Marginal, but possibly best hand in a small pot

NIX · #1 08-11-2007, 05:19 AM

The Button in this hand is not good. He's running at 50/1/.4 over about 100. He'll call down with any pair or flush/straight draw, raising two pair or better. I think he might peel flops lightly with overcards, but everything he has shown down was at least a reasonable hand/draw on the flop or turn if the flop checked around. This doesn't mean that he had odds to call to get as far as he got, but he can fold air.

The SB and MP are relatively unknown as they haven't been at the table long. The SB does seem a little rockish though and has given me a walk once. MP hasn't stood out yet, but he hasn't been taking stabs at pots from LP when it's checked to him.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. MP posts a blind of $0.25.
1 fold, MP (poster) checks, Button calls, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (4 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP checks, Button checks.

Turn: (2 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero ???

On one hand, everyone had a chance to bet the flop and declined. I think there is a decent chance that I have the best hand here and basically any card on the river is a scare card for me. On the other hand, the pot is small enough that I don't want to put in more than one bet fighting over something this small. The flip side to this though, is that with the small pot, a bet actually protects my hand from a lot of draws depending on how many people call a bet if I do bet since I don't plan on paying off on a river scare card.

So, is there any value in a bet here, and if so, is it worth betting?

Sushiglutton · #2 08-11-2007, 05:27 AM

I think we should bet. Very likely we have the best hand, also sounds like u don't fear a raise (meaning it will be an easy fold for us).

voyamatarte · #3 08-11-2007, 09:28 AM

On flop, its possible someone with a better hand wanted to c/r, and didnt get the chance. I would fold to MP's raise, but call buttons raise on the turn, after I bet out.

HouseCalls · #4 08-11-2007, 09:51 AM

against 2 or fewer opponents I usually bet this and pick up the pot a lot

with 4 I check along since the chance of getting everyone to fold is essentially zero

with 3 and a pot this small I tend to lean toward the check unless I have a read that the game is very tight.

carlosoli · #5 08-11-2007, 12:36 PM

Bet/Fold
That represents either an A with a low kicker that you checked or a hit flush. If you get called, I would just check it down or fold to a river bet. Unless you have a good read

Aaron W. · #6 08-11-2007, 02:04 PM

If I bet this, I'm check-folding the river unless I make trips or two pair, and then betting only if it doesn't bring a 4-flush/4-straight.

I'm fine with checking and just giving up this pot because of the board texture and pot size.

JamesBJames · #7 08-11-2007, 04:36 PM

I check here a lot. The pot is small, there's a lot of limpers, a lot of our opponents will call with draws the board has laid out for them, and I doubt that we're even going to be ahead here THAT often a lot of the time. With three other people in the pot besides me, I don't think a bet is all that good.