My first stacking at $50NL

[salt3d]

When something all of a sudden went 'click' a few weeks ago, I started crushing $25NL. Not because I was running good (though that was a timely confidence booster), but because I knew how to win the most on my good hands, and lose the least on my mediocre hands. One day I couldn't do it, the next I could.

Since then I've had mostly winning sessions and last night I rewarded myself with a crack at $50NL. The opposition seems no different. Tonight I encountered the following.

The table was generally weak-tight. I'd recently had a run of playable cards, so I was in a lot of pots and winning more than my fair share. It was clear to any reasonable player that I was itching to play in big pots.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

MP ($41.95)
CO ($9.10)
Button ($49.25)
SB ($46.25)
salt3d ($55.70)
UTG ($63.50)

Preflop: salt3d is BB with 8, 8.
1 fold, MP calls $0.50, CO calls $0.50, 2 folds, salt3d raises to $2, MP calls $1.50, CO calls $1.50.

Flop: ($6.25) 4, 7, 8 (3 players)
salt3d bets $3.5, MP calls $3.50, CO folds.

Turn: ($13.25) 2 (2 players)
salt3d checks, MP bets $12, salt3d calls $12.

River: ($37.25) 9 (2 players)
salt3d bets $38.2 (All-In), MP calls $24.45 (All-In).

Final Pot: $99.90

I checked the turn to represent overcards, so if I 'missed' on the river, I could overbet 'bluff' and be called by just about any pair. I figured my opponent would value bet any reasonable pair, and may try a bluff when he would have folded to my bet. I didn't check-raise because I thought it would show too much strength and give the lower pairs a chance to get away.

This is the kind of hand I consider 'standard' since that thing went click. On that flop it seems an easy pot to win, but getting paid off is still new to me. Am I playing it right?

[Warpe]

I'd lead the turn.

[andy-akb]

Bet that flop harder, its a multiway pot and should get called if your smaller bet did as well.

[Miffed22001]

bet flop harder.

what do you put him on on the turn because i tend to c/r all in there if i dont think he flopped the damn nuts.

[Renton]

I am not sure whether I like the preflop raise out of position with a speculative hand.

[Warpe]

I am not sure whether I like the preflop raise out of position with a speculative hand.

Unless you are at a table full of really loose players (what the 'loose table' section was designed to apply to), you should raise all pairs everywhere (except the blinds).

(from another thread)

Why the exception for the blinds?

[Renton]

because from all the other positions a raise increases the chances you will have position after the flop. That chance doesn't exist if you are on the blinds. Also you have secured a cheap seat to see the flop. No reason to deny it. Also your range checking/completing from the blinds is literally impossible for anyone to define, so you gain in deception.

[martindcx1e]

i think the c/c on the turn is very bad. if you check that turn it should be with the intention of raising huge.

[Ash256]

i think the c/c on the turn is very bad. if you check that turn it should be with the intention of raising huge.

[Thee One]

i think the c/c on the turn is very bad. if you check that turn it should be with the intention of raising huge.

me too. I'm AI on this turn to that bet.

[El Ninho]

I think leading preflop is fine here. Your hand got shitloads of equity against a couple of limpers and while you will be OOP I think your hand is strong enough to raise, especieally shorthanded. I like playing mid-pp's in raised pots, you don't have to flop a set to play them so limiting the field seems reasonable. I understand Rentons argument for checking, tho, it's an akward spot raising from the blinds, but this one's still okay imo. Postflop, if your itching for big pots, bet the flop harder. Yes, you want big pots, preferably heads-up contested big pots not multiway-lets-suck-out-on-you big pots because the floptexture is pretty drawheavy. Lead the turn or check-raise-all-in. Actually the latter line, also known as "the-stack-a-donk-line" (raise preflop, lead pot, c/r-ai on turn) often works out amazingly well. It's great that you do a ton of analysis, keep that up, but don't complicate things to much. You can't be sure this guy will put you on overcards just because you check/call the turn and even If you could it's doubtful if thats the best move.