How strong is he really?

Off Duty · #1 01-15-2006, 06:17 PM

$3/$6 at Hawaiian Gardens 1/14/06. Ten players, table is passive and loose and not particularly creative. I'm in S10, S8 has been playing for thirty straight hours and is stuck about $400 (!) I gather from the conversation between him as S9 who has been there the exact same time and is stuck $1000 (!!!).

Five limpers to me (button) 6h5h. I limp. Small blind calls, big blind checks. 8 small bets.

Flop Q 2 8 (three suits)

Action is checked around to me who also checks. At this point I am nowhere and would of folded to any bet.

Turn 7 (now four suits on the board) 4 bb

S8 bets. I raise. S8 3 bets. I know I'm behind but I call anyway.

River 4h. 10 BB.

S8 checks. I bet. S8 makes a crying call with 77.

Comments please.

bobhalford · #2 01-15-2006, 06:24 PM

That's pretty bad. I suppose you raised so that S8 would fold his hand, in addition to all the other players in the hand so you could say "ship it"? If you don't know why this is a bad play, you should read SSHE or any poker book for that matter.

ChuckyB · #3 01-15-2006, 06:25 PM

With a passive table, I don't like the turn raise. The pot is small and not worth two bets to people. Plus, as you found out, you open yourself up to a re-raise. Plus, you've got the ass-end of the open-ended straight draw.

I'd have called from this early a position and encourage the field to continue drawing. They want to call.

TripleH68 · #4 01-15-2006, 06:32 PM

The turn 7 does not complete a draw for you on the button.
Did you think LP would fold to your raise?
If you did not, then there was no reason to raise.
You would like more callers in the hand since the only hands you are worried about are JT and T6.

Off Duty · #5 01-15-2006, 07:12 PM

Frankly I thought he was on a steal. He'd done it several times in the previous five or so hours I'd played with him. When he made it three bets I knew it wasn't a steal.

So yes I was fairly certain he'd fold.

In addition, S1 and S4 had been calling stations all day, often looking up two bets cold when raised in a similar stiuation. I figured I had a good chance of bringing them both with me. That didn't work out either.

I'm not looking for an atta boy or nice play out of this because I know I misplayed it and I got lucky. Thanks to the responders so far.

latefordinner · #6 01-16-2006, 01:29 AM

I don't think the pot is big enough here to leave yourself open to a reraise, especially when a 9 also completes the J10 straight. You have nothing to protect. You limped in and checked the flop, S8 isn't going to be scared off. Just call and hope some others come along too.

I'm pretty surprised he didn't bet on the river though.