Thanks for the comments. I intentionally left out the results because otherwise it biases the responses. I know it does bias mine for sure.
So, first of all, I know all about topping up in cash games. The reason I don't do it is because I am not a full-time cash player at this time. I leave it untopped as a means of tilt control. I have recognized it as a big issue and I am okay with the disadvantages of playing with a smaller stack sometimes.
Having said that, I am not writing any of this with any authority. It's just a learning process for me.
4betting pre-flop: this crossed my mind, as it could very well have been a resteal attempt from SB. It would also simplify the hand as I would either be facing a jam or a fold. I am not happy calling jams with AKo on Zoom games, as they are either coin flips or I have run into AA and KK. However, I can see how that can be a standard play.
Flop to River I think we all agree with checking it through and not doing anything crazy. Now at the river we diverge a bit. Fundiver finds a fold. Mktpppr goes with a fold because it's a very polarizing spot and it is a guessing game. Ratbat would fold. Blueskies folds without a better read from history.
I thought there was something in the hand and Mktpppr mentioned it:
F: fine. BU's cbet sizing is super-weird on that multi-way super-wet flop: why isn't he scared of draws multi-way? Unless BU is just clicking buttons.
T: fine. BU's check-through is weird: I'm beginning to think he's weak.
I find that the roughly 1/3 cbet is commonly used by players when they miss the flop or have a draw. The hope is others have absolutely nothing and fold. I sometimes mix it in when I do have a hand to disguise it, but it obviously carries risk with allowing better draws to complete if players come along with legit draws.
Everyone was still present on the turn, and here BTN shows what I see as weakness by checking. Sometimes higher level players will check to conceal strength, but this is so very risky on this board texture that I don't think this is what is happening here. I am fairly confident nobody has trip-T here, because that hand would want value and protection before the river.
River double-pairs the board. I don't think BTN has a Q because that hand would have wanted more value on the flop. I am sure he doesn't have 10. SB, who was strong preflop, now folds. That makes me think they may have had a draw or a weaker pair that they couldn't find the courage to call with.
I put BTN on air, some kind of a draw, or AX that doesn't contain a Q or T. I figure that most of the time I will chop here or otherwise find a
bluff. Rarely, very rarely, I would expect to see any nuts like quad Q or T. But I think a lot of the time this kind of action smells more like busted draws.
So, I called, and was right this time. It was a busted clubs draw bluff, which was played even worse than I thought because that should have bet on the turn.
