Cash game hand

Hectorjelly

Im board in work (pun intended) so I'll recount an interesting hand from a cash game a few days ago. This was live with a few friends, since its pretty low stakes we all tend to play pretty terribly as its more for fun than serious poker. We get one or two players who try and play tight but they play too tight and get zero action on their big hands. I think its a good experience in some ways, as it forces you into constantly making big decisions with marginal hands; which require a lot of thought and some good hand reading skills. Anyway....

I have around €130, opponent has about €100. Other stacks vary from €10 to €200.

I make it €1 utg with 56 of hearts, a player from MP with about €40 makes it €3 and gets two callers. I call as well making the pot around €15. The flop comes up

8 4 3, two hearts.

Now this is just about the most beautiful flop I could expect to see; Im ahead of all overpairs here, and the chances are nobody has flopped a hell of a lot here.

On this flop I really want to get all in on the flop, as there are a lot of cards which will kill my action, nobody will reraise me on the river with an overpair if a third heart falls. So I bet €8, with the intention of pushing to any raise. I could of gone for the check raise, but with that flop I was worried about it being checked through, and I dont want to get into a raising war on the turn with 6 high and one card to come! I think a bet here is also more likely to pot commit someone, as if they bet, and I checkraise its very easy for them to get away from the hand, as If I bet and they raise they have put a lot more money into the pot.

MP thinks for a while and folds. Guy on the button calls (uh oh!). Turn is a Q.
When he called I suspected some mid pair like 10 10 or 5 5. Possibly a set but I didnt really consider it. Could be a flush draw but its unlikely since I know where 4 of the hearts are. I bet €15, which he then min raises me to €30. Once he did that I really suspected strength, so it was two pair or better. And with that flop unless he has Q8 he has a set. All of a certain I dont like this hand much anymore. I know now hes not on a draw, as with the min bet he knew I had to call as long as I wasnt on a total bluff. I call anyway, which brings the pot to €75. River brings the J of hearts, and all of a sudden I like my hand again. His turn bet pretty much told me liked his cards and didnt have a flush draw, so I bet around €50. (I think I just pushed a bunch of chips into the middle). Now Ive made big bluffs in similar spots before, so its not a clear fold. He agonises for a while and calls. He had 88 for the flopped nuts.

I think bar preflop I played the hand pretty well, and he played it ok but the turn raise on his part was really, really bad. I only like that play there if he has nothing, as its siginfies massive strength and he can make a big raise on the river. If he just calls the turn he can then just call the flop (since the board turned nasty), which means he gets the most from me if Im bluffing, and loses the least if I have a hand. Alternativly he can make a pot reraise, on the turn; which gives his hand away but will win the pot. I would of raised the flop myself, as calling the flop then raising on the turn pretty much spells out S E T, and Im playing so loose Ill probably get action anyway.

That was about the only hand I played well that night, I was a little on tilt from losing 7(!) 100$ heads up games in a row earlier. Happilly I got my confidence back and won quite a few the next night.