Well you have a real good hand in this instance with the ace kicker. 85% of the time, you will win and another lets say 5% of the time you would tie. But hte main problem with your example if that the 4th and fifth card play HUGGGGGGEEEEEE roles in the hand. My figures above respresent if that were the best hand after all 5 cards.
Now the problem in betting this hand lies not necc with the 3rd nine, but in the 4th and 5th cards coming up a king, queen, jack or 10 and in that case, someone might get a pair of worse yet a straight.
My thoughts would be to stay in the hand and bet a pretty big bet if you are first. Then that will tell you who is still serious about the hand. Usually, not too many pocket 9's make it to the flop in my view. FOr instance, a pocket 2-9 would NEVER see the flop if you bet the preflop the correct way.
Now the problem in betting this hand lies not necc with the 3rd nine, but in the 4th and 5th cards coming up a king, queen, jack or 10 and in that case, someone might get a pair of worse yet a straight.
My thoughts would be to stay in the hand and bet a pretty big bet if you are first. Then that will tell you who is still serious about the hand. Usually, not too many pocket 9's make it to the flop in my view. FOr instance, a pocket 2-9 would NEVER see the flop if you bet the preflop the correct way.
Clay-
Unfortunately "it depends."
It depends on:
The limits you are playing
Your opposition
Your position
A few other things
Frankly I think your hand is not very good and you should look to muck at the first sign of strength by another player. In many of the games I play in there could easily be someone out there with a 9. Additionally, the same players will draw with overcards and any cards that could make a runner runner str8 or flush.
Without additional information, I say you bet the hand regardless of your position. In early position you bet and see what the other players do. If they call and no card higher than an 8 falls you keep betting. If a face falls, I say you check the hand and fold to a bet. If a raise comes, you fold.
Again, without additional information, in late position I would bet or raise. If a reraise comes I fold since it is likely the other player probably has a 9 and since I would fold to a bet if a face card fell.
BOTTOM LINE...your hand pretty much stinks and is very vunerable even if a 9 is not out there. There will be much better situations for you to get your money in the pot, don't chase a bad hand.
My comments above assume a fairly loose limit hold em table at limits 10/20 and lower.
Unfortunately "it depends."
It depends on:
The limits you are playing
Your opposition
Your position
A few other things
Frankly I think your hand is not very good and you should look to muck at the first sign of strength by another player. In many of the games I play in there could easily be someone out there with a 9. Additionally, the same players will draw with overcards and any cards that could make a runner runner str8 or flush.
Without additional information, I say you bet the hand regardless of your position. In early position you bet and see what the other players do. If they call and no card higher than an 8 falls you keep betting. If a face falls, I say you check the hand and fold to a bet. If a raise comes, you fold.
Again, without additional information, in late position I would bet or raise. If a reraise comes I fold since it is likely the other player probably has a 9 and since I would fold to a bet if a face card fell.
BOTTOM LINE...your hand pretty much stinks and is very vunerable even if a 9 is not out there. There will be much better situations for you to get your money in the pot, don't chase a bad hand.
My comments above assume a fairly loose limit hold em table at limits 10/20 and lower.
hand probably loses more than it wins, regardless of if you have many players or very few.
With just a few other players, they might put you on trip 9's and they wouldn't stay unless they had a 9 as well.
With many players there is a double open ended straight draw possibility, maybe a flush draw, and trips or full house draws.
Sorry, but don't see how you win with this hand.
Because you have the ace, you think it is better than it is, but the ace is worthless without pairing it or unless it's in a flush.
With just a few other players, they might put you on trip 9's and they wouldn't stay unless they had a 9 as well.
With many players there is a double open ended straight draw possibility, maybe a flush draw, and trips or full house draws.
Sorry, but don't see how you win with this hand.
Because you have the ace, you think it is better than it is, but the ace is worthless without pairing it or unless it's in a flush.
A lot depends on how it was bet pre-flop. If it was bet, chances are that somebody with a hand with a 9 and a low card are out, so you likely won't have to worry about trips.
I would put a large bet out here, as it this point you are likely the best hand, and if somebody is going to stay in, you make them pay for it and not get it for free.
You will win this hand a lot more by making people pay to see the cards then you will by playing cautious and letting someone get a draw for cheap or free.
I would put a large bet out here, as it this point you are likely the best hand, and if somebody is going to stay in, you make them pay for it and not get it for free.
You will win this hand a lot more by making people pay to see the cards then you will by playing cautious and letting someone get a draw for cheap or free.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ClayHenry:
Newby here just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on how they'd play something like this
Pocket
A-8
Flop
8-9-9
I've only been playing a few weeks and I've found myself losing quite a few hands where I had 2 pair and I lose to 3 of a kind.
I thought I'd ask the experts...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You don't say what limit you were playing, what raises, if any were made BEFORE the flop, and what position (button position/seat) you were sitting in.
A lot depends on those 3 things and OF COURSE if you know your players. If your in button or last position and there is no betting, you have a VERY STRONG hand. Of course if there were raises BEFORE THE FLOP, and they were in earlier position, there could've been an over pair (pair bigger than 8's or 9's) bet before any cards were flopped.
The turn and the river (4th & 5th cards) will make you or break you. Like other posters have stated, there could be open end straights out there, full houses waiting to check raise, and of course how many people have stayed in the hand with you.
My advice to you? You have to take your $300 or better blood baths first. It's called "paid practice". Unfortunately, this is a "learning" experience.
Not everyone has the answers but watching your players and seeing what THEY call and raise with will help you with your game.
Good Luck & God Bless!!!
Poker Babe
Newby here just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on how they'd play something like this
A-8
Flop
8-9-9
I've only been playing a few weeks and I've found myself losing quite a few hands where I had 2 pair and I lose to 3 of a kind.
I thought I'd ask the experts...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You don't say what limit you were playing, what raises, if any were made BEFORE the flop, and what position (button position/seat) you were sitting in.
A lot depends on those 3 things and OF COURSE if you know your players. If your in button or last position and there is no betting, you have a VERY STRONG hand. Of course if there were raises BEFORE THE FLOP, and they were in earlier position, there could've been an over pair (pair bigger than 8's or 9's) bet before any cards were flopped.
The turn and the river (4th & 5th cards) will make you or break you. Like other posters have stated, there could be open end straights out there, full houses waiting to check raise, and of course how many people have stayed in the hand with you.
My advice to you? You have to take your $300 or better blood baths first. It's called "paid practice". Unfortunately, this is a "learning" experience.
Not everyone has the answers but watching your players and seeing what THEY call and raise with will help you with your game.
Good Luck & God Bless!!!
Poker Babe
