A little small ball

[Fnord]

MP1 looks pretty ABC TAgg, althougth I think he bets into weakness with quite a range here.
Button is kinda loose/passive. Seen him around before, probably a marginal loser. Buying in for 50bbish helps control the bleeding a lot.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

SB ($42.90)
Fnord ($108)
UTG ($10)
UTG+1 ($29.50)
MP1 ($101.85)
MP2 ($85.95)
MP3 ($125.70)
CO ($109.50)
Button ($55.85)

Preflop: Fnord is BB with K, 7.
2 folds, MP1 calls $1, 3 folds, Button calls $1, 1 fold, Fnord checks.

Flop: ($3.50) 9, 7, 2 (3 players)
Fnord checks, MP1 bets $2, Button calls $2, Fnord folds....

[Fnord]

MP1 is semi-Tight, semi-Aggressive. Has been active, splashing around in a post-flop tight/passive table. I think he's trying to play well.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $1.00 BB (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

MP1 ($160.35)
MP2 ($98.50)
MP3 ($100)
CO ($154.25)
Button ($91.05)
SB ($93.05)
Fnord ($124.85)
UTG ($87.20)
UTG+1 ($114.90)

Preflop: Fnord is BB with J, 7. MP3 posts a blind of $1.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $1, MP1 calls $1, 1 fold, MP3 (poster) checks, 2 folds, SB completes, Fnord checks.

Flop: ($5) 9, 5, 5 (5 players)
SB checks, Fnord checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP3 checks.

Turn: ($5) 7 (5 players)
SB checks, Fnord checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 bets $3, MP3 folds, SB folds, Fnord raises to $9, UTG+1 folds, MP1 calls $6.

River: ($23) 9 (2 players)
Fnord bets $10...

[lick_offsuit]

Hand 1: Pretty standard, you don't know how far behind you are from the start. If you spike a red 7 on the turn you could really bleed a lot of chips off to a flopped flush. If you make a flush, you can't really bet your hand hard and would have to fold to a deep stack allin. Good fold.

Hand 2: I'd say you lose this hand often enough not to play like this. I think the saying about not losing your a$$ in an unraised pot applies to this hand. It's just not worth it to risk that many chips with such a marginal hand. I understand you are trying to rep the 5 by checkraising the turn, but you are just positively spurting off your chips on this play.

[Fnord]

I think the saying about not losing your a$$ in an unraised pot applies to this hand.

Just wanted to add that not a penny more is going into the pot than the amount I bet. If another person gets involved on the turn, it's insta-muck time.

[lick_offsuit]

I figured you'd be folding to a river raise. What was your read? Did you think MP1 was running a semi-bluff with clubs? If he was on clubs, do you think he would check behind on the river if you check? Is he capable of betting the river without a 9, 5, or pocket overpair? If the answers are yes and no respectively I don't like the 10 dollar river bet. I understand the reasoning behind your bet - a defensive maneuver out of position, but I still don't think it's profitable given the board and the turn action. As of the river, you have 1/6th of your stack invested.

I make plays like this from time to time when I haven't caught cards for awhile and I'm trying to make something happen. I'm usually sorry.

Having said all of that....was he on clubs???

[Fnord]

What was your read? Did you think MP1 was running a semi-bluff with clubs? If he was on clubs, do you think he would check behind on the river if you check?

Read already given. Was rather surprised I got called on the turn, although I see a fair amount of auto-calls.

Is he capable of betting the river without a 9, 5, or pocket overpair? If the answers are yes and no respectively I don't like the 10 dollar river bet. I understand the reasoning behind your bet - a defensive maneuver out of position, but I still don't think it's profitable given the board and the turn action.

I don't think he understands me nor NLHE well enough to know what I'm up to on the river. I also think he's capable of both folding better hands and calling worse hands on this river. Getting caught bluffing would be spiffy...

As of the river, you have 1/6th of your stack invested.

So I'm not committed to a showdown, yawn....

[Pingviini]

#1 One of those "fold marginal hands in small pots" hands. If you had position I would at least call here.

#2 you are basically repping a 5 here. You said that he can both much better hands (basically a PP higher than 7, highly unlikely given PF and flop action) and call with worse hands (basically A) here. interesting.. I find myself in these spots way too often. I think a blocking bet here, as you basically did, is kind of ok. But I really think that he will call you with 5, too for sure. I am not too crazy about this play but on the other hand I cant think of any better ways atm. Without the clubs I would probably c/f the river. And that is only because he is semi-aggro.

[sejje]

Hand 1: I like the fold. Spade probably isn't good, but who knows what BB is calling with. I think likely the As, though. If MP can continue to bet, I don't want involved in this pot.

Hand 2: What is the intent of this river bet? Are we trying to fold better hands? Win without a showdown? That couldn't be value bet? I like it, but I think if it's a value bet (like against AcJc), it's likely to get a call if it's a bit smaller. If we're trying to fold better hands, which I don't feel are likely, maybe a slightly larger bet is better. As it stands, maybe this is a happy medium. Folds some hands, gets some calls?

[Fnord]

Hand 2: What is the intent of this river bet? Are we trying to fold better hands? Win without a showdown? That couldn't be value bet? I like it, but I think if it's a value bet (like against AcJc), it's likely to get a call if it's a bit smaller. If we're trying to fold better hands, which I don't feel are likely, maybe a slightly larger bet is better. As it stands, maybe this is a happy medium. Folds some hands, gets some calls?

I thought I'd throw out something that looked like it wanted a call. Another thought on this matter is that my turn c/r has poor implied threat if I don't follow through every now and then. Although, that makes a strong case for a bigger river bet...

[vegascoop]

I thought I'd throw out something that looked like it wanted a call.

For me this seems to work better than a larger size bet when you've rep'd it the entire way. A little pause like your trying to figure out just how much he will call. A larger bet feels more aggressive to him and he may tend to call more often IMO. Why pushing with big hands works?

Given your read, I think he only calls if he has something pretty big. +EV long run.