Playing 1/2NL on Stars. I have a stack of about 250 and have my two opponents in this hand covered. BB has around $100 and UTG has $200.

I am UTG+1 and get black tens. UTG min raises to 4. He has been playing fairly loose and raising a fair amount of pots. His postflop play is not so great. I call. Folded to SB, who calls. BB comes along as well and we have a 4-way pot.

(4 players) Flop: [8c][5h] (Pot: $16)

The blinds check, and UTG bets $6. I min raise to $12. SB folds, and BB and UTG call.

(3 players) Turn: (Pot: $52)

It's checked to me, and I bet $30. BB calls after using up at least a minute, and UTG folds.

(2 players) River: (Pot: $112)

We check down and he shows [8h] for a pair and nut flush draw. I take it down with my tens.

This is the only hand that I felt bad about during a great session. I felt that my min raise on the flop was very weak. UTG's bet smelled like AK so I figured a min raise might take it down without any further problems, but in retrospect I think a raise to about $20 would have been much better. Once BB called, I was fairly certain that he had a flush draw. I was considering giving it up on the turn but both my opponents showed weakness by checking, so I figured that betting $30 into a $50 pot would give BB incorrect odds to draw to a flush. I still thought UTG had AK or AQ seeing as to how he played it so passively.

I think my PF and river play are no-brainers. But how would you play the flop and turn?

Your responses to other peoples posts have been almost exactly what I wouldve done in almost every case, so i feel I have to saythat your flop play was HORRIBLE. But you already knew that right?

Fold, or raise big. Almost every one I play with wouldve called your min raise with AK.
The turn play is ok, but I wouldve folded on the flop most times.

Agreed with your assesment Mad. I would bring it up around $20 on the flop or fold. A min. raise here just doesn't do anything for you in most cases, except dig you deeper in a mediocre hand.

Turn is fine..

To the river: You are giving up... After betting the turn, I may have fired a river bet around $70 with intention of folding to any raise (obviously). I'm "possibly" betting here because you have to think you are losing, and the king is a beatuiful scare card. My goodness a hand like AJ, QJ, J10 or even QQ would have a rough time making that call. The way you played the hand (including a river bet) you are representing KJ, trips, KK, possibly J8 or AA. Thats all. No other hands logically make sense, unless it is a complete bluff.

Of course, this bet depends on my read of the player and the way he has played previous hands. So it changes with the circumstances. I'm not saying this is the correct play by any means. In most cases I would check here as well. I'm just pointing it out to you, because it sounds like you didn't consider it.

I expect to hear no less then 5 disagreements on just thinking about betting that river. fire away boys!

I've noticed it's a lot easier to make this play when your bankroll has increased substanially.


keep tearing up pokerstars for me Mad! I hate that place and its damn increidble river cards lol. gl.

His $55 left kinda throws off my whole idea I suck at math.


I am glad you had considered it though. A lot of players (including me a couple of months ago) would not even think about betting in these types of spots. I've found since that time, that in the right situations, bets like these can bring in a lot of extra money.

I guess it depends on the type of play Mad though he was playing...if he was playing someone who had the capability of call down w/ a high pair still like Jx, then it wouldn't be a good bet b/c betting into a calling station on the river is asking to be beat. Mad was representing a good hand, but the other guy might call down if he hit the King as well. I think you have to leave this alone this time...but next time he is calling your down, you have more information on him, that he is a flush chaser and you know to make him pair on his draw even w/o the a great hand.

Because of the information you get on his hand if you get to see it though, that might be more helpful and pay you off more than making a bet he mostly like won't call w/ third pair. There you go Kenny, another disagreeing customer.