NL25, 98o from button, a boring hand we never talk about

[Redd]

Hey micro homies,

It seems there's a certain hand type that we never post here. While I'm starting to understand the best way to get a guy AI with my flush draws, I'm still weak in the smallball dept.

UTG and MP are both terrible and will basically bend over when I have a straight. SB is 35/10/2.5 type.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ 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)

BB ($24.50)
UTG ($34.61)
MP ($26.05)
Hero ($26.85)
SB ($37.60)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif. SB posts a blind of $0.10.
UTG calls $0.25, MP calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, SB (poster) completes, BB checks.
<font color="blue">pfr here? I'm pretty sure I can still stack UTG , MP, or maybe both in a limped pot. fold here?</font>

Flop: ($1.25) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $1.20</font>, SB calls $1.20, BB folds, UTG folds, MP folds.
<font color="blue">I routinely make plays like this IP since I think I'm protecting the best hand.</font>

Turn: ($3.65) 3/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
SB checks, Hero...

Turn plan? And river plan for a blank? For a /images/graemlins/diamond.gif?

[MrMxyztplk]

I don't think limping 98o is a good choice, especially if you're going to get yourself into situations like this. As for the flop, just check. Don't people very often check a bare A like this at 25NL?

EDIT: as played, it's a tough spot without a better read. If I knew he'd call a half pot bet w/ a FD and then check to me when he missed, then I'd probably bet half pot.

[Brian O'Nolan]

Overlimping here isn't horrible sometimes. Definitely pfr this a decent amount though. It isn't just that you want to build the pot to stack someone... you have position so you want to put money in to utilize that. You'll have a big edge being on the button here in small/medium pots where you have one or two pair hands. I don't like betting this flop with 5 people in, you're seeing Ax c/c'ing a lot. You'd be better off betting this flop with a hand that totally missed- here your hand has some value. Also you should bet less on the flop, 3/4 pot. As played, check turn behind. I don't think you want to put any money in on the river either.

[MrMxyztplk]

[ QUOTE ]
It isn't just that you want to build the pot to stack someone... you have position so you want to put money in to utilize that. You'll have a big edge being on the button here in small/medium pots where you have one or two pair hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being in position is valuable, yes, but it doesn't make up for the intrinsic weakness of 98o. If you were a higher stakes player playing down at 25NL, then maybe your skill could make up, but for a 25NL player, this is an easy fold PF.

Again, limping it is ok, but the hand is bad. That means you have to be good enough to extract value from those favourbale situations and not get extracted from in those unfavourable ones. For most people at their own level, that's too much to ask.