LO8 2/4, set of aces

[Bremen]

My main question is whether I should even call in the first place. Even if I flop a set I'm frequently in a situation where I'm playing defense with bad position.

My only read is that button is quite bad, frequently calling with just bottom pair no draw (he may be a 2+2er as well)

I am dealt A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] in the SB.

Preflop: 3 limpers to me, I call, BB checks.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]
I check, BB bets, EP calls, MP raises, Button calls, I call, call, call.

Turn: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Checked to MP who bets, Button calls, I raise, everyone calls.

River: Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
I bet, fold, fold, MP calls, Button raises, I call, MP folds.

[Habib Marwan]

yeah call for sure, and check raise flop

[berserk]

It would be pretty crazy not to complete from the small blind. One of your aces is suited to boot. I'm capping the flop after a C/R then leading the turn. If MP raises, people might fold for 2 cold and with 2 straight draws, a flush draw, and a low draw, the less company the better. If he raises and people stick around, it gives you the opportunity to get as much money in the pot as possible with a bet/3bet. If people just call, you're not losing all that much equity versus a C/R anyway.

[Buzz]

Bremen - Delaying initiating fresh money into the pot for one round with top flopped set is not unusual. The disadvantage from the small blind is you risk giving a free card. (You really don't want to see a non-pairing spade on the turn).

But you do disguise your flopped top set by delaying the raise. It looks a lot like you have aces over nines or a set of nines, rather than a set of aces.

And in this case you got two big bets on the turn from each opponent instead of two small bets on the flop.

Then when you bet the river, somebody who made aces over queens or a set of queens on the river will be more likely to bite.

Alas, in this particular case, you may have bet into a straight - but I like your bet on the river. Someone could have been playing for a gutshot, and in that case you get burned. But otherwise you have disguised your hand and have a better chance of collecting.

I would have simply bet the flop myself and hoped for a raise. and then I would have directly bet the turn and river. But in my humble opinion, the way you played it was fine too - maybe better since it was more deceptive than my own play would have been.

Looks like you had a bit of bad luck on the river. (Or maybe the raiser didn't have the straight, although probably he did - but of course you call just in case, especially because you've been deceptive in the way you've played the hand).

Buzz

[TMTTR]

Certainly not a hand you fold preflop.

I would probably have 3-bet the flop to chase out the bad draws that could beat you and make the low draws pay through the nose... but then again, no one seems to fold the flop in O8 regardless of the number of bets, so your play may be better.

Must call the river given your play and your read on the button... I guess he had a hand like JT35?

[Bremen]

[ QUOTE ]
Must call the river given your play and your read on the button... I guess he had a hand like JT35?

[/ QUOTE ]
Close, JT32 rainbow. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I saw his hand.