Standard razz hand?

[betgo]

Razz ($10/$20), Ante $1 (converter)

3rd Street - (0.60 SB)

Seat 1: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 2: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___calls
Seat 4: xx xx J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]___folds
Seat 5: xx xx 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___raises
Seat 8: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___calls

4th Street - (3.90 SB)

Seat 2: xx xx 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___folds
Hero: 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets
Seat 8: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]___calls

5th Street - (2.95 BB)

Hero: 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]___bets___folds
Seat 8: xx xx 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]___raises

Total pot: (3.95 BB)

[Andy B]

Isn't third a fold?

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't third a fold?

[/ QUOTE ]
Is the steal bad?

[OLDMONGOO$E]

IMO I don't like the steal...the antes are pretty small BB wise and you don't have any idea of the strength of the 3 opponents hands behind you

[buzzard1881]

I love the steal, dont listen to these other players betgo, you have two wheel cards and tons of fold equity. Id probably slow down on 5th street or play it exactly like you did. Put a note on him that he is a donk and will raise the 98 like that. You played it well.

[Andy B]

You've got three cards behind you that are in the play zone if they put you on a steal. Perhaps they pay attention and know that you like to limp with strong hands. They are likely to put you on a steal and act accordingly. Even if they don't know how you play they may put you on a steal. I would at least consider playing a three-card Nine in their spot. Anyway, this is part of the reason you should almost always raise if you decide to play when first in. In any case, I think this steal attempt is -EV.

[buzzard1881]

I cant tell as to where he acted in the hand, but if you make this steal with people left in front of you, it will create the image that you have lousy cards and will win you extra bets in the future(at least for me I know this one player who wont fold against me.). Also if you get this heads up your fold equity is pretty big and if you get it 3-way, with the 2 5 you have a pretty good chance of running 3 cards to a 6 or 7 lo and probably scooping a big pot. If not you could take the bring in. I like the raise way more then I like the call by the 9 after the 8 called. I think this is +EV -- but these are varying opinions.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
You've got three cards behind you that are in the play zone if they put you on a steal. Perhaps they pay attention and know that you like to limp with strong hands. They are likely to put you on a steal and act accordingly. Even if they don't know how you play they may put you on a steal. I would at least consider playing a three-card Nine in their spot. Anyway, this is part of the reason you should almost always raise if you decide to play when first in. In any case, I think this steal attempt is -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't always limp stong hands. Anyway, I limp and raise a mixture of hand, and it is not easily readable or exploitable.

I probably wouldn't limp 3 wheel cards with 7s and 8s to act. The raise looks like a steal, so why limp. I wouldn't usually limp desperate for action like that.

Actually, I prefer a raise to a limp here, but a limp is probably actually better than a fold. It looks awfully suspicious and you probably pick up the pot frequently with it.

[Andy B]

I think limping with this hand would be awful. I don't like the completion, but at least that's defensible.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
I think limping with this hand would be awful. I don't like the completion, but at least that's defensible.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why? There is no reason to limp here, so the limp looks like a very big hand. If no one has anything, they will fold, and you take the pot on 4th street. I will be hard for 7s to raise, and you may also take down the pot against limpers if you catch good.

I wouldn't really think of limping in this situation, and probably wouldn't limp any hand with a 3 showing at 7s and 8s, but since you mentioned it, it is not a terrible play with this hand.