Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject: What would you have done?
I ran into this hand last night at a live game, and I'm trying to convince myself I played it correctly. But at the same time I'm wondering how one of you guys would have handled it.
20 player live tourney at a local bar. Cash prize to first and second place. Down to 10. Two tables of 5 each.
My table image is TAG/LAG and I've been doing both effectively. I've been making solid reads and winning pots all night long and the table has me pegged as a very dangerous player (this is also because I play here weekly). Although I do make the occasional mistake, I usually go all in with the best hand.
Villain is very TAG and very patient, but sometimes makes ill-advised moves. Earlier in the night I caught him bluffing at a pot w/ 7-2 on a board of 992 J K. I had 44 on the button and took him to showdown.
All fold to me who limps.
SB folds
BB checks.
Flop 7h 8h 5d
Villain Checks. I bet 300. Villain smooth calls
Turn Qd
Villain Bets 300. I consider...
I have top pair, 4 to a flush, and an up and down str8 draw. The only thing that has me beat is 77, 88, 55, 6-9, 6-4, K-xh, top pair better kicker, etc. I have no idea what the hell this guys has. Deciding to find out, I raise to 1200. I didn't go all-in only because I was shuffling some of the same chips all night and kind of got attached.
Villain calls.
River is 5c
I push my 150...I flip my cards...villain flips...
First - What hand ranges would you put him on?
Second - Should I have raised/bet more on the flop?
Third - Any other comments/suggestions (such as not limping w/Q6h, which I figured out as I'm writing this) are welcome.
Let me know if you want me to tell you what happened.
Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 279 Location: San Diego, CA
Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 12:14 am Post subject:
Joe, I didn't get any other e-mails from you. Let me know if you need my address again or, better yet, post it in the forum if you feel comfortable enough with it.
Anyway, I'm sorry about being gone from the forum for a little while. I've actually still been maintaining the site and adding new articles, but the forum gets so dead sometimes. We have members but they never post. If you're reading this... post! Introduce yourself, ask a question, share an experience, whatever. And come back more often, Joe. Bring your buddies.
Also, you're almost dead-on. I did get engaged and purchased a new house. We've been ultra busy moving in and planning our wedding, which is in early November.
About your hand, while it's easy to say don't play Q-6, sometimes we all do things like that. Once you're in a situation you just have to make the best of it rather than bemoaning yourself for how you got into it. Besides, if there are only 5 at your table it wasn't too bad of a call. Although, with the stacks so short I would probably only raise of fold at that point.
You have a monster flop for your hand and you want to be able to see all 5 cards. Big draws like that are tough to pull the trigger with if you have chips left on the turn and a blank hits. Your raise was fine on the flop. You basically are going all in and you have such a big draw that you should be willing to put your tournament on the line with this. Perhaps, though, that actually putting in your last chips would be a big more intimidating psychologically for the villain as well as getting to see his cards right away.
Since he was in the BB and just checked, it's hard to put him on a hand. Maybe another flush draw? Top pair? Bottom pair and made a set on the river? A pair of 10s, although then he would've reaised pre-flop. You got me curious... what did he have?!?!
You know I gotta blame you for getting me into this on-line poker thing. I had no idea where it would lead me. After a year and a half and maybe $500 later (not counting drinks at my local B&M tourneys), I'm finally starting to turn a profit. I'm playing solely at Pacific running 17PTBB/100 hands over 1200 hands so far at 10NL.
I know that won't last forever, but I'm wondering if I should expand to other sites with my bankroll now and start to bonus whore. I could also keep killing the micro level, moving to 25NL at 500, until I get up to 1k or so.
Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 279 Location: San Diego, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject:
I actually didn't put him on that hand at all. Like I said, it's impossible to try to get a read on the maniacs these days.
I hope that's a good thing about online poker. It sounds like it the way you're winning! Anyway, you're doing great if you're close to $500 playing $10 NL. Very nice grinding. I would definitely say you're ready to move up to $25 or $50 NL if you're consistently beating the smaller games and building up a bankroll.
That's a good, conservative route to have at least $500 before moving up, but I would probably take a shot at the $50, $100, or $200 games with that bankroll myself. However, if you aren't used to those stakes you should go slowly and not skip any limits.
Playing at different sites with your winnings is definitely fun. Try that out, or withdraw it into your bank account and spend it on something fun. Knowing that your poker prowess bought it makes it that much sweeter. Of course, you should always be looking to build your bankroll and move up and it sounds like you're doing that.
You know, I reread your response. I agree in this position limping does absolutely nothing for me. Fold or raise. Here's why:
1) It doesn't define my hand. And I won't know what tells, betting pattern, etc. to look for after the flop. And he'll have me on paint and A-x, K-x, Q-x or lower suited connectors.
2) It doesn't define my opponents hand, and allows him to simply call and catch anything at all.
I may as well be a blind in this situation, rather than on the button. If you're in this position, raise your hand, and be able to let it go if you feel heat from the other player after the flop. This is a perfect example of what Dan Harrington calls "one of those hands that get you in trouble." You don't know where you stand even if you do hit the flop because you have NO information about anyone else's hand.
Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 279 Location: San Diego, CA
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:16 am Post subject:
Brilliant analysis and I couldn't have said it better myself. You don't gain any information and it's sort of a waste with the blinds already so high. If you move all in he's obviously going to call, but you can't know that yet. He made a pretty stupid move by not raising with the Aces and he's lucky that you didn't draw out on him. This was fun. Post more of 'em!
Sounds good. I will do that. Going away this weekend, but I'll look through PT and see if I can come up with some juicy ones with decisions on each street.
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
I hope that's a good thing about online poker. It sounds like it the way you're winning! Anyway, you're doing great if you're close to $500 playing $10 NL. Very nice grinding. I would definitely say you're ready to move up to $25 or $50 NL if you're consistently beating the smaller games and building up a bankroll.
