The Hand where criticism keeps me thinking about it

Picked up A/7s in late position. Raised, got a couple callers. Flop came 10/8/7 rainbow. Checked around so I raised it. They both called. Turn was a 6. I raised it. Both called. River was a blank. Checked around. I showed my 7s, guy to my left showed 8s, winner showed 10s. Someone laughed and said something along the lines of "Nice, only the worst hand bet."

But did it? There are a lot of ways I could have played this hand. One was folding. However, in late position in an unraised pot A/7 figures to be marginally the best hand. I could have limped in but that is a weak play that invites a steal raise from the blinds. Or I could raise with what figured to be the best hand. I don't mind my play here, particularly since those to come were tight players. Standard wisdom goes loosen up when the table is tight and tighten up when the table is loose. With a couple callers but no re-raise, I probably have the best hand, though there is always the possibility someone is slow-playing something like cowboys or rockets, though the odds are slim.

The flop I played well I thought. They both checked it, I hit a pair, even if it was bottom pair, and bet what was likely the best hand, even if it was just bottom pair, top kicker. Had top pair hit, more often than not he bets it here since his hand is vulnerable. Middle pair might play just as they did, checking and calling a small bet. In this case, top pair had mediocre kicker so check-called as well.

The turn was where I actually like my play a lot. Nobody has shown any interest in winning the pot, only in making "see what happens" calls...I suppose you could give the top pair credit for letting me do the betting if it were a tricky player...but it is someone I read as more call and hope with a tendency towards staying with 2 overcards. He plays good cards and calls a lot with rare raises. Sometimes he hits his good cards and wins, sometimes he misses them, stays with them, and loses. Meanwhile, I have a pair and a belly buster straight draw. I figure to have lots of outs IF I am behind. I have 2 7s for trips, 4 9s for the straight, and 3 Aces for 2 pair. If I am behind, any of these should give me the winning hand. At this point I have them both put on over cards. So I believed I had the best hand and was certain I had the best draw when I bet.

Of course, I did not hit my straight. Here is where I think I played it weakly. The river was a big card, a King if I recall correctly. Played properly, it is a good scare card and worth a bet. Instead, I saw what I DIDN'T have, the straight, and weakly checked. Though perhaps it was not that weak...a bet into 2 opponents with just a small pair is not so much a value bet as a "here is more of my money" bet. So perhaps checking was the correct thing to do.

Either way, based on my reads and draws, I believe I was correct to be betting. And based on their cards and styles of play, both of them were correct to call. The top pair might have re-raised with such a vulnerable hand..though I think calling was a very valid option. Top pair, weak kicker against a raiser is not so good...I could easily have been holding Jacks or Queens and still played it exactly as I did. In that case, they lose the least money possible while staying in the hand. If they re-raise on the flop and I re-raise all-in, they have to lay it down. By simply calling they stay in the hand and ended up taking a small pot.

Overall I am not displeased with my play. Possibly a river bet would have taken it down...but perhaps not. I figured they would call and since they had both called on the turn I believed I was beat without river help.

Yes, in the end I had the worst hand and did all the betting...but in the same circumstances, I would do the same thing which leads me to believe that, for me at least, it was the correct play.

I think it also illustrates a lot about play styles. I am not afraid to play low or middle pair, particularly when I have a draw to go with it. If people miss pairing the board 2 out of 3 hands and the other 2 play passively, I might take down the pot in any number of ways; raising with the worst hand, betting with the best hand, hitting a nice draw...but if I play it passively I will have to fold to any bet with just low pair and never hit the draws or make people fold. Nor will I have a deceptive game if I only ever play top pair.

And it works for me. That night by the final three I had such a commanding chip lead that Josh or Phillip would have had to have hit a HUGE hot streak even to pull even. So looking back, even though I lost THAT HAND, I think THAT PLAY was still correct.

interestingly enough, for MOST of the people I play with, this would be the wrong play. Most are too cautions, too timid, and tend to only bet with stuff like top pair, two pair, trips, and fold to any heat. Probably 80% of the people I play with would automatically fold on the flop to the first bet if no Ace hit.

Nor would I say they are wrong or I am right. Different personalities, different styles.