Florida Poker $2/$5 No Limit Hold'em - 10 players

Hero (CO): $500, everyone covers.

UTG: Limps almost ATC. Plays fit/fold post-flop. He thinks I "only play aces."

MP: Limps almost ATC. Plays fit/fold post-flop. I have been running well against him. Flopped set-over-set against him a few hands earlier.

BTN: A lot of history with this guy. In the past I have played a lot of hands with him, and bluffed him both successfully and unsuccessfully. I expect to be called light from him.

Pre Flop: ($7) Hero is CO with A8
UTG calls $5, MP calls $5, Hero raises to $30, BTN calls, Blinds fold, UTG calls, MP calls.

Flop: ($121) K 8 2 (4 players)
UTG checks, MP checks, Hero checks, BTN checks.

Turn: ($121) 4
UTG checks, MP checks, Hero bets $90...

I think this is standard, but I just want to make sure. We are betting because:

1. We probably have the best hand, since it checked around twice.
2. Our hand is vulnerable, any or any card 9+ OTR, could kill our hand.

Or is it better to check?

...Continues...

BTN calls, UTG folds, MP folds.

River: ($301) 2
Hero checks

Is my check okay?

If BTN bets, how much are you willing to call?

The villain checked. I won't include results (what villain had) because some of you don't like it.

Does anyone c-bet OTF?

Please comment on my line and any other aspects of my play.

Standard bet on the turn. The problem with betting on the river now is it makes you committed and you would have to call a raise. There isnt a lot that he will call you with that you beat. I like check-call for that reason, and to induce a bluff since you have shown weakness throughout the hand, but having to call a pot-sized bet here is gross. Nonetheless I have to think you are still good here a large portion of the time.

This kind of looks like the HHotW... anyways

I am not totally convinced I like the turn bet. I think it turns your hand into a bluff and if anyone picks up on this they can make a raise and easily get you off your hand (not to mention it looks bluffy because AK and AA would always bet this flop). Plus there are two FD's now and if say a low suit of one of the FD's come we have to play a guessing game of is this the card that helped him?

Preflop I usually limp with Ace-rag suited. Raising's nice when you hit the flop hard like the nut flush draw or aces up, but it's much more likely that you're going to find yourself in the spot you're in: either with middle pair-top kicker or top pair-crappy kicker. It's not exactly the type of hand you want a huge pot with.

I think the flop and turn are fine. Given that the flop checked around and it's been checked to you on the turn, I'd say you have the best hand here most of the time.

I think checking the river's fine although throwing out a smallish blocking bet isn't bad either. If you check and villian bets, it's a tough spot. I'd imagine he'd check behind with medium strength hands that have showdown value like K9 or 98. I think it comes down to how often he'd bluff here with a busted draw. Since you've shown little strength post flop it's a real possibility, assuming he's capable of it.

I like your line and I would have played it very close to the same way. The only part I think is marginal is the raise pf...if it is a loose table a8 suited is the kind of hand I will limp with in late position.

On the flop the check is good, c-betting is somewhat spewy given the pot size and your stack...check and reevaluate if the button decides to bet.

On the turn I like your bet sizing. You do have the best hand a lot of the time here and you want to protect it.

Always check the river. You are not getting called with worse and if the villian is good you are giving him an opportunity to bluff you off your hand. I am calling pretty much anything he bets since there is so little he can represent...unless you think he is good enough to value bet 9s-Qs which would be pretty thin.

I don't mind the iso-raise preflop. I play the hand the same way as well - check/bet/check-call.

There is no "iso-raising" at this level. People love to limp-call. Most preflop raises in this spot get 3 or 4 callers. Occasionally you'll get it heads up but it's the exception to the rule. The reason you raise at this level is because you have a strong hand, have position, and want to build a pot.

My fault - should have clarified. Raising here (hopefully) clears out the button and blinds and give us position and initiative versus the weak limpers. I'm ok with them limp/calling. In fact, I prefer it.

I also limp preflop w/A8s. Other than that seems "standard". I check river.

How is Florida poker w/the new limits?

OTT we have a choice between checking and betting. Betting does protect our vulnerable hand, and it does give us some value.

But, betting also creates an inflated pot, when called. Which sets up a potential problem OTR.

The line: check flop, bet turn, check blank river...is so weak. From the BTN's point of view, I must look so weak. And, having created an inflated pot, with my turn bet, I've thereby incentivized the BTN to bluff his missed draw. I don't really want to have to hero call $250 OTR.

Does a turn bet just set us up to be bluffed by a good player OTR?

Is it better to just check, and hope our hand holds up? How often will it hold up to the river?

The players still buy in short ($200). They don't get it.

I'd say the average Florida $2-5 table has on average the same about of money on it as the average Vegas $1-2 table.

Often times, you'll find eff. stacks are only $250.

I believe iso-raising is possible, if you raise large enough. I should have raised to $40.

Being in the CO, and facing two ATC limpers, I think A8s is probably the best hand.

We are up against two ATC limpers, and three blind hands. A8s, must be very strong here.

Do you agree?

It is similar. The biggest difference for me was the lack of short-stacks. I also flopped (probably) the best hand, as opposed to a draw.

Probably, but by how much. We aren't that much better than J-10 suited and KQ off.

Yeah but people will often limp with A9-AJ, even AQ and AK sometimes. I just don't like building a huge pot with Ace-rag.

+1
The value of Axs preflop is letting worse suited cards get flush over flushed or trips out kicked. so take your cheap shots with these hands otherwise it's too much variance for a tiny edge to gain. inflate the pots with these types of hands isn't your bread and butter way to beat a limpy 1/2 game.

Right or wrong, I fold or only call a limp w/A9-A6s preflop(Unless 1st in CO or button). All other Axs have straight possibilities so I treat them different. Anyone have maths on this to back it up?