Was this a good all-in with trip 8s on the turn?

Question

Game is 1/2 NL at the Venetian.

Hero has approx 225. Villain has 700-800; not particularly stellar player IMO but made money on splash pots. Villain is super tight post-flop and hero repeatedly bluffed her off small-pot hands with flop c-bets.

Hero has A-8 offsuit in late position relative to opponents (don’t recall exact spot). Raises to $10 and gets two callers.

Flop is Qd-10d-8x

Checks to hero who bets $15. Folds to villain who calls

Turn is 8 (not diamond)

Villain bets ~35. Hero thinks and goes all-in.

Thoughts?

Villain thinks about it for about 2 minutes and finally calls. Hero is overjoyed as he's convinced villain has Q-10. River is a blank and villain reveals J-9s for the straight, beating the hero's trips.

Answer 1

5 bb is a hefty open pre flop. I am surprised you got a call from J9s OOP. It seems like TT+ would have re-raised. I would put villain on like AK, AQ, or KQ.

Bet 1/2 the pot with bottom pair is OK. I think I would have checked or bet the pot. Villain could be on both a flush and strait and is priced in.

On the turn when villain bets out they probably have something. If they are on a bluff they would likely have waited to the river. I would put them on like AQ with no diamonds. It would be nice to know if you held the Ad.

If you had a boat you would have just called hoping villain would bet the river. It looks like you are trying to chase off a hand like AQ or diamonds. You were up against a hand that should call in that position. On a draw heavy board I am OK with the all in.

Answer 2

Well, let's analyze it. There are 95$ in the pot, you are reraising to $200 (all-in) with no action to follow.

One of the most tell-tale sign that you didn't play properly is when someone calls, and you are rejoiced thinking he had exactly QT. You seriously went all-in believing he has exactly QT? Any other random callable hand got you crushed. QQ (snap-call), TT (snap-call), Q8 (rare, but maybe), T8 (snap-call). I mean, if he's a loose player, you might be getting value of a 8x (lesser trips), but you said he's tight post-flop, so he likely didn't call your half-pot bet with lowest pair. Now, if the Q came out and you had AQQxx, then he might have KQQxx, QQJxx, that would give your All-in much more value, but the 8 is the one that came out and you are literally hoping to catch a QT. Honestly, even a QT is a questionable call with the paired board, your preflop could be KK/AA and got him beat.

Of course, you could always hope he's dumb and call you off with a flush draw or straight draw, but other than that, your all-in is only getting called by a better-hand.

Answer 3

(Won’t accept my own answer)

My reasoning for an all-in (from the heat of the moment): If I raise any decent amount, I’m pot committed. If I call here, I’m not likely to improve and if a diamond, J, or 9 hit the river, then what? Also, I was thrilled I hit the miracle 8 on the turn.

In retrospect: At this point, my hand likely blocks villain from the case 8. Don’t think villain would bet the turn with QQ or 10-10, especially after I bet the flop. J-9 is possible. Q-10 (for two pair) seemed more likely. For a player so worried about having the best hand, expected villain to re-raise me on the flop with a straight out of fear of the flush.

If I go all-in, she will call (likely bad for me), fold two pair (very bad for me) or fold her straight thinking I turned a boat (very good for me).

If I could do it again, I'd call the turn bet and re-evaluate on the river. If the river is an A or 8, bet if she limps or shove if she bets. If the river is a Q, 10, or blank, call any reasonable river bet or fold.