Another hand I posted in my journal (if you bastards would just botrher reading that litterary masterpiece and comment there I wouldn't have to go through the almost unbearable chore it is to cross post them here), would like some feedback please (see? I'm even saying 'please' now, god I am really just a fragment of the man I used to be).

It's a full ring table but it is just getting started and is 5-handed right now.

I've got [3h][7h][Qc] first to act and raise to $3. Folded to the blinds who both call. I start with $110, SB is short at $15 but BB has me covered.

Flop comes [7d][6h]

Now SB leads out for $9 and BB miniraises to $18. Wtf... this can't be right. It just doesn't feel like anyone has a monster here. SB probably has some stupid shortstack shit that he doesn't *really* want anyone to call but is committing himself with, but wtf could BB have that warrants a miniraise? If he had a super-monster [2h] wouldn't he just call? If he had the nuts, wouldn't he raise more to protect and/or force out a low?

I decide my low is probably good against BB (SB may well be leading with pair + nut low or something), which should mean I am freerolling for high with my 7-high flush, and I also think a huge raise may force him out giving me plenty of dead money against the short muppet.

So I decide to raise BIG. And fuck up completely. I misclick and only manage to make it a miniraise. God how gay must that look, one bet, then a miniraise and a minire-raise. Ah well, back to shorty who obviously puts his last chips in, and now SB makes a pot sized re-raise. Ah well, if I had managed a real raise I would have been putting my chips in anyway, so I do.

Also note Kuso, if I criticize someone's play it is always with the intention of learning something new in case I'm mistaken, which will prolly often be the case.

I disagree on a few points there:

1. Position isn't that bad. You could argue I am only two off the button . Seriously, in a 5-handed game I think any non-blind position where you can in effect buy the button most of the time with a raise is a decent position.

2. I don't think A37Qs is a "weak" hand in a 5 handed game, I think it is a medium-strength hand that is definetely playable. You've got the 2:nd nnut low draw (with a backup card), a Q to give you a big pair, and you're suited (although not to the Ace). I think it's a fine hand with some decent potential in a shorthanded game, but I would much it in EP at a full table because of its lack of nut potential (but make the Ace suited or the 7 a T-K and I will play it there too).

3. I think my A3 hand has side features. In a full game I won't see the 7 high flush draw as an asset, but when only 2 or 3 people see the flop out of 5, any flush draw goes up in value IMO. And generally, you don't have to make the nuts either way to win.