Nines and Undercards

[maxwn917]

Here's another one.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with , .
UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, 2 folds, MP2 calls, Hero calls, CO calls, Button calls, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (8 SB) , , (8 players)
SB checks, BB bets, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, MP2 folds, Hero calls, CO folds, Button raises, SB calls, BB calls, UTG calls, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls.

Turn: (10 BB) (6 players)
SB checks, BB bets, UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls, Button calls, SB calls.

River: (15 BB) (5 players)
SB checks, BB bets, UTG calls, Hero calls, Button calls, SB folds.

Final Pot: 19 BB

The BB had Tc3c. I'm not sure about my decisions on every street. I thought about raising preflop, but since I started playing limit seriousl about two months ago, I've been getting my ass whipped with 99, so I feel I might have been playing it too aggressively.

On the flop, I feel pretty good about probably being ahead, but with so many callers on the flop by the time it gets to me, I just called to see what the turn brought, planning on betting or raising if the turn wasn't a club or possibly an overcard, although I might have bet the overcard as well and folding if the club hit.

Except the club was my third nine, giving me 10 outs to the boat or quads, and leaving me with an interesting dilemma. I considered raising, which might be an ok play, considering I have a small chance of being ahead, I might get a weak flush to fold and I have outs to win. I decided just to call, figuring the flush was probably out there, and realizing that this is .25/.50 and no one is going to fold a low flush. Then on the river I called because the pot was huge. So anyway, I don't know whether this was too weak of a play or about right. Thanks for any analysis.

I just went back and noticed that the button raised on the flop, which I had forgotten. I'm kind of thinking now that maybe I should have folded right there. Not sure.

[MecosKing]

Hey there max-

I think the way you played it was reasonable- it was a little passive but the pot was sooo multiway, i think thats excusable. Id Still probably raise when the set hit, while it is still true that you are behind to a flush, you still want to get all the straight draws and non-nut four flush draws out of there. Like if someone has the or even the for example, you dont want them sticking around there. You are behind to a flush, but (a) You have a lot of outs, and (b) If the play at the table is passive enough, since you are in position against the bettor, you may even get a free showdown against a non-broadway flush.

However, this is all dependent on the idea that a raise actually WOULD protect your hand - i.e. if the or would still stay in there regardless, then theres probly not much point to raising unless you boat up.

In most reasonable games though, i would have to raise this up on the turn probably. If you got three bet, especially with the straight coming onto the board and the bettor still firing, and getting callers, i think i could let the hand go, thus only losing one extra bet.

However, in the game you were in, you probably were better off just calling.

[briachek]

I don't raise preflop after limpers as you will probably need a set to win. I'd raise that flop everytime. Someone is drawing to a flush or straight so MAKE THEM PAY FULL PRICE. If someone 3 bets it, I might cap depending on who. Depending on what happened on the flop, I probably bet out the turn if checked to, maybe not. Flop action determines alot but without raising, you have no idea. River depends if you got raised on the turn or not. If you did, I raise if i hit a boat and just call if not. Pot is too big to fold at this point, especially if you raise it like I did.

[Nortonesque]

Definitely raise the flop -- you can make it 2 bets to the preflop raiser, and get him to fold overcards (or make a bad call). And if he 3-bets, you pretty much know where you stand.

[maxwn917]

Ok, thanks for the reponses. I had a feeling I played this too passively on the flop, but 99 has been my bane here lately, so I think I was playing a little gunshy. Looking at the hand history, I was way ahead on the flop, as I think there were two underpairs and the flush draw out there, and probably at least a couple would have called me down even when nothing hit. I don't think I should have given them a free look at that turn.