Massaging the Pot Leads to Tough Decisions

[stinkpaw]

Ok, one of this things I've been trying to work on is massaging the pot when I have a big hand and not shooting my load too early. Not necessarily slow playing, but when stacks are ~100BB I don't want to jump the gun and bet so much my opponent correctly fold. Dan Harrington has a section on this in his 1st tournie book.

But, when you do that it can lead to tougher decisions on later streets.

1) Comments please on all streets given the above.

2) I was thinking of raising the flop here to build pot and make bets on later streets larger, but didn't want to scare away baby flushes. I hate min-raising, but is this a good time to do it?

3) As played, anyone fold the River?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Hero ($102)
SB ($125.70)
BB ($219.90)
UTG ($19.50)
UTG+1 ($127.45)
MP1 ($97.50)
MP2 ($99.50)
MP3 ($82.30)
CO ($136.40)

Preflop: Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, MP1 calls $1, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, CO calls $1, Hero calls $1, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB checks.

Flop: ($4.50) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets $4</font>, CO folds, Hero calls $4, BB folds.

Turn: ($12.50) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets $7</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $22</font>, MP1 calls $15.

River: ($56.50) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">MP1 bets $40</font>, Hero ???

[Claunchy]

Please don't limp this preflop ever.

As far as calling the flop and raising the turn, I think it's fine if you raise preflop. Here though I think you need to raise so you can get your stack in on the turn.

That river sucks, but I would still call without a read probably. I dunno if it being FR affects how right that is or not though.

[stinkpaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Please don't limp this preflop ever.

As far as calling the flop and raising the turn, I think it's fine if you raise preflop. Here though I think you need to raise so you can get your stack in on the turn.

That river sucks, but I would still call without a read probably. I dunno if it being FR affects how right that is or not though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I usually don't limp AQs PF, especially on the button, but was stuck a couple buy-ins and didn't want to raise and take down the $3 in the pot. I wanted to play this hoping to hit a big pot/hand.

I'm not saying this is right, that was just my reasoning at the time... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[AE6]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Please don't limp this preflop ever.

As far as calling the flop and raising the turn, I think it's fine if you raise preflop. Here though I think you need to raise so you can get your stack in on the turn.

That river sucks, but I would still call without a read probably. I dunno if it being FR affects how right that is or not though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I usually don't limp AQs PF, especially on the button, but was stuck a couple buy-ins and didn't want to raise and take down the $3 in the pot. I wanted to play this hoping to hit a big pot/hand.

I'm not saying this is right, that was just my reasoning at the time... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
flopping the nuts in a raised pot &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; flopping the nuts in an unraised pot