A Couple Tough Hands

I had an up and down session this morning at 200NL. I was down a little over one buy-in, but crawled my way back and ended the morning up a half buy-in. I played some 200NL 6 max for the first time. For the last couple weeks, it has been mostly full ring at the 200 level. Higher variance in the 6 max games, but I usually do pretty well.

Here are a couple tough hands from this morning. What would you do?

Hand 1: My very first hand at this table. The Blinds pass me and I post in the CO and I am dealt Pocket Jacks. Meh, JJ is just ok

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (8 handed)

HERO ($200)
Button ($176.45)
SB ($239)
BB ($319.45)
UTG ($200)
UTG+1 ($228.75)
MP1 ($390.80)
MP2 ($118.95)

Preflop: HERO is CO with Jc, Jd. HERO posts a blind of $2.
UTG calls $2, 1 fold, MP1 calls $2, MP2 raises to $8, HERO (poster) calls $6, 3 folds, UTG calls $6, MP1 calls $6.

Flop: ($35) 5c, 7s, 4h (4 players)
UTG checks, MP1 checks, MP2 checks, HERO bets $24, UTG raises to $72, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, HERO calls $48.

Turn: ($179) 5d (2 players)
UTG bets $120 (All-In), HERO ??????

This really looks like a set here. UTG limp/calls pre-flop. I am 99% sure they have a pocket pair. But it is possible they could have something like 88-TT. I obviously have no reads here, since it is my first hand.

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Hand 2:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (8 handed)

HERO ($206.35)
BB ($200)
UTG ($238.75)
UTG+1 ($316.45)
MP1 ($290)
MP2 ($226.75)
CO ($378.80)
Button ($115.55)

Preflop: HERO is SB with 7d, 9d.
5 folds, Button raises to $6, Hero calls $5, 1 fold.

Flop: ($14) 4d, Kc, Jd (2 players)
HERO checks, Button bets $10, HERO calls $10.

Turn: ($34) 9c (2 players)
HERO checks, Button bets $20, HERO ????

I call the PF raise because this definitely could be a blind steal. And I like 97s for some reason. I flop a flush draw and just call his 3/4 pot bet. On the turn I pick up a pair. What is your line here?

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Hand 3: Over at Tribeca on a 200NL 6 max table. I have a double stack. I busted two short stacks a few hands ago with a flopped two pair. And a couple hands ago I sucked out on another dude when he hit a flush on the turn but I filled up a full house on the river. I've been pretty aggressive at this table.

Tribeca No-Limit Hold'em, $2 BB (6 handed)

UTG ($116.32)
MP ($187.00)
CO ($142.84)
Button ($187.76)
SB ($232.75)
HERO ($390.50)

Preflop: HERO is BB with 8s, 9s. HERO posts the big blind of $2.
UTG calls $2, MP raises to $7, 1 fold, Button calls $7, SB calls $6, HERO calls $5, UTG calls $5.

Flop: ($35) Ts, Jh, Qs (5 players)
SB checks, HERO bets $15, 1 fold, MP calls $15, 1 fold, SB raises to $45, HERO ???

I call the PF raise because there were a lot of people and suited connectors do good against a lot of people. I flop the ass end of a straight and have a re-draw to a flush. I am drawing dead to AK of spades, but I can't be worried about monsters under the bed, right? Looking back at this, I am surprised at how little I bet on the flop. I guess it was more of a probe bet to see where I was at. SB check-raise is kind of small, as it would only cost me $30 to call into a pot that has $110 in it already. What do you do here? Re-raise? Call? Fold?

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I 'll post results of these hands tomorrow. Hopefully we can get some good discussion here on these hands