Playing 2-5 NL with about 500 in front of me. There is a guy in early position who raised to $35 dollars preflop and there were 3 callers after him. I was at the cutoff seat with J9suited and called and button also called. So preflop there were a total of 6 players (pot about $210). Flop came out 9 9 10 rainbow, initial raiser checked followed by two players after him. The guy to my right led out and bet $50 into a 210 pot, I decided to only call and see what he does on the turn but the button reraised to 150 and the initial better cold call the raise. I thought about it and decided to shove right there and had both players calling me. Button had absolutely nothing 8 6, the other guy had A 9.

Firstly, the initial raise was to $35. The typical pf raise in 2-5NL is $15/20. Your initial thought process in such a situation should be to fold. Granted though, with a hand like J9 suited and 3 callers infront of you, you have a hand that plays (or draws) pretty well post flop and (at that stage) 4/1 on your money to see a flop - which (like in this instance) could hit you square in the face.

The guy with A-9 who leads out is keen to protect his hand and may want paid from the initial pre flop raiser. J-Q, J-8, 7-8, A-10, Js, Qs, Ks & As are all 'likely' to call the $50. The button spoils the party (was he drunk ) and therefore you find yourself (on the flop) in exactly the same situation as you probably would have found yourself on the river - all-in with the worst hand. If danger cards or a 10 comes on the turn you mayyyy have gotten away.

In my opinion, you got unlucky for an opponent to hold the case 9 and one of 4 better hole cards. To mitigate against it happening again you should fold for $35 pf in the same spot or squeeze to $80 to thin the field. That way A-9 almost certainly folds pre and you find yourself against someone slow-playing an overpair or AK/AQ(ish) ranges in which case you could lift a significant pot. If you get shoved on pre because they have 10s, Js or better then you've lost $80 and not $500!

There are many strategy forums where you can post questions about specific hands and optimal lines to take.

I strongly suggest posting any questions you have about a poker hand in the appropriate strat forum (cash or tournament, stakes, type of game) rather than here in Coaching Advice.

First of all, why were you in the game? Every hand that is dealt is an opportunity to make a quitting decision. Personally - and I don't mean to sound rude, it's really none of my business - I doubt you were ready to be sitting at the table. $500 is a lot of money. It's high stakes.

I would have folded before the flop. Yes, you're in position, and yes it was a multiway pot (does this hand actually benefit from that fact? is it neutral? is it harmed?). I play a very tight style of play. It's too much investment with a such a marginal hand.

Anyway, you hit a monster flop. Flatting on the flop is fine. You block some straight draws anyway. When the initial bettor cold calls the action you have to know he has a monster but I definitely stack off as well. There's a lot of money in the pot and he could be getting stupid with AA or QJ.


My advice :

Drop down to 1/2. Take the game seriously. Work on fundamentals. Practice online. Don't play too much poker! And buy in for the minimum.

Not actually true for live games. In many wild 2/5 games $50 is a standard open. People going as much as $100 after a few limpers. A 3-4 open standard is not the normal, although it does occur and when it does you should probably switch tables.

J9s is great hand multiway espec to an UTG raise (his range is really tight for raising). You got coolered.. next hand. Well played.