30-60 Call Call Call hand

[PokerPrince]

Six handed, pretty decent game. I raise utg with T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB is the only caller.

Flop-Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB bets out. I call.

Turn-Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

He bets out again. I call.

River-Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

He bets. I call.

Rarely do I play a hand this passively but decided to here. The read on my opponent was, he was loose and would bet out with a 7 here, but maybe also a Queen. I'de say the odds of him having a 7 are greater than him having a Queen. How often do you play a hand this way if ever? Would you sometimes make this play on a drawless board or be more apt to raise somewhere? Thanks.

PokerPrince

[DocHollyday]

You have position and you raised UTG, which puts you on having a strong holding. But now you show weakness straight away. If you don't raise the flop, you should at least raise the turn. You have no information about what SB could hold, so get some. If he indeed has just a seven, you bet for value. If he has a real hand, like flopped two pair, he will probably three-bet, so you know where you are. If he doesn't three-bet the flop for example, you can take a free card at the turn and then just call the river.

May be others disagree with me, but I think you played this hand way too passiv.

[Gabe]

I don’t think it’s too bad to sometimes play a hand like this, especially against the type of opponent you describe. Of course, he’ll often suck out on you when you have a hand like TT. I wonder why you think he was a favorite to have a 7. Do you think he would have check-raised or slow played a Q?
I would sometimes play a hand like this if the player was very aggressive but not tenacious and I wanted to chill him out a bit.
Playing QQ like this when the flop is K73 is a lot safer.

[gaylord focker]

I would have played it the same way. If he is bluffing, or if he has a seven, you want him to continue betting. You dont want to raise him off a bluff, and you dont want to put too much money into the pot with a marginal hand. I realize but just smooth calling you give him the oppertunity to make an overcard that could hurt your hand, but I think it's still the best way to go.

[andyfox]

I agree he's more likely to have a 7 than a Q since he bet out, rathe than go for a fancier play. But the fact that he still be the river makes a Q slightly more likely.

Either way, I'm not a fan of call, call, call, but I don't think it's all that bad here. I'd prefer, most of the time, to either raise the flop (and probably check behind on the turn and call him down on the river) or raise the turn and check behind on the river.

[gaylord focker]

After thinking about it, I agree with Andy. This looks like a spot to raise the turn and check behind on the river. I like it better than raising the flop and checking the turn, because he's probably got 5 outs if you are ahead, and you dont want to give him a free look at the river.

[skp]

I don't see much wrong with the play. You lose less when he has a queen and make more when he doesn't. Further, if he has a Queen, you stand a greater chance of getting him to lay it down by not raising on the flop i.e. a King or Ace comes on the turn and he checks - Ideal spot to bluff and have him fold his Queen or call with his 7. Seemingly contradictory but either could happen.

[Diplomat]

Hi Prince,

I think this play is fine. He could have a range of hands, and it is important to keep him betting if he has a weaker pair or ace-high.

At first I think I agree with Andy's idea of raising the flop or raising the turn; however, given your image as a tight player, (assumed) I think a turn raise might not be all that worthwhile. He's probably going to fold ace-high or middle pair (again assuming he will let go of a hand) but call or re-raise if he has you beat. So he will only call the raise if he has you beat; but he might keep betting a hand that is considerably behind yours if you call. So I say call, unless he will call you down in the face of aggression with a weak hand.

-Diplomat

[Depraved]

You probably want to get another bet in just because your hand is probably better more often than not, but you should do it while taking the least risk of getting reraised when you are behind...

So, raising the river in this case appears optimal. The risk of reraise is much less since your raise appears much stronger. It looks like a slowplay or overpair. That's from HPFAP, and that advice has always worked well for me.

[Diplomat]

If I raised, I would raise the river as well.

-Diplomat