$30/$60 hand Bellagio

[party36master]

Limp re-raiser (LRR) has got a bad case of fancy play syndrome. He is aggressive, and has been caught at least 3 times w/bad river bluff raises.
BB is too loose.

LRR limps in mid position. Based upon his aggressiveness, I took this as weak, and raise in the cutoff w/44.
BB calls, LRR re-raises.
I 4 bet, BB calls 2 more cold, LRR calls.

13 small bets.
Flop comes 8, 6, 4 rainbow.
BB bets, LRR calls, I call.

8 BB.
Turn is 7, 2nd diamond.
BB bets, LRR raises, I ???

I 3 bet, because:
I don't like my hand so much, and want to get to showdown as cheaply as possible. This would slow down BB if he has 66. Also, BB would not get odds to call 2 cold w/86. There is some probability (small) that BB would fold 66? Also, LRR could play AA this way. If I'm 4 bet, I'd call it, but fold to a cap.

I 3 bet, BB calls 2 cold, LRR calls.

River Q diamonds.
check, check, check

[ILOVEPOKER929]

PREFLOP: Depending on how bad the players play behind me, this is a call/fold decision for me. I dont like the idea of raising with 44's cuz its so hard to successfully isolate in today's games whether its live or online, and even if you do get this pot HU youre in a reverse implied odds potential nightmare since it will be very hard to play 44's optimally vs a FPS agressive guy.

Once you raise and the BB calls and the Aggressive guy 3bets, I think 4betting is a good play if you have a strong feeling that the BB will fold quite often for 2 more small bets. Getting this pot HU with dead money in the pot vs an aggressive player who doesnt always have AA/KK in this spot would be a good event. If the BB is like most live players and is not the type to fold in that spot then just calling the LRR would be the better course.

FLOP: Im not being results oriented when I say dont slowplay! This board is too connected to wait til the turn, and you already have both players committed for a small bet, and raising the flop can still set up a turn raise or 3bet for you. The reason that slowplaying on this board is usually incorrect is not becuz someone could turn a straight, it is becuz a scare card(A,K,7,5) could cause you to lose your action.

TURN: This play is close between coldcalling the turn and 3betting. Its hard to put anybody on 5x or T9 given the preflop/flop action. If you believe the BB will bet the turn with many nonstraight hands and the FPS guy will raise the turn with many nonstraight hands, 3betting the turn for pure value can be the play.

RIVER: The river play is close only becuz both these players could conceivably play a higher set this way. No one has a straight right now since 5x or T9 is very unlikely given the preflop/flop/turn action. Since its obvious that you dont have a straight I would expect you to get 4 bet on the turn if someone had a straight also.

The only thing you have to worry about now is 88,77,66 and 8dXd. However if these players are decent handreaders, even a higher set should give you more action on the turn. I would certainly expect the aggressive player to 4bet the turn if he had 88/77/66 but maybe Im giving him too much credit.

Becuz of the defining qualities of the turn play(ie: No 4bet means no one in theory can have a straight and even a higher set drops in probability) I would value bet the river and expect to somehow get called by lesser hands.

[Howard Beale]

I love to raise but this looks like too much raising to me. Just my 2 cents, of course.

[scoresman]

I really don't like the way you played this hand preflop. I do not want to play a small pair for multiple bets verses a tricky player. That said, once you do decide to play and flop a set, step on the gas. Raise the flop.

Bet the river.

[n.s.]

I dunno about PF - I agree with ILP that this is probably a call/fold situation, and I tend to fold it unless button and the blinds are pretty loose. Going heads-up to the flop with 44 against a bad player is good spot to be in (but still hard to play) - going 3 or 4 ways to the flop with 44 really sucks.

On the flop you have to raise this. Tricky aggro players love to go to war on the flop, especially one that looks like it shouldn't have hit you - you may be able to go 4 bets here. Lots of bad things can happen on the turn (straight card comes, overcard kills your action, etc...) and even if the turn comes nice and safe, your "call flop, raise turn" line is going to slow down even an aggressive player. Going 4 bets on the flop with BB coming along beats going 2 bets on the turn heads-up.

[cgrohman]

Ummmm, don;t 4 bet pre-flop. Jam the flop. Don;t 3 bet the turn for free showdown, 3 bet it for value if you think you are ahead. Bet the river.

[ship it pls]

fire river, rarely loose, but if you do you can berate them... win-win!!!

[ship it pls]

and nobody folds a better hand ever