Strategy for top pair with a low card flop straight threat

[BoondockSaint]

Yeah there is a flush threat in this one too. Anyway I hit top pair with a great kicker but there was a straight and flush threat on the board but with all low cards. It just so happens to deal a straight to the board and complete a possible flush. How would you guys play something like this when it keeps adding to the straight threat on 4th and 5th. I was just too worried he was callin dollars on a flush draw or a straight draw and completed one of em. Anyway any advice is appreciated. Should I have tried betting out drawers right after the flop?


***** Hand History for Game 479305305 *****
0/0 TexasHTGameTable (NL) - Thu Mar 25 21:06:10 EST 2004
Table Oopsie Daisy (Real Money) -- Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 6
Seat 2: joeblue04 ( $67.27)
Seat 4: Mr_Barbara ( $56.35)
Seat 5: CHANGAWOMAN ( $0)
Seat 6: deahansson ( $106.40)
Seat 7: me ( $24.25)
Seat 8: jordash86 ( $22.75)
Mr_Barbara posts small blind (0.25)
deahansson posts big blind (0.50)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to me [ Kc, 9c ]
me calls (0.50)
jordash86 calls (0.50)
joeblue04 folds.
Mr_Barbara calls (0.25)
deahansson checks.
** Dealing Flop ** : [ 6s, 9d, 8d ]
Mr_Barbara checks.
deahansson checks.
me bets (1)
jordash86 calls (1)
Mr_Barbara folds.
deahansson folds.
** Dealing Turn ** : [ 5h ]
me bets (1)
jordash86 calls (1)
** Dealing River ** : [ 7d ]
me checks.
jordash86 bets (4)
me folds.
** Summary **
Main Pot: $9.70 | Rake: $0.30
Board: [ 6s 9d 8d 5h 7d ]
joeblue04 balance $67.27, didn't bet (folded)
Mr_Barbara balance $55.85, lost $0.50 (folded)
deahansson balance $105.90, lost $0.50 (folded)
me balance $21.75, lost $2.50 (folded)
jordash86 balance $25.95, bet $6.50, collected $9.70, net +$3.20

[Fnord]

Tough hand.

Checking and laying down top pair here (ouch!) to a big bet or unimproved might be the right move here. Really hard to feel good about your hand with 3 other players seeing the flop on almost any combination of turn + river cards. With so many draws out and 3 opponents I don't see you taking down this pot on the flop either unless your opponents are really tight.

Also, this is a great reason why playing marginal hands K9s (what a dog) out of position is a usually bad idea even shorthanded. Acting last on the river with this board was tough. Your check signaled weakness and it's a tough read if his bet was legit or not.

[BoondockSaint]

Yeah K9s is near the bottom of my list on playing hands especially out of position. It was sort of because of the short handed factor and also because on a hand you advised me about like a week ago or so on those quads I hit you were saying it was bad to play JT UTG which I sort of agree with, sort of don't (i just can't make up my mind). Well like my very next session or the session after I get JTo and want to limp in but I was UTG and I was thinking, "SHIT - Fnord said I shouldn't be playin this and he is far wiser than I" (and im not being sarcastic, I am very impressed with your play and experience and hope to be at your level someday) so i click fold and I couldn't believe it not a single person bet more than 50 cents and the flop was 789 rainbow. Man I was pissed. I do know that was an absolute fluke but this girl had 6T and I could of taken her whole stack because she was betting like crazy and someone kept calling. So actually maybe I could of gotten 2 whole stacks but I'll never know. It just sucked so bad that like the first time I didn't call 50 cents on JT that crap happens. That was a retarded as hell reason to decide whether to play k9 or not but at least it wasnt like 37 or something lol. Oh yeah and there has been a million times I fold Kx suited and then would of made nut flush because the Ace falls on the flop. I can't decide how to play Kx suited. It seems I always fold it but tyson said on a post somewhere that it is like his absolute last group that he sometimes limps in and sometimes doesnt - or something like that.

Thanks for the continued advisement though. If it wasn't for this site I am sure I would be in the negative. Somehow I am managing to stay in the positive overall over the last 1500 hands or so.

[Fnord]

My JTs out of position advise was probably too tight. I misread the hand and thought you played JTo from UTG. If the pre-flop game is passive JTs is probably playable from anywhere. I like JTs better than K9s out of position because it has much stronger straight posibilities. Also I'm liking Jack or Ten top pair weak kicker a little better than top pair King weak kicker (just begging to be outkicked) or top pair 9 (easy to be out drawn.)

Overall, I prefer a straight on a non-flush board to a flush as I'm more likely to get paid off. The reason I play few unsuited connectors though is that being suited allows for multi-draws and semi-bluff steals in position.

KXs is a very marginal hand. I only play it in late position and I'm looking for 2 pair, 3 of a kind with X, straight, flush or steal on a weak hit if I think I can get away with it.

Don't sweat folding marginal hands out of position that would have made a very strong hand. Consider the savings from all the times you don't play it and it misses or try to limp and get raised out of your hand. Happens all the time.

[AceKing]

JT UTG is a tough call. All depends on the table and how it has been playing. If you find people calling for .50, then give play it for sure. If you know at least 1-2 guys normally raise after you, then fold it unless you are willing to pay a couple of dollars to see the flop. Of course, if you have a maniac or 2 after you doing the raising, playing this hand has its benefits.