Good Flop/Bad Flop (99)

[Kevin J]

2 or 3 limpers and I limp late with 99. The button also limps.

The flop comes 764r. It's checked to me and I bet. A weakish player on the button calls and the bb, who is an experienced player, but stuck and playing erratically check/raises. Another weak player calls two cold (all-in). It's up to me. What's the best line of play for me here?

[gaylord focker]

I think I would smooth call and probably raise the turn no matter what, unless it was a seven. I think 3 betting the flop is probably fine too. You're in a nice spot here, I doubt he is going to put you on a hand that big because of the preflop action.

[Kevin J]

Thanks for the response.

[ QUOTE ]
I think I would smooth call and probably raise the turn no matter what,

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds good, yet so very committal. What about an ace, ten, 8, or a 5? Would you raise (or bet) either of these cards as well?

[elysium]

hi kevin
i do not like this. these are the ones that you don't like. you're beat here kevin. fold.

no, this advice will not be popular, but if you had to point to a situation that makes you grimmace at the show-down thinking 'how could i have played it differently?', this is the situation. do you feel that 'ughh' ish feeling kevin. not saying that the 'ughh' feeling doesn't have a halo of optimism. it has a halo but it's still an 'ughh'.

whenever the situation conjures up a vision of a neanderthal with a halo, muck. muck anything less than modern man.

[gaylord focker]

I would raise if an ace hit, planning to check behind on the river, and definitely fold to a three bet. Although I guess you could smooth call an ace, because you would like him to keep betting into you if you are ahead. You're right, there's no way you can raise an 8 or a 3, I didnt see the straight draw when I first read your post.

Not that there are a lot of good turn cards for your hand, but I think the raising the turn and checking the river is probably right especially since there is a reasonable chance he is on a draw. I would probably raise any 2,4,6,9,10,J,Q,K,A, and possibly check behind depending how the board looked by the river. Do you think three betting the flop is better? I can't decide.

[Swiss Cheese]

Kevin,

There is nothing I hate more then not knowing where I am at in a hand. If these players are your standard low to middle limit players they will most likely let you where you are at, if you three bet on this flop.

Swiss Cheese

[Kevin J]

In a strange, almost poetic way, you somehow capture the essence of the moment.

[Kevin J]

Thanks Swiss-

The bb is an experienced and normally very competent 20-40 player. Although he happened to be tilting at the moment, he is anything but weak. That's my problem.. 3-betting is no gaurantee of finding out where I'm at.

[astroglide]

3bet. there are entirely too many cards that keep you from raising the turn.

[Kevin J]

That's what I thought and that's what I did. But I'm thinking it was a mistake now. The button called two more cold and the bb just called. A 5 came on the turn (874-5), and he checked to me. What do I do now? Thanks.