shorthanded stud high 1/2

[kgrad5]

Hey all,
ok im new to the game im in and it has just gone from 8 handed to 3 handed, party 1/2 with .25 ante. i have no significant reads on the villain in this hand, he is the usual 1/2 player.

i bring in for .50 with [ 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ]
im called by villain with the 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and the other fellow with the J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

fourth street brings me the 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], villain catches the 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and other fellow catches a brick that isnt one of my straight outs.
other fellow checks, villain bets and i raise. other fellow folds and villain calls.

fifth brings me the the 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and villain catches the 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. he checks, i bet, he calls.


sixth brings me the K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and villain catches the 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

so our boards so far are:
Me [ 4 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 2 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] ]
villain: [ X, X, 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]]
he bets out, i raise, he three bets and I call, and then call his bet on the river..

questions: what do you guys think about the raise on fourth street? how about the raise on 6th? should i have capped? should i have folded? thoughts and comments are appreciated.

I figure my board is very well hidden and he has no idea that i have a straight with what i am showing. He may very well be overplaying trips or even two pair however he could conceivably have been slowplaying a higher straight or have hit a full boat..

[Gamblor]

I think your play is medium-rare here. Let's go back over the hand.

The 4th street raise is questionable... here's why, given the standard reasons to raise:

1: to get more money in the pot) You likely do not have the best hand here, and you are only getting value if "other" is calling 2-cold which is unlikely in a small pot without a draw to something that beats you... BAD

2: to drive players out) You have a good draw but not great as you have no redraws should you hit. 3-handed this is less of an issue, but it's present. "Other" will only fold hands that are drawing virtually dead to your straight should you hit... BAD

3: to semibluff) You have about a nil chance of knocking out the villain... BAD.

4: to get a free card) With a 9-high board vs. an 8-high board, you have a close shot at his 5th card being higher than your 5th card and thus this might get you a free card... SO-SO

5: to gain information) You don't need information here. You're drawing to a straight that you must assume will win if you hit it 3-handed, for the reasons in #2.

I might be inclined to cap 6th street and lead the river and then call a river raise. heads up, it's close. Given that you called 6th you're calling on 7th automatic.

[PoorLawyer]

I dont think you want to raise and drive the 3rd guy out on this drawing hand...that is unless you think he will call. Even if you think he will call though, you are drawing to a low straight that can be beaten by many a hand. I think once he bets with his open 7s you are looking at a high pocket pair or he had split 9s....that would mean a reraise may be in order on 6th. On 7th with his board being kind of scary (higher straight possibility, possible boat i guess) I would probably just call in case he caught what he needed.

[nate1729]

I'll go against the consensus so far and say that the raise on third is OK. The ante was high, and the others are unlikely to have much; get your hands dirty a little. You might set up a steal later, and your draw's not bad (and two pair or even one pair might be good.)

Bet on fifth is straightforward, of course. I think the decisions on the turn and river (calling and reraising) are close. I like the idea of capping the turn, because you're only laying even money, though you don't get as much information as you otherwise would. There's also the matter that you're probably ahead; hard to figure out a straight or boat he could have, and 777 is very easy to overplay like that. On 7th I'd probably chicken out and just call; his being able to boat up with 777, and laying 2-1 with a raise, swings it for me.

[Andy B]

On fourth, you only have a call. I would think you'd want the other guy in to pay you off if you hit. If you think you can knock the bettor off his hand, that's one thing, but I don't think that you can count on that in a Party $1/2 game. If you can't raise sixth, you shouldn't be in there in the first place. I'd raise sixth, and I think a cap is called for. You can't be re-raised, and I wouldn't think he'd put you on a straight, so he could have two pair or trips or something. Calling is fine though.

[kgrad5]

I think my raise on fourth was bad, one of the main reasons for my post. I know that especially with a drawing hand i want to keep people in the pot so i can be paid off when i hit. Now if i call and get overcalled, then hit my straight as i did, do i raise fifth to try to get it heads up? or call again hoping for the overcall? what if his door pairs? then i want him out correct? or if he catches an A i want him to call me down with a 2nd best hand?

on 6th with his three bet i had a good feeling that he had stronger then 2 pair which led me to believe he had atleast 3 sevens, so i called and then called on the river hoping he didnt improve to the boat. he showed a very ragged 777 and i took the pot. i think i was happy with calling the 3 bet on the turn and then the river.. but it was probably very close since my board looked so ragged.. thanks for the responses all