Was This A Total Donkey Play?

[iggymcfly 0]

I'm pretty sure it was. I knew I was in trouble when he checked the flop and when he bet the river, I was about 95% sure I was beaten, but I think that after four rounds of betting, I'd just built up enough emotional attachment to my jacks that I couldn't let them go. It's a $22 SnG on Party by the way.Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)MP1 (t1850)iggymcfly (t2504)MP3 (t1660)CO (t2020)Button (t1770)SB (t2040)BB (t2390)UTG (t2010)UTG+1 (t2295)UTG+2 (t1461)Preflop: Hero is MP2 with J, J. 4 folds, iggymcfly raises to t300, 4 folds, BB raises to t800, iggymcfly calls t500.Flop: (t1650) 5, 9, 3(2 players)BB checks, iggymcfly checks.Turn: (t1650) T(2 players)BB checks, iggymcfly checks.River: (t1650) 6(2 players)BB bets all-in for 1590, iggymcfly calls t1590.Final Pot: t3240

[Bubba83 0]

This could be a desperation bluff with AK after he misses and gives up. He could be done with the hand on the flop, but then when you check twice in a row behind he might think to bluff it. I think you should play this differently, bet somewhere, like the flop or turn, if you let him know where you're at in the hand, then you can fold to an all-in somewhere...

[iggymcfly 0]

Here's the problem though. Why is villain raising less than 3x the big blind on the flop? It's either because 1) they have a monster that they want action on or 2) because they're planning on stealing the flop. I mean, after they represented that much strength before the flop, why would they possibly check on two streets unless they're slowplaying and hope that I "catch up" enough to call them. The only real possibility where I'm ahead is that like you said, they have AK, and they considered it a monster, but were too passive to bet it when the flop missed. But if they're too passive to bet on the flop and turn, then wouldn't they just check the river? It just doesn't add up unless they have KK, AA, or a set.Oh, and if I bet half the pot somewhere, then that's over half of villian's stack and I'm committed to the hand. I thought about betting the minimum on the turn, but I really hated the idea of openly representing weakness and then folding an overpair to a raise when I could just check behind and reevaluate the river. I really don't think betting and folding to a raise is a good option when one of the players has less chips than the size of the pot.I think what bothered me the most about this hand was that I had a read that I was really confident in and then I didn't go with it. If I went with my read every time, I'd be about 100 times better at NLHE.

[Bubba83 0]

Well, he definitely played it weird postflop, I agree. But it works both ways, he's playing his big hands weird too. If he has AA or KK wouldn't he bet the flop, or at least that turn? Surely he would if he had QQ... If he has a set like pocket 9s and just crippled the flop, he might check, but would he really re-raise 99 preflop, semi-committing himself and then surely have an overcard or 2 flop most of the time?

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, he had 55 for middle set. I don't really get the PF action either, but it seems like no one ever checks the flop OOP heads-up after the PF reraise without a monster. Especially the small raise like that. They don't expect you to fold PF, so they either think they're hand's good enough to hold up or they plan to take it away on the flop. There's just no middle ground with that hand ever. I guarantee you that if that flop comes with anything but a 5, villian's going to bet out there. AKQ, QJT, 239, it doesn't matter, he'd be betting. I've seen people reraise PF with A-x, K-x, big pairs, small pairs, and even trash in that spot, but I've never seen someone check the flop there without a hand. If an ace came, someone might check KK or something, but no one ever makes that raise with unpaired cards and then checks when they don't hit.

[Rocketwadster 0]

You MAY have been behind the whole time to hands like aces, kings, or queens, but I doubt it based on the action after the flop/turn. I can't see kings or queens giving you two free shots to catch an ace to beat them (if they include hands like ace-king/ace-queen in your range). Even pocket aces would be taking great risk to give you two free shots to possibly make your flush (if you had say ace king/ace queen of spades). I think it is far more likely that you are up against a medium pocket pair (that may have trips), or ace king. On the river, you can beat ace-king, but not much else. I think it is an easy fold on the river. Although it is unlikely for a hand like pocket 3's to re-raise pre-flop like that, the nines would depending on the opponent. The 5's are borderline.I would have bet the flop, and check/folded if UI, and folded if re-raised.

[mmmikeySong 0]

I think it is far more likely that you are up against a medium pocket pair (that may have trips), or ace king. On the river, you can beat ace-king, but not much else. I think it is an easy fold on the river. Although it is unlikely for a hand like pocket 3's to re-raise pre-flop like that, the nines would depending on the opponent. The 5's are borderline.I would have bet the flop, and check/folded if UI, and folded if re-raised.

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