Bodog 2/4 Limit (7 handed)

Cobalt is button w/ A 4 . High pocket pairs had been getting beat down by fish pools.

Pre-flop:
1 fold, UTG+1 calls, 1 fold, CO calls, Cobalt calls, SB calls, BB raises, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, Cobalt calls, SB folds

Flop (4 players): 9 7 5
BB bets, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, Cobalt calls

Turn (4 players): J
BB bets, UTG+1 calls, CO calls, Cobalt raises, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, CO calls

River (4 players): Q
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, CO checks, Cobalt bets, BB calls, 1 fold, CO calls

Final Pot: 17 BB


Not a particularly interesting hand, but I feel compelled to post a hand every now and then with Actuary throwing up a billion every hour. :-) Anyway, standard? Raise flop? (I really thought BB was likely to 3-bet.)

Personally I would have raised this flop... if nothing else, you have a good equity edge here in a 4 way pot. Your Ace might be a good out, + yr flush draw... I think it's worth a raise. If BB raises, he may force some Ace rags out that clean up your Ace out. If he doesn't raise, or if he raises and they all call it, he just helps you to build this nice big pot that you are going to take down like a fiend often enough to make it worth your while.

I would guess that it's +EV to take advantage of your equity edge by raising and building this pot. The other benefit by raising is the free river card play when/if the turn is checked to you and you need it. I dunno, just my thoughts.

I probably would have raised the flop.

There is a very good chance that with that board if your flush card comes down on the turn the aggression and betting is going to stop. Get an extra bet out while you can. Also raising might get you a free card on the turn, which you are probably going to fold UI.

With that huckle a table, I might just cap the flop for equity and value alone.

Only because the table was that huckle, though.

Please don't be an Auburn fan... although I hate Auburn significantly less than Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia Tech.

EDIT: we've been over this, haven't we.

New avatars always confuse me.

Like everyone says, raise the flop. It is important to get extra bets in when you have at least two callers and four to a flush on the flop. With three callers raising is even more +EV.

yep..even I know to raise that flop!

Nice pot!

Now usually, I'd raise this in an instant for a free card (and I certainly hear you on the pot equity)...

However, I recently came across a Miller article that suggested that the free card play is overrated.

My arguments for not raising...

1) If this gets 3-bet, I'm paying out the nose for this draw (particularly if it doesn't come on the turn).

2) A 3-bet might spook the other two callers. Thus, if I happen to hit my draw on the turn, I want them to still be in the hand.

3) If everyone merely calls my raise, they'll likely check it to me on the turn. I'll lose a raising opportunity and miss bets if I hit. If I miss, I'll check it and hope to hit my draw on the river...which is transparent as hell.

4) Merely calling encourages the original bettor to keep up the aggression...hopefully trapping the other two callers if I hit my draw.


As for the results...

BB held KQos (two overs on the flop).
CO held Js8s (gut-shot on the flop).

If I raise the flop, all three are likely to call and then check the turn. I'd bet, and the three would either call or fold. Thus, I would've lost at least 3 BB.


Oh, and I attend Auburn. And, I don't think we've been over it. =)

Raise the flop. 25% equity and over 30% chance of coming in. Also, if you BB 3 bets, and you get at least one caller, you still have equity to cap, which may buy you a free card. Don't worry about BB capping, as you have a strong draw.

After the initial blunder, you played the hand perfectly.

As far as your points go.

1. Your hand is vunerable now. You pretty much need a diamond on the turn to continue on. Raising now might buy you a free card, and it will also build the pot if you diamond does hit the turn. USUALLY, when the board comes out 3 to the flush people are going to slow down. The aggression is going to dry up. In this case the BB still bet out and the rest of the people flat called.

2. A 3 bet might spook the other two callers, but so will the 3rd diamond hitting the turn.

3. Yes they may just check to you on the turn, but you also might not hit your card. That's kinda the idea behind the raising to get a free card play. Right now you have nothing but a draw. If your draw doesn't hit you are going to be faced with a decision to either keep calling or folding the turn.

4. Your final point does have some merit. Calling does keep the OB going on the turn. Raising the turn though when your card hits is probably going to drop the other two people as well. If not then the exact thing that is going to happen in the hand is what happened here. The BB checked the river and you amazingly got a call out of both of them. I'd lean more towards that not happening as the norm.

raise the flop, if he three bets, and UTG, or CO call, cap it

We're raising to push our equity. We're gonna hit our flush 35% of the time, and we are putting in 25% of the money

Yeah...the more I think about it...I really should've raised the flop as I typically do in similar situations. I think I'm going to stop trying to defend missing that.

That said...I am curious how I should've played it if the situation were altered slightly...

1) If both callers had folded, would I still raise? What if just one had called?

2) If I raise and all three just call and check the turn (and I miss), should I take the free card or bet?

3) If I'm 3-bet, and the other two drop...am I calling a bet on the turn?

1) If both callers had folded, would I still raise? What if just one had called?
In either situation, I'm still betting. I like to pump draws. If he folds, then I win the pot with A high.

2) If I raise and all three just call and check the turn (and I miss), should I take the free card or bet?

Take the free card.

3) If I'm 3-bet, and the other two drop...am I calling a bet on the turn?

Your pot odds would be 8.5-1. So, yes.

What if he checks?

You check behind him. You've really gotta ask yourself if you're ahead enough here to make it +EV to bet. I'm thinking no.

1)if one had called, you're still only putting in 33% of the money, raise it.


2)Free card, there would be 8.5bb in the pot, most people are calling with anything, you should take the free one

3) Yes, there would be 7.5bb in the pot, faced with 1bb on the turn, you'd be getting 8.5-1 to call with 4.1-1 to hit your flush