Won the pot...but did I play it right?

HI guys and girls. This is my first post so please bear with me.

I was at a B&M casino yesterday sitting at a 1/2 NL table. The table had been pretty loose and there were lots of large pots to be had. The I was third to act in the pre-flop betting with JC-10S. I had pretty good seat selection as I had a couple of large stacks to my right, one of which was a maniac. Most of the tight players at the table sat to my left.

The maniac was on the button, and I was third to act in pre-flop betting, which would put me in mid-position post flop. I was dealt JC-10s, and 2 of three before me limped in, so I limped in for two dollars. One more call, a raise to 10 dollars, a fold etc. By the time it came back to me, there were 5 callers for the 10 dollar raise, so I thought that was pretty decent money, and called. Unfortunately, the 5 people, including the two blinds folded, which left me as first to act after the flop. The pot was 66 dollars at this point.

Flop came up Qd, Ac, 4c. Checks all the way around. Turn came 8c. Again checks all the way around to the button, who bet 34 dollars. So to me. there was a possibility of a flush draw on the board. I had a potential to hit a club on my last card and have an ace/jack high flush, or a king on my last card to make my straight. The button had been playing very agressively all game, and he was the maniac at the table. He seemed to chase a lot of flushes and straights, catching them quite often, but more often than not, would call a large bet with nothing in his hand, just to see. He also would often raise the bet in hopes of "catching" his card. He admitted this freely. He often raised pre flop or called a big bet with A-anything. I put him on A-something, and since he bet at the turn, I thought perhaps A-8.

So the question to me was should I call this. The money in the pot was now at 100 dollars, and i was being asked to make a 34 dollar bet to collect this. I know that is three to one. So I tried to calculate the odds of me making a flush or a straight and i know that a flush beats a straight, but I was just sure that he didnt have it. So I included the flush odds in my calculation, which put me at 12 possible outs. So I called the bet. The River came Kd. I had a straight. I checked. He checked. I won. He had A-Q and had flopped two pair but didnt bet it and let 5 other players hang around for the turn, hoping to ambush them.

The player to my immediate right started to berate me for making such a stupid call, which I just took in stride. But it really made me think. The player to my right had only been there for about 5 hands, and hadnt seen the way that this maniac had been playing. I had been at the table since it started with myself and the maniac, and had seen his style of play for hours.

I turned to the guy on my left after about 10 hands and asked him what he thought of the way I played taht hand. he had been at the table the whole time as well, but had been fairly tight, and I respected his play alot. He said that he thought I played the hand wrong, but it couldnt be that bad cause I won. I said, "Yeah I guess, but you can still play a hand wrong and win".

So my question is, did I do this wrong? I mean, thankfully it worked out again. I have been told that you played it wrong if you wouldnt play the hand the same way 100 times again in the same situation. I think I would, but I realize it was pretty risky.

What do you guys think?

your barely MP, fold preflop. I don't like your call on the turn also because I can see this guy betting on the turn with a Kc.

the worst part about this play is that you didn't take advantage of your implied odds and raise when you hit your cards...this is the biggest mistake i see players at lower limits make when they are oop...if your gonna try and get lucky you gotta take advantage of it when you do

I don’t mind the call if you can get his stack if you hit. (is his stack big enough to justify it?) So before you call the turn you have to decide if you are willing to take it to the felt with 3 to a flush on the board. If the answer is no then fold. If the answer is yes then call. If you hit straight or flush you have to get some money in there even OOP. Maybe pot it and see if he comes over the top.

I think the reason that I really made this call was because of his style of play. The whole game, with a flush or straight draw he had been betting big. I felt that if he had a flush draw, he would have bet to force people out and to get more money. His stack was more than big enough to pay me off.

In hindishgt, I also agree that I definitely should have bet it after I hit my straight. I know he would have called me. I guess if I "knew" he didnt have the flush before the river came, then why was I hesitant after I hit my hand? Beginners hesitance I think. I have only been playing for 6 months or so, and only 4months for actual money. I have only been to a B&M casino 3 times to sit and play. It sure is different. The bottom line is I love this game and with more practice I hope to get alot better. Thanks for answering my question. I appreciate it! Hope you all find lots of fish and no sharks!

Oh and sorry...what does MP and OOP mean? I am new here. Thanks!

First, you shouldn't have called preflop. There are so few boards that hit you that even the odds say no. If you have JT suited, mmaybe, but marginal at best.

You should NOT have called to a gutshot with $34. Period. The fact that you DON'T have the nut flush should it come should be enough to scare you off enough from that hand.

Congratulations on winning, but you should have folded on the turn if you did not preflop.

Originally Posted by CrazyNurse

Oh and sorry...what does MP and OOP mean? I am new here. Thanks!

Mid-Position
Out of Position

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...oker-13407.htm
That helps with a lot of lingo.

Originally Posted by ensign_lee

You should NOT have called to a gutshot with $34. Period.

Just to nitpick, he's calling with a double-gutshot and a flush draw...so IF either one of those would win for him, his odds are fine on the turn. Of course, as you stated, he doesn't know whether or not either one of those would win which makes it a clear fold on the turn.

The two biggest problems I see here are the preflop play and the river play. Fold preflop as has been said.

And if you aren't going to bet your hand when you hit it, then fold the turn. You would have played it the same way if you had hit your flush, so the whole hand was really pointless.

I did read your explanation as to why you played the river as you did so I can sympathize. That's fine. Lesson learned