Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

This game is at Tulalip Casino north of Seattle. They call it no limit, but it’s really spread limit, since there’s a $500 max bet and a maximum of three raises on any street (stupid, I know).

Anyway, my image is reasonably TAG, raising PF in position a bit, but nothing too out of line. I’ve never played with villain, but he seems like a fairly standard live player, loves to “protect his hand,” and can make decent laydowns if he feels he’s beat.
I’m dealt 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] on the button, three limpers to me, I make it $65, villain in SB calls, all else fold.

Effective stacks $2000.

Flop 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Villain c/c my $110 bet after some thought.

Turn K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Villain instantly bets $500.


How best to proceed and why?

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

Get as much as you can in here, I think you're facing a higher flush very, very rarely. He has a hand like AsQx or KQ, or KxJs very often here. I can't imagine him playing the nuts or the 2nd nuts like this.

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

i'm getting to showdown unless river is another spade. I have a very very hard time seeing a better flush take this line. After some thought, i think villain is much more likely to have KQ, A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Qx , than a better flush. Meh, I like raising here, and pray for a red river.

Calling is totally ok too. any reads on turn?

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

calling seems best imo, let him keep bluffing cause obv. you have to go broke either way

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

You are beat by A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] here which could have made a call preflop. Although his bet is really big for the 2nd nuts. If he is good he wouldnt call T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] pre, and def. wouldnt be betting the absolute nuts that hard. In this spot you dont really have to figure exactly what he has. Deducing that he doesnt have you beat is sufficient that with the fact that he likes his hand is enough. I would raise the turn to 1200 and push for your last 625 on the river. Or any other way you think you can get it in. Its a strange line for a set and given your OP that he likes to protect his hands, I could see him with KQs and trying to protect 2pair from the flush. But just get it in.

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

I dont think a call is best. You may get a scare card on the river to kill action. I dont think he is bluffing. You said he is a standard palyer and most dont make really large bluffs on the board texture in a big pot OOP. He is more likely over-valuing his hand and your action will be killed with a 2-pair counterfieting card, another spade (if he doesnt have one), and a str8 completing card. Make the river unfoldable IMO

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

As I stated in the OP, the max bet is $500, so the most I could do is raise to $1000. As far as reads, I am almost positive he is not bluffing, but as has been mentioned, this by no means implies that I am beat.

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

I would hammer it now for equity from KQ, lower flushes (not all that likely) and hands involving the As. However, calling and valuetowning a blank river isn't bad either.

Re: Live 5/10 $500 max weird spot
 

[ QUOTE ]
I would hammer it now for equity from KQ, lower flushes (not all that likely) and hands involving the As. However, calling and valuetowning a blank river isn't bad either.


[/ QUOTE ]

In hindsight this line makes the most sense to me. I called the turn bet, then called another quick $500 bet on the 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] river. He flipped over KQ.
In retrospect, I was upset at myself for playing this weakly and not getting more value out of my hand, but I wanted to be sure this wasn't results-based analysis.
I appreciate the responses, I'm pretty sure my turn call was fine, but the river was an auto-raise.