I won the home game last night (about $140), so I decided today that I might take that $100 and go play a $1/2 no-limit game at Harrah’s.

So, the game is 7 handed. I’ve been playing a little over an hour, so I fairly decent feel for the players at the table and I’m up to about $140.

I’m dealt Q 9 in early position, UTG+1. The UTG player limps. And as you might or might know from a previous post, I have a little superstition with Q9, so I limp for $2. A few people limp as well.

The BB decides to raise to $12 total. UTG calls. As do I (I have a feeling) and everyone else folds. 3 players with a, let’s say, $40 pot.

The flop comes Q 9 6.

Great flop right? Well… it is, but very dangerous.

The BB bets out $25. A little over half the pot. UTG calls.

Now… I know that the BB is a loose and not very good player. I’ve seen him make some incredibly poor, in my opinion, plays. I don’t really think much of him. The UTG as only just sat down, so I have no knowledge of his playing ability.

The way I figure, one player probably has top pair… probably BB and hopefully UTG has a draw. The reason I come to this conclusion is that UTG didn’t raise, which is what I would expect with something like trips and the texture of the board. Now the BB could have trips and I could be beat… but again, he’s loose and not really that good.

If I call the $25, I’ll have about $110 behind me. Both players have me covered.

What to do?

I have 3 options, in my head:

1. I could fold. That doesn’t seem likely. I mean, I just flopped top two pair. Playing like that is just playing scared and I don’t think you can make money that way.

2. I could call. I’m last to act, so I could close the action. But then, what do I do on the turn? If the BB bet on the flop, he’s likely to bet on the turn. Then I’ll have less behind me and it’s rather weak. What happens if another club or a straight card hits on the turn… then what? No, calling… while tempting, seems really dangerous. I’d rather just win the $90 pot now.

3. I can go all-in. I still have about a $110 after the call… so even though they both have me covered. I’m making nearly a pot sized raise which, is definitely not the right odds for a straight or flush draw, then I only have to worry about trips… in which case, I’m probably going to lose most of my money anyway.

So, that’s the way I figure it. So after about a minute of thought, I push all-in.

The BB calls (rather quickly too), which surprises me. UTG starts figure pot odds aloud, so obviously he’s the draw. He either has a flush or straight draw and I’m hoping in my head that he decides to fold, especially since the BB still has enough chips behind him to hurt him bad and he’s just sat down… does he really want to only play one hand?

Anyway… after some debate in a point where he was about to throw his cards in the muck, he rethinks things and calls.

The turn comes 7. Not something I’m really excited about, but when both players check, I breathe a sigh of relief that I’m still best.

Then the hammer falls. A. Definitely not a card I wanted to see.

The BB checks and of course, UTG goes all-in. My heart sinks.

Then what the BB does is most surprising of all… but the BB CALLS and flips over AQ (I told you he wasn’t that good of a player).

As predicted though, UTG shows the flush and what a flush… turns out he had a straight flush draw on the flop with J T and I throw my Q9 into the muck.

Did I make the right play? I know, I’m convinced that I did… but let’s hear what you have to say.

Bookmark to: