Bluffing on the turn, and catching a monster on the river

[blargh]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.25 BB (9 handed)

Button ($$5.80)
SB ($$14.70)
Hero ($$24.75)
UTG ($$44.30)
UTG+1 ($$6.30)
MP1 ($$12.10)
MP2 ($$9.85)
MP3 ($$25)
CO ($$21.40)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. MP3 posts a blind of $0.25.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls $0.25, MP1 calls $0.25, MP2 folds, MP3 (poster) checks, CO raises to $1, Button folds, SB calls $0.90, Hero calls $0.75, UTG+1 calls $0.75, MP1 folds, MP3 folds.

Flop: ($4.65) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, CO checks.

Turn: ($4.65) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG+1 checks, CO bets $0.25, SB folds, Hero raises to $3, UTG+1 folds, CO calls $2.75.
(He checked on the flop, and min bet on the turn, at this point I'm sensing weakness so I take a stab at the pot w/a check-raise bluff, I get called, so I'm thinking either he has AK, (maybe AQ), or theres a remote possibility he's slowplaying AA, (I think these are all possible holdings because of his raise preflop))

River: ($10.65) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero bets $5, CO raises to $10, Hero calls $5.
(My miracle card, so obviously I bet, I get raised though, and I'm a slightly worried about trip aces, so I play it safe and just call)

Final Pot: $30.65

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows Td Tc (three of a kind, tens).
CO shows Js Jd (three of a kind, jacks).
Outcome: CO wins $30.65. </font>

Wow! I so never put him on this hand. (BTW, its says I showed my hand but I mucked it)

So I'm wondering two things about this hand. (1) About my play. And (2) About his play, I'm actually more interested in his play then my play to be honest.

(1) My play in the hand:
What do you guys think about my check-raise bluff on the turn? And on the river is my call good, or would you guys go all in? And lets pose a hypothetical, if instead of him just min-raising on the river, if he goes all in would you guys call (I think I would of even though I was worried about trip aces, but that doesn't mean its a good call)?

(2) His play in the hand.
I'm not sure what to think about his play because he gives free cards for a straight draw on the flop, and an extremely cheap cards on the turn, and he has a monster so if someone hits he has huge reverse implied odds against him (unless of course he's willing to let go of the hand easily if a draw hits). Against people who will draw when they have awful odds betting big is good. However on the other hand, he showed weakness on the flop, and his action on the turn induced a bluff from me, and on the river I hit my trap card, and his slowplay got me raped. I don't think I'm a bad player, and I don't think I'm a good player either (I'm okay at these limits anyway, I'm at least making money), but I sort of like the way he played it because it extracted maximum money from me, whereas if he bet big on the flop I would of been gone. So, do you guys like his play of the hand, or do you play the hand the way he did it only when you know your opponents and you can trap them, otherwise play it straight forward? Also, the way this hand was played is there anyway in hell anyone puts him on trip jacks, and if so how do you logically do it?

[YoungPoker2]

I'm not sure if you did play this wrong. Naturally, you would have to be worried about trips, but I don't think you could put him on it. I agree with the call, but I don't think I would've pushed in this situation. I wouldn't have check-raised, but then I'm a weird player. There are two overs that beat you on the turn, and he might've been trying to trap you, hoping that you'd raise big after his feeler bet. Just some thoughts.

[blargh]

Thanks for the reply, good to know someone thinks my call on the river is good. Pushing on the river probably is bad as you said because worse hands fold, and AK might not be calling, so if they're calling I'm probably beat I guess. As for my check-raise on the turn I don't know whether it was a good play or bad play. My problem with situations like this is I always assume small bet relative to the size of the pot equals weakness, I never consider a slowplay or a bluff inducer, perhaps this is a leak in my game as I don't try to put people on hands when they do this, YIKES!

[Manimal]

Having never played PokerStars, I could be wrong in my assumptions about this, but...

The play on the turn makes me VERY suspicious of a very big hand, and he's just trying to make money off of you. The very minimum bet is something I always interpret as a sign of strength, unless I know that the player is incompetent when it comes to betting.

The check-raise bluff is slightly iffy, I think, especially since most low limit players I've been involved with will call with A-x for a small pre flop raise. Hell, I've even seen some idiots call with 2-5 suited! So, you may run into an ace or other undesirable hand behind you. I think folding here is the best play.

That said, if you know that the players behind you won't call a bet and a raise with an Ace and a garbage kicker, and that the CO would be able to make a tough fold - say, KK - I love the play. But, I wasn't at the table, so those are all variables. If you think you can chase everyone off the pot, it's a great move. If people are going to hang onto their KQ, or A6, then you're just throwing money away.

Peace,
Matt

[blargh]

Thank you very much for the reply manimal. Given your analysis which makes sense to me I have come to the conclusion that my play on the turn could of been incorrect, let me elaborate on this though. As you said if I can get people to fold, this play is good. However, I made this move without having a read on my player which is why I think this may have been wrong. The thing about players at this limit though is a lot of them don't know how to bet and I frequently find that when I make a play like this they fold when they make a stupid bet like that (on occasion though I do get called, especially by people who are making a pathetic semi-bluff play on a flush draw). So I dunno if I should give up this play or not. There is one player at this limit I have found who is weak tight and when I enter raised pots and he makes a small bet relative to the size of the pot this play works.

So, I have some questions. Should I just wait for higher limits to make bluffs like this? Also I find at these limits those min bets frequently indicate weakness, is this the case at higher limits? And should I only do plays like these when I have a read on my opponent?

[DeeStay]

I don't know what your read on this player is, or the table in general. But KQs never crossed your mind? LAG players are more than willing to raise preflop with this hand... and there was no bet to force him out on the flop. The ace hits on the turn giving him 4 outs to the nuts. The bet could have been a semi-bluff, and the call is based on implied odds. Maybe that statement is more indicative of my play than anything...
If he doesn't think you have an ace, then he still has six outs to an overpair. Trip jacks surprised me too, but I thought he was playing a straght draw. Lower sets are so tough to let go...

Good luck,

DeeStay a.K.a DeeJay