Message Board : Slowplaying multiways with a maniac

I had a hand the other night that I’ve been mulling over and would like some community feedback on…

Playing in a $2-$5 NLHE full ring private game with a professional dealer.  Stacks range from $200-$1500.  Game is overall a wide mix of players, with a few loose-aggressive, a few loose-passive.  I bought in for $500, ran up to $1200, and then took some hits with second nut flush twice against small stacks, so I’m down to about $475.  Overall I’m conscious the table views me as tight-aggressive… despite the presence of the loose-aggressive players most pots I’m in aren’t heavily contested, and most of my wins aren’t from going to showdowns.

Player to my immediate left I have played with often and is tight, although neither particularly passive nor aggressive.  A decent player, although I would describe his overall style as "cautious."  A new player has recently joined the table to my immediate right.  He is extremely loose-aggressive.  He buys in to cover the max, habitually raises preflop, makes a show out of bullying players out of the pot, and expresses open disdain for other players at the table.  He’s not completely reckless however… he plays on position heavily and will semi-bluff any sort of draw.  He often folds if someone comes over the top of his raises.  He also bets large on the river with or without made hands, punishing perceived weakness, and most players aren’t willing to stand up to him.  I’m itching to get a hand against him as I’m sure I can get the best of him.  My strategy is to find some sort of hand and use my position to let him bet into me.

Unfortunately the first hour or so the cards don’t cooperate.  Finally under the gun I look down at 5d 5c and limp in.  The tight player to my left limps in as well, as does a loose-passive player in mid position.  Aggressive villain under the gun raises to $25, which I was expecting.  I call, tight player calls, loose-passive calls.

Flop comes Qh 9s 5h and be still my beating heat.  Aggressive villain bets $20.  I consider here that if I bet and reveal the strength of my hand I could shut down the action… also there is a chance one of the players behind me could decide to defend a made hand against the villain.  I call, and tight player to my left cooperates by raising to $75.  Loose-passive calls, villain calls.  I pause for a few seconds to consider my options between making a move here or on the turn.  I decide I’m potentially looking at tripling up, and decide to fade the heart on the turn and just call.  I’m pretty certain the other players read my hesitation for weakness here.

Turn comes Kc.  Villain checks.  I’m considering my move here, leaning towards raising now, but the tight player to my left quickly checks out of turn.  Loose-passive player rapidly follows suit as I tell the dealer I haven’t acted yet.  Villain to my right angrily accuses me of shooting an angle.  I decide I can’t afford a free card here, and if the draw misses I might not get any more money on the river anyhow.  I bet out $100, hoping someone will think I really am shooting an angle and come over the top of me.

Tight player to my left considers for a few moments and calls, as does the loose-passive player.  Villain tells me I’m "disgusting," calls, and yells out "heart" at the dealer.  River is a 3c.  Villain checks, I push my last $240 or so in.  Tight player to my left folds, as does the loose-passive and the aggressive villain.  (Player to my left confirms his holding was A-Q, likley making the K on the turn the worst non-heart that could have hit me).

1. Is my analysis on the flop sound, particularly deciding to fade the turn and simply call the $75 raise?  I really don’t like that I slowplayed against 3 opponents, but obviously there are other considerations here.

2. Is my $100 bet on the turn the right size?   Additionally, even though it was not my intent, are there ethical concerns here taking advantage of the two checks behind me by betting?

Any other thoughts about the hand of course welcomed.

- HJ 

I think your analysis on the flop is great.  With the draw, wait a street.  Not a bad play, as you could take down the pot on a blank turn card.

The blank hits on the turn … you have $375 left on the turn, there is $400 in the pot.  A $100 bet looks like really strong hand to me wanting action.  On the river, this would have be fine for value.  On the turn, with no threat left behind, you should push.  You would have likely got 1-2 callers here.  $400 + 3×375 =~ $1500 vs the small pot you took down.

Push on the turn. 

You have 2 plays that look like a move:  Little bet and moving in.  I think I would choose moving in.  You don’t need to get paid off as often as with the smaller bet and it has other advantages.  I don’t really like fooling around and prefer to just get my money in.  So, pretty much any analysis would end with me moving in on the board with that hand.