Flopped straight -- decision

[USGrant]

Party 10/1 Multi. 1723 Entrants. 110 players remaining. Avg. Chip Stack = ~ 17,000.

Hero has 19,500 chips.

Blinds are 500/1000
Hero in the BB with J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

UTG Limps, folds to LAG in SB who calls, Hero checks.

Flop = 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

LAG bets 1,000, Hero calls, UTG calls.

Turn = 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

LAG bets 3,000, Hero raises to 6,000. UTG Insta-calls. LAG calls.

River = 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

LAG bets 1,000, Hero calls, UTG pushes for 8,000. LAG Folds, Hero Folds with ~ 11,000 in chips.

Crapfest. My read was that UTG had KJ, because he immediated called the turn raise. Or, he had a set and completed the boat on the river. Either way, I'm not doing well facing his push, which would put me virtually all-in.

I don't think the slow play on the flop was a grievous error. I was taking a chance -- if a J hits on the turn then a player holding a K beats me...but I don't mind taking that chance if I can score a big pot with a safe turn card and a LAG in front of me. I only wonder if I should have pushed on the safe turn card instead of min-raise. I expected the UTG to fold my turn raise, but he called almost immediately, which made me put him on a set or KJ.

[woodguy]

What's the purpose of your min-raise on the turn?

Regards,
Woodguy

[USGrant]

I was trying to keep the LAG around, or induce an all-in bluff from him. To this point, he was in every pot and betting very aggressively/calling with middle pairs and weak draws. I didn't expect the UTG to call that size of a bet, which represented nearly 50% of his stack. It was a min-raise, but at 6,000 it also was a 2/3 pot-sized bet.

[woodguy]

I understand trying to isolate the LAG, and although I hate min-raises, in this situation it juices the pot which isn't a bad thing given your hand, but every draw is going to call it due to odds, which again isn't a really bad thing here given the strength of your hand.

Looking at it, I didn't understand it.

Do you think he comes over top of a min-raise? Did he do that before?

UTG's cold call on the turn is disconcerting, either he's drawing or has you buired.

The pot on the river is 34K and it costs you 7K to call so you are basically getting 4.85-1 on your call.

You haven't shown too much strength in the hand, so UTG could be betting any 9,88,JJ (if he limps that UTG), AA (if he was bad tricky) QJ, 6,8 (I have no idea what he limps with so I'm including lots)

He could also be betting a missed draw with a pair like KQ [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] given that no one is trying to take the pot down on the river, and he may trying to buy it.

I have to call here given that he doesn't need the nuts to push in.

You are behind 77,99,TT,KJ (eliminating QQ since he limped) which are all limping hands up front, so I don't love my hand, but to pot is too big to fold a straight.

I don't think your slow play is bad here either.

Regards,
Woodguy

[USGrant]

Thanks.