Since he sat at this table, this guy was one of the most loose/aggressive players I had ever seen. At the time of this hand, i only had about 35 hands on him, but these were his stats. 54% vpip, 26% preflop raise, AF of 7.00. Here's the hand.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (7 handed) converter

Hero ($214.90)
SB ($19)
BB ($101.50)
UTG ($164.95)
MP1 ($38.50)
MP2 ($24.20)
CO ($114.20)

Preflop: Hero is Button with [8s], [As].
UTG calls $1, 2 folds, UTG calls $3, CO calls $3.


I know it's a bit of a loose/odd raise by me. but it's something I do on occasion with drawing hands in position to try to buy a free card on the flop.


Flop: ($13.50) [Ks], [9c], [Js] (3 players)
UTG bets $10, Hero calls $15.


His bet on the flop seriously could have meant absolutely anything. Top pair, set, flopped straight, gutshot draw, small flush draw, I just didn't know. With his preflop raise % so high, I didn't think a set was very possible because I think he would have raised with 99, JJ, or KK. My raise was to try and slow him down a little. When he reraised me of course I knew he had something big, probably the straight, but at that point my pot odds were phenomenal. The rest of the hand plays pretty simply


Turn: ($93.50) [Jd] (2 players)
UTG bets $20, Hero calls $20.

River: ($133.50) [7h] (2 players)
UTG bets $20, Hero folds.

Final Pot: $153.50



Any thought on anything I might have done differently?

PF: just limp. I know u explained that, so I"ll pass on anymore...

Flop:
why re-raise a LAG on the flop with such a strong draw?
Does this type of player slow down usually to aggression ?
Could a bigger re-raise give you a free look at the river, or take the pot down on the flop?

just asking, I'm really not good at NL.

Why raise a small amount post flop with good position? It's not going to push him off the hand. 15 more for him for 47 dollars already in. If he's Loose and will play any high cards he has a good chance of being paired up, having a straight draw or chopping the pot with you with that board. If he has any pair its almost an automatic call. If you have at least top pair good kicker then this raise might make sense to build up the pot, but you have a strong draw to the nut flush plus you might take the pot as well if the Ace hits.


I think you have two choices post flop make a call , or make a large pot sized raise to at least push him out. A small raise doesnt accomplish anything for you at this point.

Now, if you had something like KK, I would have LOVED this play.

Bottom line is that all of your moves simply built the pot up on a drawing hand in a heads-up situation. You were a dog to improve, and that was how your money was put in.

PREFLOP:

Now, I would have liked it better with less of (meaning no) raise preflop. (but you do need to randomize your play, so it wasn't HORRIBLE, but you can see how it made your position very difficult in the later rounds. Since you were on the button, I think that this is justifiable with this marginal hand. Were you UTG, I would be ranting and raving here.)

POSTFLOP:

You loved a lot of things about this flop. two of your suit, so you have a hot, live draw. Lots of high cards, so it probably hit someone and you can get action. But you are still drawing. Worse, the UTG bet has you heads-up, so the only defense for playing here is that you think you can get the rest of the guy's stack. Best case scenario, your flush hits the turn, you check behind him to look scared, setting up the big play on the river. Next best, your flush hits the river, and you have to call a pot-sized bet on the turn on the come. Worse case, it misses and you call two rounds of betting. Worst case, you get yoruself very deeply engaged on a raise. I know this sounds flaming, but step back for a second and analyze your raise.

The guy is a LAG, but you haven't yet put him on "stupid." It is awfully brave to lead at this flop with two others in the pot, especially when one of them reraised you preflop. Therefore he has to have SOMETHING. If he is going to fold to a bet it is going to have to be a serious bet. But here, you raised him $15 on a then-$25, now-to-him $45 pot. Even if he only has a straight draw, he can justify this call, since he can expect you to pay it off. The only use on a bet this size is for value, to increase the pot. But you don't have a hand, and are around 3-to-1 to make a hand. Further, his minraise signals that he thinks he has a live one on the line is going to start milking you (as the $20 on the turn showed you).

So now, do you call the the $15 more on the $80 pot? Well, as you are staring at almost 5.4-to-1 odds, you have to. Then, do you have to call the $20 on the turn for the $113 pot? Yes, again.

Now, suppose you flat-call the flop. Maybe he slows down, fearing a slowplay, (unlikely) and you get a free card. Or maybe he fires out $20. Now it's a $23 pot. Easy fold. Or, alternatively, he bets $10 into the $23. Still an easy fold.

What happened with your little flop reraise is that you created a pot that would be harder to get away from on the draw, and that you could bleed more money on. Draw cheap, then take his head off if you hit.

Now, alternatively, if you had a serious hand that you would be willing to show down unimproved, your play would have been flawless.