Playing Late Position Junk

[mxp2004]

I need a little help. I've been doing a lot of studying lately to improve my winrate, and I've read a number of the stickies, including this one by tannenj about playing aggressively from the button: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post8698796

I've been implementing the concepts from this thread with a fair amount of success when I ran into the following hand. I don't have the hand history available right now, and so here is a summary.

Villain and I are both deep-stacked in a 25NL PS full ring game. Villain is in the BB. He is a loose and aggressive preflop (I think his stats were around 43%/23%), but usually passive post-flop unless he makes the nuts. However, I have seen him bluff several times, and he likes draws.

I hold 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] on the button. I raise to $1.00. Villain calls (Pot = $2.15).

Flop: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Villain leads outs for $2. I re-raise to $5, and Villain just calls (Pot = $12.15).

Turn is the K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Villain leads out again for $2. The bet strikes me as a blocking bet by someone on a draw. I really don't think he has a K, and this is not the way he'd play if flopped the straight (his style was to make some ridiculously big bet with the nuts and count on donks to call him). Even so, I'm not ready to put a ton of money in the pot with my middle-pair/bad kicker. So I just call (Pot = $16.15).

River is the K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Villain now leads out for $8 (Pot = $24.15).

I'll hold off on explaining my thoughts on this bet and what I did in response. I'd appreciate comments on this specific hand, but I'd also be grateful for some general comments on pot-size control when playing in this way from the button and flopping a probably best, but overall marginal, hand.

Thanks for the help.

[emKay]

He made a PSB here on the flop, I don't like your raise.

[InsideEdge]

Just call flop. Youve got show down value and a draw to the near nuts. Nothing that beats you is folding the flop and your hand is not strong enough to raise.

[mxp2004]

[ QUOTE ]
He made a PSB here on the flop, I don't like your raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear ya, and against another opponent, I might respect it more. I doubt he has a 99+ here because I think this opponent would have 3bet that hand preflop.

The re-raise is in part to figure out where I am in the hand. If he re-raises here, I think he has the goods because of the way he plays. A flat call is a little more difficult to read. It could be a better TP, or it could be a combination stubborn middle pair/straight draw. Given his style, I think this more likely. But obviously, my red flag is up.

[Waingro]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
He made a PSB here on the flop, I don't like your raise.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear ya, and against another opponent, I might respect it more. I doubt he has a 99+ here because I think this opponent would have 3bet that hand preflop.

The re-raise is in part to figure out where I am in the hand. If he re-raises here, I think he has the goods because of the way he plays. A flat call is a little more difficult to read. It could be a better TP, or it could be a combination stubborn middle pair/straight draw. Given his style, I think this more likely. But obviously, my red flag is up.

[/ QUOTE ]
Use your position. You find out where you are by calling the flop and see what he does on the turn. Additionally you get to see a turn and this is not a bad hand to do that with. If villain is bad enough or you two have some history so that villain will call with worse a raise is obv fine. Also, if you raise this flop for value, raise more, to $6.5

[AFCBeer]

When you do play late position junk you will find yourself is some trickier spots than you would playing ABC. Its all about feel and this will only come with exposure to just these types of spots.

[ QUOTE ]

The re-raise is in part to figure out where I am in the hand. If he re-raises here, I think he has the goods because of the way he plays.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately your thinking here is wrong. You actually have quite a decent hand on the flop - top pair and a gutshot. If we are behind we have outs and we could win a nice pot if a 9 flops. Raising risks us being bet off the hand which is not what we want. If we call and the villain makes another strong turn bet then we can reconsider. Remember calling is not a sin!

[DonManuel]

I agree with previous posters. Raising sells 8x/99+ and invites him to play well (especially given your mini-raise). Call behind. No way he leads out with a PSB with a set/straight.

I would raise the turn having less outs, but having turned a FD I'm more than happy to call the ridiculous bet.

I put him here on 99-JJ/55/89/56 type of hand. I think he wants to get to showdown as cheap as possible. I don't think you can bluff off a better hand than yours or make a worse hand call a raise, so I'd call

[tannenj]

yeah, i'd generally just call his flop bet. note that there's nothing in the pooh-bah post about betting/raising for information. turn looks good.

as played, river is a call. the villain's line makes no sense.