MAX. VALUE OR SPEW?

Live $40/80.

Villain is VERY GOOD, who usually plays in the $60/120 & $100/200. Very good, tricky... absolutely not ABC, making you think on multiple levels.

I open 9c,9s from CO. Villain 3-towns from SB. I cap.

His range is extremely wide here (especially if he puts me on steal, which I'm sure he does). He's NEVER EVER calling from the SB... only raising/folding.

FLOP (4.5 BB's)
Qh, 5s, 7c

He bets out, I raise, he insta-calls. Not quite sure what the insta-call means, but my instinct is telling my NO Q.

TURN (6.5 BB's)
8h {Qh,5s,7c}

He leads again... I RAISE!

Talk to me-

ask yourself: why am i raising?

then tell us why

I'd just call here, and call again on the river. You're in position and you're either WA/WB. First to act I'd lead at the pot, but here in position I'd just cal it down.

This is the main reason I posted this.

I think too many times, when we're faced w/ this "confusing turn lead" out of nowhere, it freezes us... and is meant to.

At the time, that's the read I put on him. His turn bet smelled VERY weak, because he knew, that I knew I couldn't let this check thru. So, if he WAS strong, he'd C/R, lead river.

He's trying to get to the river cheaply w/ his middle pr., flush & str8 drws, hoping I'd freeze, and call down.

I used to always just call down in these, "I don't know what to do" situations, but that only rewards his confusion bet, rather than punishing it!

I, now, ask... "What would he do in order to max his value?"

If his line matches up with that question, I slow down. If it doesn't, I re-attack!!

His lead didn't max his value if he was strong (knowing what he knows I know).

Try not to allow these players to be the puppet-master!

so how did it end? did he have you or was he on a draw?

Ok, here are the results:

TURN
He lead, I raised... he only called (smoothly, no hesitation)

RIVER
Qc {Qh,5s,7c,8h}

He checked... and I hesitated, just for a split second (on accident-- very bad)... but I BET!
He immediately RAISED!!

SON-OF-A

My head was screaming at me:
"Fold... you only beat a bluff! Idiot, he outplayed you so badly! Fold! Fold! Fold! Save the bet and the embarassment of getting chumped by a better player! FOLD! FOLD! FOLD!"

My gut was screaming at me:
"Call... go w/ your initial read! He doesn't have a Q, he would've C/R or 3-bet turn w/ Q! Call! Call! You're good, idiot! He's acting from your hesitation, this C/R wasn't planned... DON'T FOLD! DON'T FOLD! DON'T FOLD!"

I sat there for over an hour, ordered a pizza (xtra cheese), split it w/ the table, and then...

As if god, herself, grabbed my left hand... made me pick up eight, $10 chips, and threw them in the pot. "I call," is all I heard come from my mouth.

"Good call!" he said. "TY," as I waited for him to turn his hand over (I wasn't going to move until he did.)

He flipped over Ah,7h -- wheeeeewwwwww

I CALMLY WALKED TO THE RESTROOM, AND THRU-UP ALL OVER THE SINK!

Good point, interesting thread Dayne. Waiting for update on what draw he was on. Watching highstakes online, seems the best play a raise/fold game. Guess thats what you have to do to maximize every little advantage you get in limit.

RESULTS ARE ABOVE