My best "ever" online read......

Of course image etc...cannot be shown in HHs......but I knew I was winning....that instinct thing....all I have to do now is to start to learn to always go with my first instinct rather than second guessing myself.

PokerStars Game #7427314769: Tournament #37700501, $3.00+$0.30 Hold'em No Limit - Match Round I, Level III (25/50) - 2006/12/13 - 15:59:52 (ET)
Table '37700501 7' 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Domuch (2300 in chips)
Seat 2: skip669 (1620 in chips)
Seat 5: SonnyChiba06 (1525 in chips)
Seat 6: 1SeanMichael (3555 in chips)
SonnyChiba06: posts small blind 25
1SeanMichael: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to SonnyChiba06 [7h 6s]
Domuch: folds
skip669: folds
SonnyChiba06: calls 25
1SeanMichael: raises 100 to 150
SonnyChiba06: calls 100 ~ Not a lose call, shorthanded table.

*** FLOP *** [Ac 7c 8d]
SonnyChiba06: checks
1SeanMichael: bets 250
SonnyChiba06: calls 250 ~ Okay, I know Bottom pair, but yet still it is a hand and I have small striaghtening possibiltys......but his bet.....is it telling me he has hit a hand....or that he hasn't.....???

*** TURN *** [Ac 7c 8d] [3d]
SonnyChiba06: checks
1SeanMichael: bets 400
SonnyChiba06: calls 400 ~ Now my thinking, the 3 hasn't helped him anymore than it has me.....I no longer believe he has an ace, to small a bet pre-flop (been that kind of game) and now this progresive betting murlarky....all looking a bit suss to me

*** RIVER *** [Ac 7c 8d 3d] [Qs]
SonnyChiba06: checks
1SeanMichael: bets 950
SonnyChiba06: calls 725 and is all-in ~ Now if he has an 8, Q, or ace I'm beat but I'm 99.5% sure he has none off them, so I'm not only calling as I am now more-or-less commited, I am calling because I believe I'm in front, I mean you don't call when you think ya' losing after all.
*** SHOW DOWN ***

1SeanMichael: shows [4c Kh] (high card Ace) ~ tut tut
SonnyChiba06: shows [7h 6s] (a pair of Sevens) ~ well played
SonnyChiba06 collected 3050 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3050 | Rake 0
Board [Ac 7c 8d 3d Qs]
Seat 1: Domuch folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: skip669 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: SonnyChiba06 (small blind) showed [7h 6s] and won (3050) with a pair of Sevens
Seat 6: 1SeanMichael (big blind) showed [4c Kh] and lost with high card Ace

this is a little bit similar sonny to the was this too passive, was this too loose thread i posted quite recently in the HH room. Generally it is hard to comment on reads as an observer as we cannot have the information you had but it does seem that you have a sense of your opponents betting zones and have correctly sensed weakness and got well earned profits from a good read.

Some people might critisise you for risking all those chips on a poor hand on the basis of a read but you know I am read focused in my own play and if i had the read that you did i would have played it similarly.

One area that I am reconsidering with my own game is whether in the situation you describe reraising on the flop would be correct. At the moment I would generally play the hand (on the reads you give if i was confident with them) in the same way but I am considering whether raising here is better. Whilst it is putting you very vulnerable if he is stronger than you think you are possibly giving a hand like kq a free chance to overtake you and there is enough in the pot to claim it there and then. This is not something that affects the quality of your read of your opponent but it is an interesting strategy dilema that I am currently struggling to resolve for these sorts of hands.

Anyway great read (both your read on your opponent and your post) and good to see you back posting again after a short sabatical.