Another uncommon line.

[BigEndian]

This opponent seemed reasonable to this point. The table had gotten tight and I was crushing it recently getting great cards and showing down big hands (getting lucky against people who were making second best strong hands). It’s been a while since I lost a showdown. But I hadn’t been seeing more than maybe 20% of the flops, so it wouldn’t look like I was taking advantage to this point.

I’m in MP3 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and open raise. BB 3-bets. I call. On this table, my raise can definitely be a steal as it obviously was.

Flop: A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (6.5SB)
BB checks, I think about betting but check suspecting a possible trap.

Turn: 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3.25BB)
BB bets. Hero raises...

- Jim

[tribefan9]

I don't like the turn raise at all. He is going to call you down with an ace or any heart. There is not enough money in the pot to take a shot. Also, fold pre-flop.

[molawn2mo]

When you're in the zone... you're in the zone.

In tennis, it's like when you know where the opp is hitting the ball before he, himself, knows and after he hits same it, the ball, looks like the a volleyball coming to you at 5 miles/hour.

When you're in the zone... all plays look good and doable and most of the time it works!

Remember these times!

[goofball]

Raising PF is fine especially at a table where you have the image for it. I know I've open raised with much worse. Once the BB 3bets you and that flop comes down it's time to be finished though, and I think you should just fold if he bets. Since he checked I think he either has a monster or like 99 and you picked a very expensive way to find out which (and if he does have 99/88 with a heart you just let him a)outdrwan for free, and b) make more money since he's not folding)

Fancy plays don't make opponents fold, they just don't. They make opopnents suspicious showdown monkeys.

[ QUOTE ]
BB checks, I think about betting but check suspecting a possible trap.


[/ QUOTE ]

If this is what you suspect, will he now lay down this trapping hand to a turn raise? I'd say for him to trap here he has to have a made flush. If he is trapping on the flop here, he is pretty silly. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose by playing a hand slow with this flop unless he can get someone to put a play on him. . .

He is not laying down a set. He is not laying down a flush.
Do you plan on betting the river if he calls the raise here?

I think the pot is too small to make this play, I would have rather bet out the flop and folded to a raise there.

Also Fold Preflop Always. You can venture a steal with this hand only on the button IMO.

If you want to pick up the pot with nothing bet the flop and go from there. I would fold here if I was the BB with most any hand short of AK or something with a flush draw. The turn raise may get that AK out, but I don't think the price you are paying to possibly get it out is worth the reward.

[BigEndian]

I looked at the hand this way:

My opponent either a) has a legitimate monster or b) he is legitimately worried about his hand.

Even 99 with a [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] is folding sometimes. But it looks most like JJ or QQ w/o a heart to me if he's legitimately worried. I can't imagine those hands calling past a turn raise.

- Jim

[goofball]

A flush isn't folding here. You checked through the flop, because of that it's going to be difficult to represent a one card flush. Really, waht reasonable hands do you play this way? maybe Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or something. Seriosuly, I can't think of the hand you are representing here, and your opponent probably can't either. Because of that you're getting called down by at least 90% of the hands you beat.

[molawn2mo]

[ QUOTE ]
Because of that you're getting called down by at least 90% of the hands you beat.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is good, thing, no?

I don't think that is what you were trying to convey, though.

To the OP... I think, Jim, that your vision is correct, that is, that villain has a monster or whiffed - his pf 3bet, check the flop is quite consistant with that especially if you've shown little weakness throughout the session. Your check behind on the flop looks quite trappish, too, but could be viewed as weak.

He bets the turn which you interpret as taking a stab and you put it to him with a raise and this is undoubtedly the last money that you are putting in.

It is hard for me to understand why everybody hates this so much. It is a very, very read dependent play and one that is best driven by instinct.

I likey.

[goofball]

Right. dur. You're getting called down by 90% of the hand that are beating you