I am still trying to figure this game out (aren't we all). I would like some advice on how I played this hand.

Apart from being cursed out about this hand at the table, I am not sure what I did wrong here (apart from not losing). After the flop, the bet seemed like a steal attempt to me. With the flush draw, I decided to see the turn. After adding a couple of outs on the turn, I decided to try a semi-bluff since the bet didn't really indicate strength to me (possibly the set, but more likely two pair or even two over cards). When I hit my nut straight on the river, and my opponent checked, I took the prior call and the check here for weakness. Had I missed the draws I would have checked, as I figured I was getting called no matter what.

My thought is that my opponent made the mistake on the turn by not reraising me. Either I had him beat at that point, or I was drawing with a complete bluff. Am I wrong that he should have made the decision at that point, and not let me take control of the pot?



PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG+1 ($5.95)
MP1 ($3.10)
MP2 ($4)
CO ($6.72)
Donkey (Me) (Button) ($5.85)
SB ($2.57)
BB ($5.14)
UTG ($1.77)

Preflop: Donkey (Me) is Button with J, 9
3 folds, MP2 (poster) checks, CO calls $0.05, Donkey (Me) calls $0.05, SB calls $0.03, BB checks

Flop: ($0.25) 3, 7, 7 (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, CO bets $0.15, Donkey (Me) calls $0.15, 3 folds

Turn: ($0.55) 10 (2 players)
CO bets $0.20, Donkey (Me) raises to $0.50, CO calls $0.30

River: ($1.55) 8 (2 players)
CO checks, Donkey (Me) bets $1, CO calls $1

Total pot: $3.55 | Rake: $0.15

You did nothing WRONG, per se, although I would've raised the turn bigger, say, to $1.3 or so, something that would be enough to actually make someone consider folding a better hand like 88.

Your FD + 2 overs on the flop make you a favorite against anything besides 7x, 33, or 99+. You're even a coinflip with TT (before the turn, obv). Calling is absolutely standard, some players even raise here, I probably would be one of them.

Don't let getting cursed out make you think you played it wrong.

If you decide that he doesn't have a 7, raising is going to be the right play here. However you do need to raise more. Think of it from his perspective. He has to call $.3 into a pot of $1.25, odds of over 4-1. A raise here should be to at least $1, probably around $1.2

Bear in mind also, that a raise is risky. If he turns out to have a 7 often he will re raise you, which is really bad for you. Sometimes it will be best to just take the great odds he is giving you and call.


Welcome to the forums.

If you read the CO's flop bet for a steal, calling is not the best option imo raising the flop is better. He may fold a hand with tonnes of equity like Ax or 44.
If we do get called we have a bunch of outs to improve and we have position so we can control how much money is going in to the pot better than the CO.

If he calls the flop raise he is likely to check the turn where we can check behind if we miss our flush since it seems unlikely to me he will fold to a turn bet if he called a flop raise.


As played, the turn raise is bad. It is no where near big enough to get any hands to fold. He's not folding any pair or likely any overcards since you have given him like ~4:1 on the call. If you are going to raise the turn raise to ~$1.

Don't be a puss. Make a real raise.