$2NL turn must call?

[bozzer]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool (http://poker-tools.flopturnriver.com/Hand-Converter.php) from FlopTurnRiver.com (http://www.flopturnriver.com) (Format: 2+2 Forums)

UTG ($6.54)
MP ($2.36)
Hero ($7.26)
SB ($0.98)
BB ($0.88)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
family limp.

Flop: ($0.10) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
checked round.

Turn: ($0.10) 3/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $0.04</font>, BB calls $0.04, UTG calls $0.04, MP folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $0.2</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises to $0.42</font>, BB folds, UTG folds, Hero? (SB has 0.54 left.)

No reads (V just joined table).

Firstly the preflop call - ok? I know 5/10 is more for suited connectors/pocket pairs, but we are deep here, and this was nowhere near 10% of richest villain's stack.

Flop - ok to check this one? I felt like I needed to give a free card, but perhaps there were too many straight draws there?

Turn. So he has to have 24. Presumably if I don't fold it's all going in, but what am I beating?

[bozzer]

or he could have 47 for the straight..

[Dr_Doctr]

Preflop - Like the preflop limp - I limp in every time here with these conditions.

Flop - I would bet something on the flop - maybe 2/3 of the pot. Board is pretty dry but someone might have an ace or straight draw - but it depends on your table image. I'm not a big slowplayer and am pretty loose so people don't give my flop bets much credit. At these stakes people probably arn't paying much attention to how you play anyway. *edited for clarification* - plus, as the following poster suggests, you don't want to slowplay bottom two pair, particularly with all these limpers. Checking is a bigger mistake than might have been apparent from my post before this clarification.

Turn - Put him all-in unless you have some kind of read. You're beating lots of things that donks could be playing - who knows what he has. At this level, getting reads is very difficult and I'd say nearly all of your edge comes from getting a good hand and betting it strong. Anyway, he is shortstacked. No way I am folding here.

[banana182]

Preflop : if I'm on the button, I either raise or I don't play. Use position to your advantage

Flop: Terrible. I see no value in checking the flop when you have two-pair. You're allowing opponents to get a free card which could beat you.

Turn: Villain could have 24, could be looking for his flush draw to be completed on river, could have a 4...

I'd just call and see what happens on the river. You got yourself in a bad spot with your passive play on the flop

[bozzer]

Great, just what I wanted to hear (been stacking off against donks all day).

My finger was on the bet button on the flop as normally I am definately the type to bet bottom 2 pair with an A on the board, but this felt like one of those annoying pots where everyone limps then vanishes like mist as soon as a bet appears.

I do steal lots of pots (I am one of those dodgy 38-42/20/4.6 lags who think they are good but will always pay you off), usually with a lot of success, but I don't find it helps me get paid off when I have a good hand really - that's why I need to tighten up a bit...

[bozzer]

My opening sentance sounds sarcastic - it was a response to the first replier, not the second...

[Dr_Doctr]

Agree with your point about not betting on the flop but not this -

[ QUOTE ]
Preflop : if I'm on the button, I either raise or I don't play. Use position to your advantage

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't need to raise pre-flop to use position to your advantage. What's the point in raising here with 56 offsuit?

[Bonesy]

Limp pf stinks. If it was 10 handed and you have tons of limpers then I can see it but you just have 2 here. Not enough implied odds given how rarely you will hit the hand you want.

Flop is very bad. You hit your hand and don't bet it. You will probably get calls from all kinds of things you beat. It's not a monster, just a good hand that can be overtaken.

On the turn he can have many hands besides 24 that beat you. Looks like he has you. As played, I guess it's a fold.

[Sir Winalot]

[ QUOTE ]
I felt like I needed to give a free card, but perhaps there were too many straight draws there?

[/ QUOTE ]
Ok, keep up with the good work. You could even start your own charity program with player tranfers on stars. You know, helping fish and donks?

Not betting this flop would be a crime.

[CaptVimes]

Preflop limp is ok, I'd rather the cards be suited. I don't raise this because you want to see a flop with this hand as cheap as possible and be able to get away from it. What do you do if SB or BB repops and you've raised? Blech. Besides raising is gonna get you callers at this level. Probably the Big Blind and at least one of the people who limped before you.

Flop - What more could you asked for with this flop? Put in good pot sized bet to discourage chasers. You have position and there is a good shot that you might take this down here. Never give a free card when you only have two pair. Your asking for trouble. It's a vulnerable hand that doesn't usually improve. You have to protect especially bottom 2 pair.

As Played small blind could have anything, but I doubt its 24. To me it seems more likely to be 55,66,33,Arag with possibly a better 2 pair, TT-KK as many people just call with these out of the blinds trying to be tricky. A read on your opponent would be good here. Against an unknown I think I might fold this because you really have little if any fold equity with a push since he is so short stacked. Meh.

[bozzer]

Cheers for all the help guys. I'm now convinced that checking the flop was an error (simply because there were sooo many people in the pot).

For the record, anyone know any good posts about the costs and benefits of giving a free card?

CaptVimes is spot on about why not to raise this pf at these stakes IMHO.