I've been traveling with the family and really was not planning on playing any kind of poker today, however they all decided they wanted to go girl shopping. After a stop at the GAP and Forever 21, I saw a poker room in the parking lot of the mall through the glass front doors and mentally screamed "OMGAWAYOUTTHANKYOU!". I told the wife I was going to go blow $100 playing poker, and told them to take their time.

It was a neat little place, people were smiling, chips were flying, nice place to spend some time. I didn't see a pro in the house, but really I didn't look that hard.

I bought into the 1/2 NL game for $100, which was the max at this particular table. 9 handed. Everyone said hi as I sat down. Stacks varied from short to tall, but no one had more than $200 in front of them. I knew it was going to be a fun few hours when the first hand I got was AA and two short stacks went all in before me. A flop-turn brought a river sweat, but a blank later I was sitting on a nice healthy stack. Poker is easy, no?

After a quite a few uneventful hands and some hearty fun, the following hand happened -

Hero (BB): About 150ish
Villain (Button): About 90ish

After 3 calls, the button calling and the SB completing I looked at my hand in the BB and spied the dreaded 72. I really thought about raising but I've been playing semi-tight and I really didn't feel like getting out of line here. So I rapped the table.

Pot: $12
Flop - Q72

SB Checks. BB Bets $10. Fold. Fold. fold. Button Calls. SB Folds.

Small Blind "Ka-check" to me, and I put out a bet of $10. Fold fold fold. The button smiles and says "Gotta call this one". Small Blind folds. Dealer announces "Heads up!"

Pot $32

Turn - A

Hero Bets $20. Villain Calls.

I really didn't know where I was at. Because I didn't raise PF I didn't have an idea about the villains hand here and I really felt that my hand was too strong (and too vulnerable) to just check. For all I know he could have the diamond draw with a Queen, or maybe he had the A high diamond draw and the A paired him on the turn. Either way, I didn't feel like checking was the best option so I led out for $20. "I think I have you here, but just in case..." he said as he tossed his call into the pot.

Pot $72

River - T

Hero???

The pot has gotten dangerously large in relation to his chips, as it's is easily larger than his remaining stack and I have no idea where I'm at. Any flush draws missed but he gave the "speech" when he called which leads me to believe I'm beaten. If I was ahead I was looking at thin value and I really didn't want to give up the betting lead here, but as I was reaching for chips I felt this awful feeling in my stomach that says betting is a mistake.

Any thoughts? Analysis on any/all streets is certainly welcome.

shove, or check/call. check/call allows him to bluff with his missed draws, but there's a chance he will not bet his entire stack.

The only hand in his range that beat you is AQ, ATdd, and maybe QTdd and KJdd. He has all sorts of top pair type hands and busted FD in his range.

Preflop / flop look fine, although I probably bet pot on the flop.

I probably bet closer to pot on turn. This charges more if he's on a draw and makes it easier to get the money in on the river.

As played, I probably shove river with these remaining stacks sizes. He might call lightly thinking we're on a busted flush draw.

GcluelessNLnoobG

With a 50bb stack this a clear shove without any special reads.
There should be more good one pair combos in villains range than busted FD
(especially since Ax FD have TP on this board),
and wont bluff shove a missed FD everytime.

shove

this is the kind of hand i like to overbet the flop and turn. bet like $18-$20 on the flop. There's now $50ish in the pot on the turn, so I'd just shove. You are getting called here by any A or Q and the flush draw.

The consensus is that basically, you want to get as many chips in as you can in this pot. If his speech isn't a lie, he doesn't have you beat. People don't doubt they have you beat with something better then 2 pair. I think the way to make the most money here is to shove.