Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with [Ah], [Ac].
1 fold, Hero calls, CO calls, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: (17.50 SB) [6c], [4d], [8d] (4 players)
UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets, CO calls, MP1 calls.

Turn: (14.75 BB) [7s] (3 players)
MP1 bets, Hero calls.

River: (20.75 BB) [7d] (2 players)
MP1 bets, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 24.75 BB

I'm not sure why this board is scary to you after the CO folds the turn. What's MP1 capping preflop with that hits a 6-4-8-7-7 board? I'm putting him on AA-TT here. Probably QQ or KK.

Why are you calling the turn 3-bet and then raising the river, though?

I don't really know why I did it. I guess I thought I had him beat, but too late. I probably would have just called if he reraised the river though.

I think you got the same amount of bets as if you capped the turn (as you should have after CO folded). I didn't know if you had some kind of weird read on him though.

With him raising and capping pre-flop in middle position, it's highly unlikely he's got the 5 for the straight, so I'm guessing he might have a lower pocket pair. He came out leading on every street, so other then pocket 8's for the boat, you probably have him beat.Its hard to see that flop as being useful for him. He also most likely doesnt have the flush or he would have reraised the river. I think your play on the turn and river is correct as it is heads-up and you most likely have the best hand in that situation.If any of the original callers started raising/reraising then folding might have been the best option.


Edit: Just noticed you simply called on the turn, should have capped.

I disagree with the bolded statements.

- No lower pocket pair is capping preflop. Nothing below TT is unless the guy is an absolute maniac. No reason to be worried about a set.

- I'm about 95% sure he has him beat (it was posted, so that takes away 5%).

- Don't be result-oriented. The river isn't correct because "he didn't 3-bet," it's correct because of the villian's past actions that indicate that flop shouldn't have hit him.

- If any of the callers raise or reraise under that heavy action, there's no doubt that you're beat.

Edit - Welcome to strat.

Chris, Aseem, Keith, Smash... I need help with this concept I'm trying to understand here.

The old me would gleefully cap every street like crazy... and be reasonably confident I'm playing the right way.

The new me JUST CALLS MP1 on the flop, and raises the turn hard. If CO (not MP1) starts doing the raising on the turn, I go into call down mode, but with MP1 in the raising war with me, I'm right there next to him.

Bueno, or no bueno?

TJ - you should be capping every street. It's really hard to believe that MP1 hit that flop and you want to make CO pay to draw to that flush draw, if that's what he's on. I don't see any reason to not believe you're way ahead here, unless you're against a maniac. After CO folds, it makes capping even easier.

Lol, when I say probably I basically mean I'm almost positive. I say it so if I am indeed wrong, I wont look like a total ass.

Edit- Same with "might"

It may have been some tell, the speed of his bet or something that made me think I was beat. I honestly don't remember. Capping the turn is probably better in retrospect as I don't have to worry about passive CO and mp1 shouldn't be capping with a card that coordinated with the board.

For the longest time I felt exactly the same way. I'm officially undecided at this point... but I feel a strong case can be made for just calling the flop and raising the turn, to price draws out more effectively.

I agree we're most likely ahead and raising for value when we're ahead can't be a bad thing. But SSHE and some very senior posters on our site agree that it punishes draws MORE EFFECTIVELY to just call the flop to keep it 1 small bet, and charge those draws on the turn.

I'll be the first to admit I don't fully understand it. Just passing along what I've read from opinions I respect.

We've disagreed a lot today, lol. And only on goofy little things.

You're winning those bets more than half the time, when the flush draws miss, so betting is +EV, isn't it?

I used to prefer the method you're speaking of, but I think you have to be real aggressive here and squeeze out every small edge - make the flush draw pay the maximum. ESPECIALLY at .5/1, nobody's leaving if they have a flush draw. Calling the flop will do nothing but let them keep their money.

We're only disagreeing more because I've been real active today in posting. For some reason, I'm a lot more confident in my advice today.

/shrug

At least we'll provide good debate when some other heavy hitters come on later.

I dunno. Everything you're saying in defense of your argument seems right to me. I remember thinking about a hand exactly like this, hearing other people support the argument I've adopted, spun around in circles, and decided it was the best way to go.

I think I just have multiple personality disorder. At least both of my skitzo personas are relentlessly aggressive. That's gotta be a good thing.