A very simple question

[Billy LTL]

A gang of five young guys invaded my local card room yesterday, playing at a limit it was obvious they were not comfortable with. Two pros in the game, myself and this new crew.

It went around several times and none of them saw more than the flop. Either myself or one of the pros would open-raise. Usually it was folded but a couple of times one of the young guys would call then fold to a bet on the flop.

It was a shame because I was getting some good cards.

In this particular hand utg limped then three of his buddies followed suit. Only the pros folded. Their friend in the small blind raised. I called with A9s in the big blind. The other three called.

The flop was AK3r. Small blind bet, I raised, the limpers folded. Small blind reraised. I folded.

Comments appreciated.

Thanks, Billy

[Dante]

So with 17 small bets in the pot, you folded for 1 more small bet?

If you thought the SB would do this only with AA, KK, and AK, then fine, you saved some money. But if AQs, QQ, JJ, is trying to push you off a weak Ace, well...they did.

For 17-1, you need to see the turn.

[Coilean]

Good fold, you don't have the pot odds to try and beat a set of kings.

[elysium]

hi bill
not a good pre-flop call at this limit. the problem bill is that when you make the nut flush, it will be obvious to everyone, and you won't get the bets in there that you could from LP. this is often over-looked, but usually you will either do some form of a sudden reversal when the flush completes that will frighten away your customers, or you will check and offer a free-card that can devestate your hand. the problem with calling pre-flop has always been referred to as a positional problem, but that's not being specific enough. it's more specifically a decision problem that has a negative effect on ev or what the hand can generate after completion. sometimes people get confused about this, and they confuse poor position with not being able to get a free-card,....no, no. that's not it. the reason you don't enter in with this holding under the conditions you describe has all to do with the decisions you will have to make after you complete the flush. you are not able to maximize your ev. if your flush always held up, no problem. but even the nut flush is an extremely vulnerable hand, especially at the higher limits. it's beautiful on the turn, but there are many river cards that can make this a duckling. so what you have from that position is A9.....forget about the suited. and your A9 is badly dominated.