Hold'em - Not Aggressive enough?
 

With the hold'em talk, I thought I'd bring up a hand that happened to me a couple weeks ago. The only thing memorable about it for me was that I actually received criticizm from someone else at the table for not being more aggressive. In fact, he continued to criticize this one hand for the next half an hour until I finally took all his money. :D

I don't remember the exact details, but here's the basics.

I was in the big blind and had A3o.

Pre-flop there were 4 calls and I checked.

Flop comes: 3 Q 8 nothing suited

We check around (the table was very tight).

4th street: 3 Q 8 Q

Everyone checks again.

The river: 3 Q 8 Q 7 (no flush possibility)

Everyone checks and I win the hand.

His contention was that after 4th street when no one bet, I should have bet on the river. My thinking was that anyone with a 7, 8 or even a pocket pair better than 3's would have taken the bet and I couldn't determine that being in the big blind and not on the button. If I'd been on the button and everyone checked after the river, I could see possibly betting but that wasn't the situation I was in. No one else at the table commented one way or the other. Anyone have any comments? Did I misplay the hand?

You could have made a significant wager after 4th street to take down the majority or all of the table particularly after they'd all checked on the flop with a Q draw...

What would you have won... 1 more bet maybe? (unless this was No Limit, in which case I would not have bet either)

And if someone called you, you probably would have figured you were beat. And would have checked the river, right?

Pretty much a non-issue, IMHO.

Yeah, I just can't see being that aggressive on bottom pair. I think you played it fine.

Hey guys...is there a site you would recommend for someone like myself who is intrigued by this game but needs to expand my knowledge of it?

Thanks...I never realized watching poker on TV could be so interesting...

Kevin

Bee, being that you were in the BB, I'm guessing you were 1st or second to act each time. With a couple of other players...I may have betted after the river, but I hate placing a bet down from early position. Especially when all I have is a low pair.

Yep, I was first everytime after the flop. And with 4 others in, I just didn't like the odds that no one had something that could beat me or perhaps was looking to reraise on the river.

Edit: Also considering how tight this table was, I would have folded at any point if anyone had bet so I don't imagine anyone calling me unless they could beat me.

If anything, this sort of play could be used to keep the guessing.