Fold, call, or get it in?

[Silent_Ac3s]

Let me start this off by saying, I am CLUELESS in this spot.

Stage #1593393333: Holdem No Limit $0.50 - 2009-08-17 23:30:54 (ET)
Table: KING DR (Real Money) Seat #3 is the dealer
Seat 3 - CHAZMAN1963 ($23.50 in chips)
Seat 4 - TARTOFHEARTS ($16.58 in chips)
Seat 5 - SILENT_AC3S ($66.50 in chips)
Seat 6 - MATEO0207 ($21.34 in chips)
Seat 1 - _NOVA_ ($100.20 in chips)
Seat 2 - POOMONGREL ($33.35 in chips)
TARTOFHEARTS - Posts small blind $0.25
SILENT_AC3S - Posts big blind $0.50
*** POCKET CARDS ***
Dealt to SILENT_AC3S [9h Qd]
MATEO0207 - Folds
_NOVA_ - Folds
POOMONGREL - Calls $0.50
CHAZMAN1963 - Calls $0.50
TARTOFHEARTS - Calls $0.25
SILENT_AC3S - Checks
*** FLOP *** [9d Qc Jd]
TARTOFHEARTS - Checks
SILENT_AC3S - Bets $2
POOMONGREL - Calls $2
CHAZMAN1963 - Raises $4 to $4
TARTOFHEARTS - Calls $4
SILENT_AC3S - ??????????????

Early in to session (still looking for tables) so no reads yet.

Out of my options...
Calling - Seems way too cheap for drawing hands currently behind to chase their straight/flush and take the lead.
Folding - Appears to be too tight this early, especially only after a min raise.
Raising Big - Gets the pot way too huge for this hand on the flop IMO since it basically gets me all in by later streets. When only better hands and possibly strong draws can call the bet anyway...


Which line of action would you take here?

[liladypokerpro]

Raising is the only way you're gonna get any kind of useful information, since you really don't have any to go by, other than the lack of preflop action. Calling is almost never a good option and folding is overly nitty imo... I didn't see any preflop strength from any other players... I'm not convinced they don't have something like a draw or AJ/AQ being a short handed table, it's in the realm of possibility. If it were me I'd have to raise and see exactly what I'm up against... but that's just my 2c, which is worth precisely one grain of salt...

/

[Fictive]

Those situations tend to be pretty hairy. I'd probably make a big re-raise to push poomongrel, at least, out of the pot. Tartofhearts cold called the bet&raise, so he will definetely shove the rest of his short stack in there. It doesn't matter if he has a straight or a draw, he will shove it all in. At least this way you limit your losses a little bit once he sucks out on you

[frecklers]

This is one of those situations where I would likely just fold....

Nitty?.... Probably

But then, what are my alternative options...

Calling leaves me potentially facing further bets (when I may well already be beaten) QJ, KT,8T all fit with the action. Calling also leaves me exposed to probable draws and playing my hand multi way (lots of ways I can get beat if not already). I might consider calling and hope to fill up (decide that I am not playing a big pot unless I do (i.e. fold out to any serious turn action)

Raising whilst potentially gaining information, leaves me committed to a big pot and stacking off. I am not happy stacking off with 2 pair on this board with the level of action that has already taken place.

My standard line when I really feel like I do not know where I stand in a hand (particularly if I have not really committed that much) is just to get out of there.

[travz21]

I really hate minraises. They are so dependent on the villian. He could be minraising with anything from a straight, two pair, top pair, flush draw, and maybe random pair+straightdraw hands. This hand also depends how good/bad TARTOFHEARTS is. Good players aren't going to be cold calling that flop with a straight, they'd try to build the pot as quick as possible, especially with 3 players in. He could have QJ or a flush draw. This is if he's good. If he's bad, he could have anything after cold calling that spot.

There will be a million bad turn cards if you just flat, and it will be hard to stick more money into the pot with 2 other players. Frecklers' last line is pretty well written.

I would pout for a few seconds and fold the flop. It's not nitty, it's just the most reasonable play imo. Folding the 7th nuts on the flop should never be considered nitty.

[DeadBabySoup]

fold. unless you want to chase a full house. and hope you don't run into a better full house.

[phosphorescence]

raising for information is an awful idea. raise only for value or as a bluff, never for information.

i don't hate folding in this spot, it's between that and flatting. raising is bad.

[phaul]

If you flat then poomongrel will probably flat behind most of the time, giving you 8-1 pot odds with an 11-1 chance of hitting a boat. Probably call and boat-chase.

[iconoclast1963]

For me it's a simple decision. You literally two cards in the deck that give you the nuts. 9,9.

Your pot odds are 22%, using the 4/2 rule, you have an 8% chance of hitting your hand.

If you want to make a bad choice and get out cheap you can flat call but then fold unless your hand improves dramatically on the turn.