Bad Decision???

[Reesy]

How should i play this hand??

FullTiltPoker Game #2114955460: Table Tulip - $0.10/$0.25 - No Limit Hold'em - 10:15:31 ET - 2007/04/01
Seat 1: Scotch1313 ($28)
Seat 2: Ortizzle34 ($16.35)
Seat 3: RightBehindYou ($23.45)
Seat 4: baloux ($46.70)
Seat 5: Edcraft ($23.95)
Seat 6: Toniacer ($8.85)
Seat 7: Reesy118 ($18.65)
Seat 8: XXreXX ($9.65)
Seat 9: NJtoxicavenger ($2.90)
Ortizzle34 posts the small blind of $0.10
RightBehindYou posts the big blind of $0.25
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Reesy118 [Tc 8c]
baloux calls $0.25
Edcraft folds
Toniacer folds
Reesy118 calls $0.25
XXreXX calls $0.25
NJtoxicavenger folds
Scotch1313 folds
Ortizzle34 folds
RightBehindYou checks
*** FLOP *** [9d Qh Ad]
RightBehindYou checks
baloux checks
Reesy118 checks
XXreXX has 15 seconds left to act
XXreXX checks
*** TURN *** [9d Qh Ad] [Js]
RightBehindYou checks
baloux checks
Reesy118 bets $1.10
XXreXX folds
RightBehindYou folds
baloux raises to $2.20
Reesy118 calls $1.10
*** RIVER *** [9d Qh Ad Js] [5s]
baloux bets $8.25
Reesy118 has 15 seconds left to act
Reesy118 calls $8.25

Before i called that hand was running through my mind, and i was pretty sure i was beat but still called, shoul i have got away from it??
Bearing in mind villian was playing quite loose at the time, but getting some breaks.

[PhilPaine]

Well I probably wouldn't be playing 8Ts, especially in middle position and especially when I'm not opening the pot.

But having got to the river in the first place... well let's see what he's probably got. He called UTG, but if you say he's loose then that doesn't really mean much. Then he checked the flop, could have flush draw i suppose (was he aggressive or passive?) but the again he could have any ace/high cards also.

The check-raise is interesting on the turn, may have hit two pair, may think you're bluffing, may have already hit straight; may have flush draw. I would say straight unlikely, seems odd to C-R here. Two pair is possible, trying to push you off a draw perhaps (although he's giving you great odds to chase a draw, so that's strange (or he isn't thinking about the pot odds!)). Flush draw again is possible, he may think he has a chance to push you off your hand here or outdraw you if he gets called, so maybe.

Oversized bet on the river is very strange. Looks like a please don't call me bet, but at $25NL you just can't be sure. However with your hand being the 2nd best possible hand I really don't think you can lay it down on the off-chance he has K-10. He could have a hand you beat or a busted draw.
I'm calling this unless I have sufficient reads not to (i.e is he good enough to realise he gave you odds to chase your possible FD - he doesn't know you don't have the FD obviously - Does he C-R as a bluff or for value? is he aggressive or passive (both pre and post flop) Can he pull moves like on the turn and this river as a bluff? etc).

Pre-flop I fold, this isn't a starting hand for me. Flop is fine, you have a gutshot, nothing else you can do against 3 opponents. Turn bet is a little big in my opinion, you have a pretty big, and well disguised hand, all you have to do is not give odds to anyone drawing to the flush. Calling the C-R is fine, you have huge hands and a big hand. River I'm not sure about, as stated above I'm calling obviously. Do you raise here? You have a big hand, it's unlikely (though possible) he has you beat, and I think a lot weaker hands are calling you. However the size of the river bet coupled with the Min. C-R is awfully strange...

[bigspenda73]

I've been trying to figure out what small minraises and then full pot bets mean at these levels. I have yet to have a hand that could look one up but I'd be interested in the results.

BTW, I'd call the river as villian could have grossly misplayed a set. We only lose to KT correct? If we get coolered we get coolered.

[Chopper]

dont think too much at $25. only KT beats you. if he has that...you say, "nh, sir," and go about your way. better than 75% of the time here, you are taking his stack.

keep playing T8s just like that, except i dont like suckouts to flushes when i have a str8. therefore, i prolly punch his minraise in the face. again, if he has KT, so be it.

there is NO WAY i fold here.

[Reesy]

Thanx guys, appreciate the help, so it was really the call preflop that got me into trouble.
Is playing suited connectors advisable and if so should it only be in late position???

[Chopper]

yes, it IS advisable, but only when you have the correct table conditions to play them.

i like to always play them in late, even mid position, if i am not opening the pot. i will call standard raises with them sometimes (thats where they are most profitable because of the AK/KK overplaying a hand they are married to while you hit a big implied odds draw). i will open-raise them from the button and cutoff, every so often.

i only rarely play them oop, and from here i WILL open raise. but i need to be certain that the table is full of loose-passives that will call, not 3bet me. same if i open-limp in a FR game. i need to be fairly certain that i wont get raised back.

if i dont hit a flop thats very attractive, i dont bluff, and i fold to aggression and cbets. if it checks around, and i hit the draw on the turn, then i prolly semi-bluff...and when the river completes me...PAYDAY!!

the hand you played is not at all bad. and the way you played it is fine, to me, too. sometimes they run up against a better hand, or get sucked out on...oh well. you'll make up for it, if you keep playing them correctly...and in the right situations.

one other thing to remember. DONT OVER PLAY THEM. meaning, dont overbet/cbet/bluff with them. to make them profitable, you need to keep your misses CHEAP so your "hits" have a better chance of paying you off big enough to make up the losses you donk off. they just dont hit often enough to play them fast when you completely missed the flop.

btw, very few players can play them profitably long term. i dont, but they "loosen up" my image at a table full of nits to get the needed action on my premiums...where all my money comes from. dont believe someone that says they are profitable with sc's as a whole, unless they can show you the pokertracker software numbers to back it up.

[Fnord]

It's still Online Poker, bet the flop.