set oop, is there a better way to play it?

he's 17/14/3

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP ($139.95)
Button ($122)
Hero ($100)
BB ($109.75)
UTG ($115.15)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 8, 8.
2 folds, Button raises to $3.5, Hero calls $3, 1 fold.

Flop: ($8) K, 8, 9 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $6, Hero calls $6.

Turn: ($20) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $10, Hero raises to $27.5, Button calls $17.50.

River: ($75) 6 (2 players)
Hero calls $99.50 (All-In)

I shoved for 63 on the river, is there a better way to play this? lead flop/cr flop?

I like it just fine.
I usually just lead flop for $6 and hope to get raised. I think I like your line better if I can put villain on AK and he's aggressive enough to be sure he'll bet 2 streets.

i should have made it more on the turn.

Originally Posted by phantom_lord

i should have made it more on the turn.

$35 would be better. You could CR flop but how you played it works

The biggest reason i don't like your line is because you can't get it all in unless he is willing to call your overbet shove on the river. And the only times he can do that are when villan:

1). is convinced you are bluffing due to a debilitating poker illness (donksheffitis). Seems doubtful due to his stats. Sample size?
2). is convinced you are blufing due to information he has collected on you (i.e. you got called down using a bluff line like the way you played the hand above). Have you shown anything unusual?
3). has OESD/FD and thought he could steal the pot on the turn with a semibluff rather than take the free card.
4). has A-A, sometimes A-K. His turn bet looks a little small to be holding either of these hands though.
5). has a higher set than you. This is really unlikely obviously.


Honestly, c/r flop looks weaker than c/c flop. Plus it builds the pot size, and he is more likely to be willing to call you down with TPGK/TPTK. IMO he doesn't have two pair and a turn c/r is much more likely to make him consider folding a TP type hand.


As played, his turn bet looks like a semibluff or a TP hand betting for value. I think he is holding TP here more often than a draw, because i tend to check draws behind on the turn if someone has floated me on a flop like the one above. So, on the river i am betting for value, probably $30-35.

it's not an overbet shove on the river tho, it's 63 into 75 pot.

c/r flop gets less into the pot than on the turn. by doing on the turn i get the pot bigger than my stack to shove the river.

i'm still not 100% this is the best line tho.

How sure are you that hes going to bet the turn after checking to him?

As usual I hate the line because there's little balance, many hands shut down after a c bet but are more willing to call down, and you're giving a free chance for an OESD and gutshot to hit a card, leaving you in no man's land with little info.

My image preceding this hand would have paved the way for a routine bet flop, turn and river, against this guy who thinks a little bit. If he's bad enough to be stacked with a K/pair, great. If not, great, more balance for my turn follow ups.

lead flop for $4

Me personally, I lead with my sets. Actually, depending on the player, I reraise with 88's pre-flop. Only the flop, I'm leading and hoping to get raised. The turn check/raise screams strong hand and I would probably have folded if I was the villian and definitely wouldn't be paying off a big river.

i lead or c/r the flop because i don't want to risk him checking behind the turn. You need to build this pot quickly and you can't get tricky here.