Another ace high river problem.

[SNOWBALL138]

Villain is total whacko, OTOH, my hand doesn't really want to see a big preflop pot OOP, and I KNOW that button will call if I 3 bet.

The flop feels fine to me here. It just seems like a win/win spot to be in. If they both call, fine. If not, thats even better, B/C I could easily have SB beaten.

So, when the button calls me on the flop, I feel that a turn raise is no good.

I was happy to see the button fold. When whacko boy bets the river, he puts himself all in. As far as I can remember, a lot of players will almost always put their last bet in on the river with ANY hand.
Also, b/c villain was down to only 2 bets on the turn, he's basically already oozing tilt.

Here's the hand.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (6 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, CO calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#CC3333">CO 3-bets</font>, SB calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (9 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">CO 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB caps</font>, Hero calls, CO calls.

Turn: (10.50 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, Hero calls, CO folds.

River: (12.50 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB bets $2 (All-In), Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB

I would play it the same way, without worrying too much about it.

As you point out yourself, people often loose their sanity when coming close to being all in, making desperate stabs at the last big pot they are in. This would make me a bit less inclined to fold to raises from SB in this hand.

Still, you are obviously almost always beat on the river. I would however not hesitate to pay $2 to see if he has been playing a lower flushdraw or just a braindead bluff.

[poboys]

CO's a little nutty too.. limp-raise pre, 3b flop (cold), fold turn getting 12.5:1? Yikes.

At the river you have to be good about 4% of the time. Given your read, I'd say you'd have to call.