hand reading question
 

villian is unknown to me but i normally classify unknown as 'solid' or 'tag' until they prove otherwise.

i'm not a limit player predominantly but i am a decent NL handreader but this hand really puzzled me. i put him on ace high until he checkraised me. is it most likely he rivered a better pair and is going for a sick value cr? does anyone call here getting 8:1?

PokerStars Game #7704633935: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2006/12/31 - 22:49:25 (ET)
Table 'Veronika' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: wwbbd ($3090.50 in chips)
Seat 2: Grimstarr ($1925 in chips)
Seat 4: 7thKid ($1295 in chips)
7thKid: posts small blind $25
wwbbd: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Grimstarr [2c Qc]
Grimstarr: raises $50 to $100
7thKid: folds
wwbbd: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [2d 8h 8c]
wwbbd: checks
Grimstarr: bets $50
wwbbd: calls $50
*** TURN *** [2d 8h 8c] [5d]
wwbbd: checks
Grimstarr: bets $100
wwbbd: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [2d 8h 8c 5d] [4h]
wwbbd: checks
Grimstarr: bets $100
wwbbd: raises $100 to $200
Grimstarr:

Re: hand reading question
 

tough spot here. I think most likely hand for villian is a pocket pair. I have to think the villian would be more aggressive with ace-high on the flop. I think villian likely puts you on ace-high and is trying to get paid off.

I think call here sucks. I think it is a fold/3-bet situation here, depending on past history with villian. Knowing nothing, i'd lean towards 3-betting.

Re: hand reading question
 

3-betting this river makes no sense to me. Esp against an unknown. I'd expect better hands would always call a 3-bet. Personally, if I bet this river against an unknown, I'm calling 100% of the time, if only for information/image.

Re: hand reading question
 

this looks a lot like an A3 or 44 that decided to play passively on the flop and turn (with A3 being much more likely both combinatorically and because of his flop/turn passivity). I would fold here, it is almost never a bluff. You are not good 1 in 9, probably more like 1 in 20.

Re: hand reading question
 

i dont think you are good here very often, but i would make a curiosity call anyway [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: hand reading question
 

This isn't a hand reading exercise per se. 3-handed, players' hand ranges are almost infinite preflop, and there isn't enough action postflop to allow you to narrow his range much beyond "something that almost certainly beats me." But then, that's all you really need to know to make the right play, isn't it?

Re: hand reading question
 

[ QUOTE ]
is it most likely he rivered a better pair and is going for a sick value cr?

[/ QUOTE ]
To me it looks like someone who is slowplaying to the river because he thinks you don't have much and will fold to often if he raises you on the earlier streets.

Re: hand reading question
 

fold. putting him on ace high before he checkraised you is too specific. he could play tons of hands this way. once he checkraises you, you only beat a pure bluff, but it would be rare to see a bluff there.

Re: hand reading question
 

Looks like a A3 high that turned into a wheel on the river IMO.

Re: hand reading question
 

In limit, when someone check-raises you on the river, and you have a pair of 2s, you're beat. You can try and figure out if he spiked a set of 4s or a wheel, but it's mostly a waste of energy, just fold.