well i didn't fold.
I've included results.
Ddi I play it wrong and get lucky?

Cold calling a raise with 88 is looser than normal for me....but given the numbers we were seeing to the flop, and my position, and the other cold caller, and the fact the raiser had just joined and rasied before..i thought I might be in ok shape.

From there, certainly the flop bet was ok to call. (or is it a raise..no....no chance to protect my hand..right?)

On the turn bet, I'm thinking...well...no one is raising..and the pre-flop raiser is "obligated" to bet, so maybe I don't need that other 8...and the pot could get pretty big if I hit the 8....

lucky for me, no one bet the river.
I'd think I'd have to fold it.


Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Actuary is MP3 with 8s, 8d.
UTG raises, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (10 SB) 6c, Qd, Qc (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, UTG bets, MP2 calls, Actuary calls, SB calls, BB folds.

Turn: (7 BB) Tc (5 players)
SB checks, UTG bets, MP2 calls, Actuary calls, SB folds.

River: (10 BB) 9c (4 players)
UTG checks, MP2 checks, Actuary checks.

Final Pot: 10 BB

Results in white below:
UTG has Ah Ks (one pair, queens).
UTG+2 doesn't show.
MP2 has Jh Ad (one pair, queens).
Actuary has 8s 8d (two pair, queens and eights).
Outcome: Actuary wins 10 BB.



One more..this is why I check the river...
Not saying I should..

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Actuary is UTG+1 with Jh, Js.
1 fold.

Flop: (5 SB) Qs, 7d, 5s (2 players)
SB bets, SB calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 9h (2 players)
SB checks, Actuary bets, SB calls.

River: (6.50 BB) 8d (2 players)
SB checks, Actuary checks.

Final Pot: 6.50 BB

Results in white below:
SB has Jd Qh (one pair, queens).
Actuary has Jh Js (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: SB wins 6.50 BB.

I don't mind the call from MP3 with 8's, IF you know that that thre will be a couple more people in the pot with you (to make it worthwhile trying to flop a set).

From the flop, calling one bet is okay also IMO, as there is only one overcard to your pair, and the callers are not leaving, giving you a chance to win a big pot. Your pair might still be good here too. Don't raise IMO.

On the turn, another overcard to your hand, and it's a ten (the second scariest card in the deck, an ace is the scariest...read Harrington on Holdem if you don't know why). Plus, it is 3 to a flush on board now...
I think this is where you let it go IMO, unless you have seen the UTG keep pounding away with hands like ace king, ace jack, etc (not ace queen, or we are beaten for sure).

River is yet another scare card, higher than our 8's, and fills up some straight draws, and shows 4 to a flush on the board. Gladly see the free showdown.

8)

You should fold or raise preflop. Calling 2-cold with a mid-pair can lead to problems.

I also think you should've raised the flop. An overpair flop is great for your pair. A three-bet from any opponent will tell you whether someone hit trips or has a monster like AA or KK, and you could take the pot right there. Failing that, you'll probably get overcard draws to fold, improving your showdown chances.

Are you raising the flop to get other players to drop out (they would have to call two bets cold)? What are you going to do if it gets re-raised behind you? Re-raised by the original raiser? I don't mind just a call here with players to act behind us. If it was heads-up, totally different story. 8)

Honestly, I'm dropping this preflop. But, if I were frisky, the raise would be to knock out AQ-AT, KQ, and the like. You want as few overcards out there as possible. If the preflop action gets capped, play the eights as a lowish pair: Hope for a set, or an overpair on the board (AA or KK would suck, of course). With that flop, raise the initial bet, fold to a 3-bet.

Edited to change the entire meaning of the post. If the action gets capped preflop.

So you advocate raise/fold on the flop? What if the 3-bet came behind you (rather than the initial raiser, who then just calls)? I think that is way too weak a play for this pot, which could be huge, depending on where the 3-bet came from.

The easy answer is to not get involved in the hand in the first place (as Briguy suggests, which there is nothing wrong with).

The not so easy answer as to what you SHOULD have done after the flop/turn/river, is just that, not so easy... 8)

It's a bad starting hand UTG, and the flop could have put you in a real mess, i don't know that there is a correct way to actually play this hand.

Like you said, you got lucky.

i would raise the flop in hand 1.

not sure about preflop, generally, it's OK...I know a few very successfull players that would cold call with worse.

basically, i think all of your options are fine. fold, call, or reraise; reraise being the least apealing to me for some reason.