LO8 .5/1 Pokerstars hand

[benwood]

I would prefer to just call with this hand.It likes a big field & prefers a good flop.Keep the pot small & the field large for now & get out if you don't like the flop.

Flop:I would check the flop & hope for a free card with nothing but a 2nd nut low draw.I would not want to bet out with the 8,7 connector & the 2 flush showing.After it comes back to me in last position,I would take a card off,myself.If I had not raised before the flop,I would fold in the small pot.

River:Not a bad bet after they both check the turn & BB checks the river.Somebody may lay down 2 small pair since the turn check-through has reduced the size of the pot respectively.After the raise,I would call & hope to pick up 1/2 on one side or the other.

[SteveY]

results

button had 234J rainbow.

[Buzz]

Steve - I mostly like the way you played the hand, especially on the fourth betting round.

Pre-flop: Whether you should raise or not depends on how you play other hands from this position. If you raise with your ace-deuce-X-Y hands, then the raise with A34Ts- makes more sense than otherwise.

Flop: I'd tend to check/fold here. You have no high and 2nd-nut low. But check/calling a bet from Button, who may be betting position and who also may have no good fit with this flop, does not seem horrid. In a six handed game with this action, I think your A34Ts- will usually have the best low draw hand at this point, and there's always a chance of winning high, albeit a poor chance at this point. Trouble with chasing after this flop is the turn will often be just enough to tempt you to chase some more.

Turn: The turn is not a good card for you so you check, planning to probably fold to a bet by Button. But then Button checks too. Looks like Button is probably on a low draw, although there are other possibilitites as well. So you get to see the river for free. Possibly Button has made a mistake here. (There really is no hand Button could have that would be better slow played after this turn card, or at least if there is, I don't see it).

River: I like your bet here after BB checks - and then I think your call of Button's raise is a must. Before Button raises, assuming Button was on a low draw, the ace might have screwed up Button's low draw, if that's what Button has been playing. I think JTXY or AAXY is an unlikely hand for Button and by betting you have enabled Button to make it a double bet and possibly knock you BB who could have a winning but non-nut hand for either high or low. The double bet certainly does make it harder for BB to continue without the nuts one way or the other.

Hard to see Button raising here without the nuts one way. In lieu of the raise, I'd guess maybe you ran into 23XY with the XY making two pair or with the XY an ace with a better kicker than a ten. If so, bad luck.

Before Button raises, I like your bet because you might knock out a better high (perhaps an ace with a better kicker than a ten) or a better low (perhaps a deuce-four) and end up scooping or at least winning half you wouldn't otherwise have won. Maybe didn't work out here (or maybe it did even though you got raised by Button!. Between you and Button, you did manage to knock out BB, who might have had the winning hand one way or the other.)

Buzz