Odd Hand

[cryptical]

I played a hand at PS 1-2 NL last night that has me wondering what a good player would have done.

I'm in the BB with $198 (posted behind the button this round).

SB Has $480. I have no read on his play.

I'm dealt J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Folded around to SB, who calls $1. I check.

Pot: $4

Flop: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks. I bet $2, SB raises to $8. I call.

At this point I'm putting the SB on an 8, a 9, possibly an A with a bad kicker, or a big stack and an arm...
Pot: $20

Turn: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB bets $10, I raise to $60, SB calls without a long pause.

River: 4c

SB check, I bet $52, SB calls after a pause.

Results in white:

<font color="white">
SB shows A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] I win $243</font>

Any comments are appreciated.

[Ben]

I would have folded on the flop.

But you were wondering what a GOOD player would have done...

[Zag]

I would raise preflop some decent percentage of the time, maybe as much as 30-40%, depending on the player. When everyone folds to SB and then he only limps, he should be punished. I usually would want to have at least a QT or a Kx to do this, but I might do it with J9, at least 20%.

Given that I checked preflop, I would bet out when checked to more than 80%, whether I had a pair or not. For me, the bet would be about pot-sized, as I never bet out any less when there was no preflop raise. For you, it should be the same amount you would bet with top pair (and you decided to bet).

Given the fact that I would bet most any hand here, and assuming that the SB might know this about me, I would assume that he might be making a check-raise bluff. Since I can beat a bluff, I would call the check-raise a game-theory-appropriate amount of the time. His bet was exactly pot-sized, so I would call 1/2 of the time (using the second hand on my watch as a randomizer). Of course, if I know the player and believe that he bluffs either too often or not often enough, then I always call or always fold, respectively.

On the turn and river, you have to believe you are ahead. These amounts seem about right to induce calls from an ace. One question: if he had reraised you all in on the turn, would you have called? This should have been decided before you made the raise.