Couldn't find a good 3/6 game for about 2 hours - figured I'd give 5/10 a shot after having a +$200 day at 3/6. This is the 2nd of 2 hands I have a question on.

Empire Poker 5/10 Limit Hold'em (10 handed)
Hero is MP2 with [7h] [7d]
4 folds, Hero calls, 3 folds, SB completes, BB checks

Flop (3 SB): 4d 2c 8s
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, SB folds, BB calls

Turn (2.5 BB): Qs
BB checks, Hero bets, BB calls

River (4.5 BB): 4c
BB checks, Hero checks


BB is new to the table. No read.

Is this pretty standard? Should I be raising preflop? Table's been fairly loose.

i like open raising much more than limping

Would you bet the river at 3/6?

- Jordan

Probably not.

thx for FMP

I like a raise preflop and a river bet. Pairs like this are what I like to try and steal from MP with. I can't imagine what he called you with to this point unless it's a bad 8 or some strange straight draw. I'm not totally sold on the river bet, but I don't see a big enough reason to check it.

If I bet the river, what's calling me aside from a Q and an 8? A missed draw is folding, A high could be folding (though, at that table, I'm not quite sure). Aren't I just wasting a bet on the end?

Tough one.

Preflop raise isn't a bad idea as others have mentioned if you think you have a chance at stealing. Knowing it is a loose table, you'd probably do well to raise this hand up if you're prepared to play it for 2 small bets. However, you have no way of knowing the three before the SB are going to fold and you could end up playing this hand out of position to a raise, or in middle position to a button who raised and a blind who called.

I do like the preflop raise suggestion the more that I consider the fact it was folded around to you. I usually always try to raise from MP if I am going to play and it has been folded to me. Ferguson mentions this in an article on his site, but it just makes sense either way.

Keep us updated, Custom.

I guess lower pairs might call you here, and other than that I'm not sure, but if a draw folds than you aren't having to showdown the hand either, so that's not a bad byproduct. I can really go either way on the river bet here. I find myself checking in these situations too, but I know I miss bets sometimes because of it.

must. raise. Preflop. other than that its fine

Fwiw, which isn't much, he had Q-10 offsuit.

this is an easy river bet.

raise preflop, too. It's easier than the preflop raise.

I think you played it perfectly. You tested the waters and didn't get a whole lot of information out of him but how he played his hand is questionable.

He likely figured you for a 8 on the flop and just called with his overs. When the Q hit he should have raised somewhere in there. The 4 on the river is a little scary so I kinda like the check on the end you have 2 overcards to your hand on the board and your not in great shape after the turn.

I personally think a preflop raise can go either way. Your in middle position and you said the tables been lose. All the more reason to just call.

Open limping makes it correct for many hands to call behind, while raising makes it correct for hardly any hands to call behind. He's also likely got the best hand, so he wants to get money in this pot.

When there aren't a lot of limpers, mid pairs play well against the blinds and he has a chance to get against the blinds by raising preflop.

Right however if he raises he risks two typical situations getting re-raised or getting his raise called by a drawing hand like a suited connector with position on him.

All of which are not horrible but just calling is a little less risky and even the blinds commonly could hold overcards to his pair (which is what happened). Another bonus to just calling is he risks very little and gets the chance at building a pot if he hits trips. It adds some deception to his game.

Raising has a few positives too he could get it HU or win the pot outright. But going by the read he had on the table I think calling is still the right option because hes more likely to face a caller with position on him.

I think open-raising is better than limping... because there are 4 folds in front of you and you have a chance to make this short-handed.

But limping doesn't make you a scared little bitch. It just means sometimes you overvalue the sexiness of your implied odds for assassinating someone with a set... and there's nothing wrong with doing that occassionally.

I think you should bet the river because it's been checked to you the whole way... and at low limits that usually means weak passive fish. I've never played 5/10 though, so maybe that changes things.

Raise pf, river check good.

I think the only reason for betting the river would be to make someone with an 8 fold, which is unlikely given no preflop raising. I'd check the river, I don't see much value in betting it.