pocket 77, turned straight, capped with dead money?, lost on the river

[emitch]

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 max, 10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

This table was very loose. I am at work so I can't look it up, but I think the total VPIP was 45%. That included myself and two other TAG type players. Almost every raised hand had at least 3 cold callers. Not a lot of aggression except from the to previously mentioned TAGs.


Preflop: Hero is CO with 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, Hero calls, SB calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

This was not a bad flop for my hand and MP1 bets anything and I mean anything checked to him. He is also capable of folding right there to a raise. A raise to "thin the field" may have been in order here but as I have been getting my butt kicked lately, I wanted to see the turn card first. I know this call was very marginal, but my real questions are later in the hand. Feel free to comment on the whole hand, but my real question is on the river.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, UTG calls, MP1 folds, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB 3-bets</font>, UTG calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero caps</font>, SB calls, UTG calls.

Probably the best card I could have asked for there. SB is one of the TAGs and at this point I figure him for K7s, A7s, small chance of 45s. I can't believe that he would have 7Ts here, but after the 3bet i start to worry.

River: (16.50 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 19.50 BB

Here is my question. After he bets into my cap, I really got worried about the 7Ts. But with UTG calling along, someone is dead money if no one has the 7T. Do I keep betting here due to my read of the TAG and the dead money or slow down? Looking back, regardless of whether I split here or lose, I think I should go ahead and raise, cap if I get the chance.

thanks,

mitch