-03-2003, 12:28 PM

Oops, that wasn't the question.

The play is a little (maybe a lot) player dependent. If UTG is the kind of player who will raise with overcards (AK, AQ, etc.) I would bet out and hope UTG raises and clears out the field. If successful, then I would lean to checking and calling unless I improve. If the raise gets one or more callers, I call the flop raise but am probably done with the hand after that unless I improve - especially if the possible flush draw hits on the turn.

BR

Gabe · #8 10-03-2003, 01:06 PM

It depends on how aggressive the UTG player is. Will he raise AK here to isolate you? Unfortunately, most players will not.

Buckshot · #9 10-03-2003, 03:05 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I guess something could be said for raising to get out a singleton diamond who will stick around if another diamond comes off...

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand what you're saying here. I didn't get a chance to raise on the flop, I bet it.

[ QUOTE ]
...,but chances are if the board ends up four-way-squared you aren't liking your hand regardless of how many people you've eliminated.

[/ QUOTE ]

I also don't know what you mean by "four-way-squared". That is new terminology for me.

All that being said, sure, I might need to improve to win the hand, but there's a good chance that I'm in the lead. And even if I get raised, isn't that what I want? Bet the best hand and make the draws pay? What's your alternative? Checking in hopes that it doesn't get raised is asking for a bit much. Then what are you going to do if it does get raised? Fold?

F* discretion and valor and all that babble. It's like putting a tooth under your pillow at age 35 hoping to see a nickel in the morning. Sounds ridiculous, huh? So does checking the flop, IMHO.

~stephen

rtucker5 · #10 10-03-2003, 04:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
All that being said, sure, I might need to improve to win the hand, but there's a good chance that I'm in the lead. And even if I get raised, isn't that what I want? Bet the best hand and make the draws pay? What's your alternative? Checking in hopes that it doesn't get raised is asking for a bit much. Then what are you going to do if it does get raised? Fold?

[/ QUOTE ]

You think middle pair is the best hand in a 5 way pot with an UTG raiser and some cold callers? I like your bet if and only if you are fairly certain UTG will raise making the field call 2 cold to continue. I prefer to play this hand check call if it's only 1 bet back to me and see what happens on the turn. I would fold this hand if it comes back 2 or more bets. You have too much of a hand fold for 1 bet and too little of a hand to bet out.

Just my 2 cents.