Villain liked to limp a lot especially with any two suited - looking back over 43 hands, he's 42/19/1

Anybody take a different line on all streets especially the river. I seriously considered check/shoving there.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (9 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($202)
Button ($118.80)
SB ($155.25)
Hero ($391.55)
UTG ($209.50)
UTG+1 ($214.60)
MP1 ($48.80)
MP2 ($47)
MP3 ($17)

Preflop: Hero is BB with J, 5.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $2, 4 folds, Button calls $2, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($8) 5, J, 9 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $6, UTG+1 raises to $16, Button folds, SB folds, Hero calls $10.

Turn: ($40) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $32, Hero calls $32.

River: ($104) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG+1 bets $74, Hero calls $74.

Final Pot: $252

Your hand is kind of underepped here but I don't think any worse hands call a shove. Maybe JT, but I think his most likely holding is a busted draw of some kind so I like the way you played it.

I think you have to be reraising the flop unless you know something we don't.

If not, than certainly c/r the turn.

yea, i agree generally here...but if you do just call flop, and that turns, i'd def. c/r like 100% of the time.

- Jordan

I like the check-call on the flop and wait for a safe turn card. Having said that, the turn is perfect for a check-raise. You don't want draws to get there at all.

Yeah, looking at it again, so many cards kill my action or make things tougher on turn or river that I should be r/r or c/r there. Thanks.

are u actually scared of hands that he has you beat on that flop?

J,9? that and maybe a set? but like u said, he is loose. so i think if u have him tagged as aggro enugh to raise with Top pair, i'd probably either 3bet the flop, or c/r the turn.

on that turn tho, after u check and he bets, you really should be shipping it in there.

Don't know about play @ your stakes.

At .05/.10 at stars the action on the flop, given the looseness of the villain would normally mean that villain is holding ace jack and wants to prove to Hero, that betting a medium or perhaps top pair with random kicker is pointless.

I would't checkraise the turn because I have been sooooo sucked out recently by people calling with AJ and drawing 2 that ace that I fell it's just a waste of additional money

Also the checkraise might scare him a bit if he actually has "only" AJ. And he will call with a set of 9s anyway if he is sneaky enough to not re-raise it.

As I would have decided on him havin AJ I'd let him do the betting on all streets and maybe check-raise the river unless it brings an ace or king. (Assumin he would reraise on the flop with AJ and occasionally KJ).

But then again I have no idea if you guys at that level are so much better or just richer ;-)

On the side:
I frequently read the term "3betting" or "4betting" here. To what does this actually refer? The size of the previous bet or size of pot or number of bet on a street?

# of bets on a street

Don't let how you're running screw with your mind.

He can win by the board pairing and making a better two-pair, so he's not just drawing to an ace.

Almost all of your thinking process in regards to this hand, or poker theory, will keep you pinned down at lower limits...both in regards to stakes you play and how you think about hands. Luckily, getting thru "this" isn't that tough, just takes your thin thickening a bit and some experience. I'm guessing you're relatively new to the game.

3betting 4betting:

say you are playing in a 5/10 NL 6 max game...

UTG opens to $35, that is the first raise, or second bet (first bet is the bb)...MP folds, and the CO 3-bets to $125 (get it, easy now...), button folds, sb and bb, folds, and then UTG 4-bets to $300...etc, and on we go.

- Jordan

I reraise flop, lead turn, raise any bets. J9 + two of a suit makes this a drawy flop and since villain has shown interest I see no reason in playing this hand so passively. If you are just isolating the river decision, a check raise is a good decision.

And not betting on a street because you're scared of being sucked out on is awful. It actually makes it more likely you get drawn out on.

Do not ever think that putting all of your money in when you are a 4:1 favorite is a bad thing because you might get sucked out on. It happens, but everytime you get your money in as a 4:1 favorite, you get all of his money 4 times for every 1 that he gets yours. That is exactly how you play winning poker. Just like David said, you can't let running bad screw with your mind.

Raising teh turn is going to tell you where you are in the hand and cost you the same amount of money.