Did i play this wrong?

Josh FP

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #573758412: Hold'em No Limit ($2/$4) - 2004/07/27 - 22:36:35 (ET)
Table 'T #5724760' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: Sand_dragger ($283.05 in chips)
Seat 4: Yarbs ($183.20 in chips)
Seat 9: Koutar ($329.15 in chips)
Seat 1: primemutton ($500.35 in chips)
Seat 2: coyone ($267.50 in chips)
Seat 5: j0shua_p ($128.40 in chips)
Seat 6: Mmavrickk ($409.60 in chips)
Seat 7: JackRussell ($468.70 in chips)
Seat 8: 40.BELOW ($115.80 in chips)
j0shua_p: posts small blind $2
Mmavrickk: posts big blind $4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to j0shua_p [7c 2h]
JackRussell: folds
40.BELOW: calls $4
Koutar: calls $4
primemutton: folds
coyone: folds
Sand_dragger: calls $4
Yarbs: calls $4
j0shua_p: calls $2
Mmavrickk: checks
*** FLOP *** [4s 7h 2c]
j0shua_p: checks
Mmavrickk: checks
40.BELOW: bets $16
Koutar: folds
Sand_dragger: folds
Yarbs: folds
j0shua_p: raises $34 to $50
Mmavrickk: folds
40.BELOW: raises $61.80 to $111.80 and is all-in
j0shua_p: calls $61.80
*** TURN *** [4s 7h 2c] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [4s 7h 2c 8h] [9c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
j0shua_p: shows [7c 2h] (two pair, Sevens and Deuces)
40.BELOW: shows [8s 7d] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
40.BELOW collected $244.60 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $247.60 | Rake $3
Board [4s 7h 2c 8h 9c]
Seat 3: Sand_dragger folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Yarbs (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Koutar folded on the Flop
Seat 1: primemutton folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: coyone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: j0shua_p (small blind) showed [7c 2h] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Deuces
Seat 6: Mmavrickk (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: JackRussell folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: 40.BELOW showed [8s 7d] and won ($244.60) with two pair, Eights and Sevens

---

I only called preflop for $2 more because 4 other people had already limped in and i didnt expect a raise from the big blind. I was pretty sure he didnt make a set on the flop so I thought i was ahead. Thoughts?

stpboy

IMO, I would NEVER call anything with 72 or any hand resembling it. You get yourself into trouble playing hands like that, even in the SB. Obviously the guy did get lucky and you took your lumps as we all do. The only mistake I think you made was playing the hand in the first place.

stpboy

Acutally, after re-reading the hand...if anyone made a bad call, it was this 40below dude. Preflop and post flop, brutal. Especially when you come over the top on him with the check raise, does he really think his 7 with 8 kicker will stand up? What does he put you on? How were you playing prior to this? Do you think that he thought he could push you off the pot with an all in re-raise? Do you often play sub par hands deep into the pot? Just asking to see what his thought process might have been...

stp

Josh FP

With 4 people calling before me and being pretty sure the big blind would check i figured i was getting 10 to 1 on my $2. So i figured i'd limp and see. I had only been at the table for 2 or 3 orbits of the button. I had played a very tight game and only seen the flop 3 times i think, twice folding on the flop and once winning without showdown.

Not that my hand was great, but I was 99% sure it would be the best hand and expected him to fold to my checkraise.

Tilter

I wish I had a big enough bankroll as your to limp in with 72o in a NL RG. I guess you had to call the all in as it was a good hand. Just a bad beat, with him only having 3 outs, but I guess it comes with playing the worst hand in poker.

ScottyZ

I don't think it is that bad to limp in with any 2 cards in any position in NL if

1. You're very confident there won't be a pre-flop raise behind you.

AND

2. Your opponents are playing very poorly post-flop.

I think it's clear enough from this hand alone that condition #2 is in effect, and you mentioned that you felt were pretty safe that the BB would not raise pre-flop.

This hand is actually a *great* demonstration of the reasoning behind limping in pre-flop in this sort of scenario. He gets over $100 of his opponent's money in when he has way the best of it, for a cost of $2 when he very likely has the worst of it. Forget about the 10 to 1 (pot) odds mentioned. In NL you are really interested in *implied* odds.

If this is a $2-$4 *limit* game, there's no way I'm calling with a hand like 72o from the SB. There's just not enough potential for being paid off in limit if you do catch a monster flop. In NL against little-skilled opponents, it's a whole different ball game.

Well played on all streets I think. It's just one of those "That's poker" outcomes.

Scottyz

arkose

i have to agree with scotty...the implied odds are there, why not call the extra $2 with lots of people limping...especially at a table where people get really excited about having TP with a really weak kicker.....

i might have check raised a bit more, to increase the likelihood of winning it right there (two pair w/ 72 isn't exactly a powerhouse, you could always be counterfeited if the board pairs)...if you raise a bit more, he knows he won't push you off the hand (which he perhaps thought he could)...but given the small stacks, this guy probably pushes in regardless of how much you raise

on the other hand, you could maybe just check-call the flop....and regardless of what comes off on the turn (except another 8 or a 4), push all-in for his last 95....again, i don't know the opponent, but maybe this would scare him off? especially if a high card hits....i think this is a reasonable option with a garbage board that you are reasonably sure you are ahead on, and with a small stack that you would be pushing all in at some point

i think you played it fine though, i probably would have check-raised as well

Josh FP

I check raised because my hand was vulnerable to the board pairing and if he made a higher 2nd pair (which did happen anyway). I see what you mean about my reraise not being enough, i thought it would be, but looking at it again I should've reraised to 60 maybe. The pot after his bet was $40, I reraised $34 on top of calling his 16.. Maybe I should have just pushed all in right there.

Bkp

Well, 1st I would have folded 7 2, but, after you limp in you hit 2 pair on the flop, thats pretty heavy. I would have check raised the same way you did. I would of thought long and hard about the reraise though.