Big Blind special: flop bottom 2 pair with A on board

[Silly String]

PokerStars: Hold'em No Limit ($0.10/$0.25)
Seat 1: ACESnROSES ($19.50 in chips)
Seat 2: SillyString ($12.35 in chips)
Seat 3: will2005 ($9.50 in chips)
Seat 4: rallovic ($9.60 in chips)
Seat 5: get_a_spoon ($15.60 in chips)
Seat 6: Heels930 ($9 in chips)
Seat 7: badboy45 ($10.85 in chips)
Seat 8: DJV384 ($17.65 in chips)
Seat 9(button): NISSA4 ($1.50 in chips)
ACESnROSES: posts small blind $0.10
SillyString: posts big blind $0.25


Dealt to SillyString Q 8
will2005: calls $0.25
rallovic: folds
get_a_spoon: folds
Heels930: folds
badboy45: calls $0.25
DJV384: folds
NISSA4: folds
ACESnROSES: calls $0.15
SillyString: checks
*** FLOP *** [8 A Q]
ACESnROSES: checks
SillyString: bets $0.75
will2005: calls $0.75
badboy45: calls $0.75
ACESnROSES: folds
*** TURN *** 6
SillyString: bets $2.50
will2005: calls $2.50
badboy45: folds
*** RIVER *** 3
SillyString: checks
will2005: bets $6 and is all-in
SillyString: ?

I didn't have a read. I was happy to see this flop, until I was called all the way and pushed on the river.
Do you pay off a set or higher two pair here at 25NL or do you fold this? I was expecting a check behind on the river unless I am beat. I'll withhold results for sufficient discussion.

[Greedo017]

why's your stack so small? bet out the river. it'd be nice if you knew generally how much of an idiot he was, easier to call an idiot here than a non-idiot. most of the time i'm probably folding this, just because he probably has ax and hit 2 pair or some such thing.

[Rondavu]

CALL. You're often ahead here against a tilting shortstack.

With the size of the guys stack you should be standing him up with your two pair by the turn, and there would be no tough late decision. Anything less than putting him all in earlier is saying to yourself that you want to committ to value betting because you feel he's weak and your hand will hold up through showdown. If you make that choice, then you shouldn't be getting scared on the river when the small stack pushes an uncoordinated board. You made a choice earlier to stand on this hand against the low stack as long as the board doesn't coordinate. So make your stand. You bypassed fold equity on the turn. It was a choice you made because you felt protection wasn't necessary.

As for the river push by your opponent, you have to think about his psychology. You have to know that the small amount of negotiation a shortstack is capable of shouldn't be respected in most cases. You confused yourself with your own river check. When you check a river weak like that, sometimes you have to expect an equal and opposite reaction from a deperate opponent. If you ask me, this is what you want to happen in this situation. You want to bait him into liquidating his stack, because your ahead most of the time here. Cry when your not, but calling is profitable.

Think long term, and take all factors into account. An opponent with a shortstack is a MAJOR factor. They tilt easily.

[Silly String]

CALL. You're often ahead here against a tilting shortstack.

With the size of the guys stack you should be standing him up with your two pair by the turn, and there would be no tough late decision. Anything less than putting him all in earlier is saying to yourself that you want to committ to value betting because you feel he's weak and your hand will hold up through showdown. If you make that choice, then you shouldn't be getting scared on the river when the small stack pushes an uncoordinated board. You made a choice earlier to stand on this hand against the low stack as long as the board doesn't coordinate. So make your stand. You bypassed fold equity on the turn. It was a choice you made because you felt protection wasn't necessary.

As for the river push by your opponent, you have to think about his psychology. You have to know that the small amount of negotiation a shortstack is capable of shouldn't be respected in most cases. You confused yourself with your own river check. When you check a river weak like that, sometimes you have to expect an equal and opposite reaction from a deperate opponent. If you ask me, this is what you want to happen in this situation. You want to bait him into liquidating his stack, because your ahead most of the time here. Cry when your not, but calling is profitable.

Think long term, and take all factors into account. An opponent with a shortstack is a MAJOR factor. They tilt easily.

Wow that might be the best post I have ever read of yours Rondavu. At minimum that is the most insightful critique of my play I have been given. Thanks, but I do have a question: Do you suggest I push the turn without having any information from a pre-flop raise, or opponent raising my bets? How can you be sure you are ahead?

Greedoo17, as for the stack size, the table just started up from scratch and I didn't want to intimidate or bully the little stacks or look too menacing. I would rather the little stacks be encouraged to mix it up with me. I usually re-buy after a round or two until I am even with the 2nd biggest stack or so. Then by the 4th-5th round, I am either at $25 through winnings or re-buy. Maybe my logic is flawed, but I have yet to lose out on much of a pot by being short another stack.