A hypothetical... best way to proceed.

[Zophar]

A big debate has been going on about how this hand was played, or could've been played better, by the SB. I've posted the 1st part of the hand. Really the primary debate was whether a call or raise by the SB would have been the best play. Further info regarding playing styles, tendencies, etc. weren't available yet.(I realize that it is very low stakes, however there is a learning process for everyone. I had nothing to do with the hand except for follow up discussion).

Full Tilt Poker Game #1456825334: Table Aristotle - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 19:40:36 ET - 2006/12/22
Seat 1: SB ($23.90)
Seat 2: BB ($35.30)
Seat 3: UTG ($25.50)
Seat 4: UTG+1 ($25.35)
Seat 5: MP1 ($54.55)
Seat 6: MP2 ($23.15)
Seat 7: CO ($19.60)
Seat 8: Button ($25)
SB posts the small blind of $0.10
BB posts the big blind of $0.25
Button posts $0.25
The button is in seat #9


Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is SB with :t [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] :9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button checks, Hero ?..

What is his best play?

[Low_Card2]

check, you want alot of people with a hand like this.

[avfletch]

Call. Suited connectors play best in multiway pots which you've got.

[orange]

complete.

[Zophar]

He got alot of flack for his play, I think primarily because of the result of the hand(it's always easier to critique for some once all the info is out there). I'll post the resulting play in a bit.

[sputum]

I complete this almost invariably. My tables stack off in unraised pots frequently though.

[dankus]

Definitely complete.

Like someone said earlier, suited connectors play better in a multi-way pot.

[Zophar]

I advocated just the completion myself, with an occasional raise if I know my opponents well. One critiquer gave him all kinds of flack for not raising here, which I still don't agree with. Here's how it unfolded, pretty crazy to be honest(the limping hands and the outcomes).

Pre-flop: (8 players) Hero is SB with :t :9
2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button checks, Hero completes, BB checks

Flop: (5 players) [J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]] Hero checks, BB checks, MP1 checks, CO bets $1.25, Button raises $2.50, Hero calls, BB folds, MP1 calls, CO raises $10, Button folds, Hero raises all-in $23.65, MP1 calls $21.15, CO calls all-in $9.35.

Turn: (3 Players) 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
River: (3 players) 10 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Result: (3 players) Hero shows 10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Straight Jack high, MP1 shows A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Straight Jack high, CO shows J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Straight Jack high

Just an extremely strange hand overall, w/the JJ and AK [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] BOTH limping in. The hero in follow up discussion seemed to get the biggest brunt of the flack from one guy for NOT raising the suited connector OOP. Was told he played it horribly [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[sputum]

[ QUOTE ]
Was told he played it horribly [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
By the guys with JJ and AKs? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Think hero will see a flop after raising here?
Take any advice at the 25NL tables with dollops of salt. If they're good enough to coach why are they still playing micros? [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[Zophar]

Actually the discussion was in a different forum. The hero posted it as one of the craziest hands he'd ever been involved in and a member went on a tirade about how badly he played it, specifically by not raising to gain info prfelop. In this situation with the number of active players, IMO, would have basically just been a bluff/semi-bluff OOP.