45o in BB

[jace]

Hi all,

Used to be a 2+2 regular, but due to new job and other time constraints, I haven't been playing much in the last 12 months and haven't checked out the site until recently. I like the new site format (shows you how long it's been since I last posted). Anyways, I have some time now and would like to discuss a hand that I played a while back. Total number of players invovled and the suit of my cards may not be 100% accurate, but it's close.

20-40 at Lucky Chances. I'm in the BB with 4 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] . UTG (a very solid player) limps. 3 MPs call. A great tricky player and 2+2 member is on the button (oh, let's call him Tommy Angelo...yeah, that was his name) raises. SB folds and I call with my garbage! Seriously though, I called because I expected everyone who limped to call and I have the discipline to muck if I don't flop big. I also felt that no one would expect me to play such small cards (I had a pretty solid table image) and I could "surprise" my opponents with a deceptive hand. Everyone else calls the raise and 6 players see the flop:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]

Looks like I hit pretty big! Everyone checks to Tommy who bets. I just call, UTG calls, and 2 of the MPs call. The turn:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] (A [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] )

I'm loving it! Someone's gotta have at least a big ace. Everyone checks and Tommy bets. I call, UTG calls, 1 MP calls. The river:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] (10 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] )

Great! Someone made a flush! I bet out trying to represent the flush and hoping to get raised. UTG thinks for a long time. I know he must have something decent. He finally mucks. MP folds and Tommy's cards go into the muck instantly. I take a decent pot and no one knows what I had. UTG asked me if I had a flush or trips. He told me he and A10 for top two pair, but really respected my bet expecially being the first to act. I believe him (we're friends). I told him I flopped it and I'm sure he understood what that meant (either 45 or 44).

Now, did I play this hand correctly? Was my preflop call horrible? How about my postflop play? I checked the flop and turn because I was confident that someone would bet for me. I never raised on the flop or turn because I needed callers. I don't think UTG or the MPs would have called 2 bets cold. Of course, if UTG had bet the turn and everyone in between called, I certainly would have raised to trap everyone. How about the river bet? Or should I have waited for a possible checkraise?