1-3NL, Loose-passive table.

V (~480) loose-ish reg
HJ (~180) unknown
H (700+) Tight image

V straddles
HJ open limps
H (8d-4d) raises to $34, blinds fold
V calls
HJ calls

(~$102)
Flop 5dAs7s
2 checks
H bets $73
V calls
HJ folds

($248)
Turn 7d
V checks
H checks

($248)
River 6s
V bets $100

H?

Is V clearly betting for value?

How did the checkback on the turn affect the hand?

Are we ever raising here? If so, what are we getting called by and how do we respond to a reraise?

What the balls are you doing pre o_o

Fold pre cf flop call river

Read: tight image. Easy bluff spot at this table.

Easy fold pre - I'm all about using your image but you also need a hand you can work with.

I think you bet too much on the flop and then checking turn which is weak.

How about a smaller flop bet, small turn bet and then fire the river.

Thing is you still want some equity, because even if a player is limp/folding pre or check/folding post exploitably often (which many players are), it's still very rare that they are so unbalanced that you are +ev just from the times they fold. You need to be getting value sometimes to make it a profitable play and with 84 you aren't.

I like the attitude that cards don't really matter if you can use position to exploit other players. But, yip out have two complications here. The straddle is a loose player, calling a wide range. And the limper is a tight player who has already called. It's a bad combo bc the straddle player is likely to call and then the tight limper will also call. Tight players who limp pre usually call preflop raises. He could easily have a hand like 77-JJ or AQ, KQ, JTs. A tight player may not open raise these hands but they still see flops with them.

34 pre feels a little big. You probably get the same info and result making it $25 which would be about a pot sized raise. It's hard to believe you have a real hand when you make it this big. It feels very bluffy.
OTF, you flop a back door flush and a gut shot and there's and A on board. Against these two players and how I might profile them, I probably mix 50/50 c bet/check behind. I'd expect he tight player to have an A a lot of the time.
As played, tight folded, loose called.
Turn check check. I like that you slowed down as you picked up equity. No sense getting blown off your hand here if V check raises.
River, get some value. Make it $250. If V is loose, as described, his range includes many trips that didn't improve to full houses, some aces. It's hard to put him on 98 or a full house. If he raises, you're beat but you'll get called by a lot of hands that you beat.

I'm not really questioning the pre-flop equity of the hand. I'm getting a ton of respect for my raises, and very little action when I have a hand. I'd been looking for a spot to take advantage of this, and this was the hand I chose. I'd love to have had a more "work-with-able" holding, but sometimes you're playing the situation more than your cards.

Yes my PF raise was a bit big, but I was hoping to play the hand heads-up in position. I did consider checking back OTF but I wanted to retain control of the hand, especially if I could rep the ace successfully.

BTW I discussed this hand with a sort-of mentor of mine, and you pretty much made the exact same points he did, so cheers to you mate.

This hand is just a big too weak for me, so I fold preflop, especially since straddler is loose and we can easily be on our way to a 3way pot here (which is exactly what happened).

I don't think there is any reason to bet so much on the flop. For the most part, people either have something they consider good enough to continue with or they don't, and the bet size (so long as it is reasonable) won't have any affect. I would probably bet a lol $35 (a "big" flop bet!) and see if that gets the job done, and be done with it after that.

I also just take my free card on the turn and hope to hit my draw.

I don't think I'm ever raising here as the only raise would probably be a shove (although I haven't taken the time to figure out what remaining stacks are here), and I'm just not so convinced a Ax is going to call that (the only hand we're targetting). This ain't an easy call either; a lot of time Ax just check/calls here instead of bets. We're behind flushes and boats and ahead of Ax and bluffs, and getting decent odds. Crying call, imo.

GcluelessNLnoobG

Us and these guys and this table are going to be here all day long. The blinds are not increasing. There's no need to force things, and this hand it looks like we're doing that.

GcluelessNLnoobG