A friend and I were recently discussing an online no-limit tournament hand where we initially had different takes on how the hand should be played.We both realized after the discussion that both of our decisions were valid in the right scenario.

My friend was actually watching his brother play when the hand came up.The blinds were 50-100 and the UTG player limped with everyone else folding to Nick who checked with 9-7 offsuit.The flop came 9-7-5 offsuit and Nick lead $100 at the $250 pot.The UTG player raised to $400.Both Nick and his opponent started the hand with approximately $1700 in chips.Nick, on his brothers advice, reraised $500 more which his opponent called.The turn was a blank and Nick bet the rest of his chips which his opponent called.The river was a five pairing the board and Nick lost to 10-10.

My friend Marty believed the reraise of $500 on the flop was the best way to get all the money in the pot.I thought that an allin raise was in order in this situation.My thinking was based on what my opponent's probable holding was.I believed, since the flop did not contain a flush draw or any likely open ended straight draw, that my opponent had an overpair that he limped in with to trap preflop.If that was the case, he would have lost $500 to me ( a meaningful number of chips given my stack size) if he folded to my all-in reraise of $1200 OR my opponents call of the remaining $1200 would go in with me being a strong favorite.I thought that a reraise of $500 was never going to fold your opponent BUT it could alert a strong opponent that your hand is stronger than one pair.The reraise to me looked like a "juice" or "suckalong" bet......one that was begging for a call or reraise!!!! I felt that the allin reraise, even though it was $1200 instead of $500, would have comparable likelihood of being called....the benefit for me being that $700 more goes in when I am a significant favorite.

Marty believed that his opponent would eventually put all his chips in regardless of what card came on the turn.I disagreed with this saying that a 9 or even a 7 or ace might make his opponent fold and save his last $700.The benefit to reraising $500 for me would be only in that specific case where the turn card brought a 5.This also assumes that your opponent doesn't reraise allin on the flop AND that I don't hit a 9 or 7 on the end!!!

Overall it was a good discussion.We both considered other options for future play in this scenario and that got us both thinking which is just fine.

Let's hear what you think please.The scenario arises quite often in no-limit.It might be worth discussing the scenario if the chip counts are both deeper.Good luck.I'm off to Vegas tonight and the Bellagio tournament.

GRANT PITTMAN