Plowed through the last 6 $26 token tourneys for my little token challenge. Won 2 of the last 6, giving me 4 out of 10 total. Which makes it a slightly profitable venture, especially when my one 6th place $14 score is figured in. But I'm still disappointed, because I made a dumb call in the final tourney. There are 8 players left, so we're close to the bubble, and I'm sitting with ~2500 in chips. There is one other players with ~900 in chips, and two more with less than 2K. I get dealt KK in the SB. Well, UTG open pushes for 2200, and the 900 chip player calls. I know if I more than double up here, I can coast to a token. So I called, UTG, showed AQ, and the board brought 2 Aces. So bam, I'm down to 300, and out a few hands later in 7th - the bubble boy. Retrospectively, this is one of those spots where you have to fold any two cards. Even AA. It doesn't matter if I'm the favorite...the structure of the tourney makes it the right fold. But you have to go against every poker instinct you have to recognize that situation and lay it down. I'm a weak-willed little worm.
The cash games were good and then bad. Here are 3 spots for feedback. Two big pots holding TPTK, one with 2-pair:
#1
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 4 Players
UTG: $30.30
BTN: $58.45
Hero (SB): $87.90
BB: $61.30
Pre-Flop: Q
A
dealt to Hero (SB)
UTG calls $0.50, BTN folds, Hero raises to $2, BB raises to $5.50, UTG folds, Hero calls $3.50
Flop: ($11.50) J
Q
5 (2 Players)
Hero checks, <-- Let the PFR do the betting
BB bets $8.50, <-- On cue
Hero raises to $24, <-- Rep my hand
BB raises to $55.80 and is All-In,
Hero?
#2
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
UTG: $48.50
Hero (MP): $104.20
CO: $62.85
BTN: $36.15
SB: $51.05
BB: $60.65
Pre-Flop: K A dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG folds, Hero raises to $1.75, 3 folds, BB calls $1.25
Flop: ($3.75) T 8 K (2 Players)
BB checks,
Hero bets $3, <-- Standard C-bet
BB raises to $9,
Hero raises to $22, <-- Sending a stronger message
BB raises to $35,
Hero?
#3
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
SB: $58.20
BB: $97.25
UTG: $79.40
MP: $18.75
Hero (CO): $119.20
BTN: $50
Pre-Flop: 8 7 dealt to Hero (CO)
2 folds, Hero raises to $1.75, BTN folds, SB calls $1.50, BB folds
Flop: ($4) 4 7 8 (2 Players)
SB bets $4, Hero raises to $13, SB calls $9
Turn: ($30) 6 (2 Players)
SB bets $5.50,
Hero?
10 comments:
Hand 1 - If you werent going to call the shove then why raise to 24? When he 3 bets you and you are holding AQ then I don't know why you'd call, raise the flop and fold his shove. You are really never flopping better than that... I would personally drop AQo to a 3 bet w/o a read...leads to spots like that
Hand 2 - Shove...very draw heavy board...i'll stack off there since many draws are in his range. Again, not sure i like the raise to 22 if you plan to fold...either call and reevaluate or raise and call
Hand 3 - I'm trying to get it all in here...i'd be odd if he had a 5 unless he flopped the str8...either way you are either ahead or have outs. I'd raise him to 18 and instacall if he shoves
Anonymous from Rodney: I hate AQ and lose a lot of money with it playing it like you did in Hand 1, I need to learn to get away from it pre flop to a 3 bet and post flop to multiple raises.
Hand 2: I have a feeling you are in trouble here as well - 1 pair hands usually spell defeat when facing multiple raises. I'm probably stacking off here though.
Hand 3: I'm just calling the turn and seeing what develops. He could have T9 explaining the call of your raise on the flop, so I play more cautiously until the river.
1. you are a donk -- KK or JJ has you busted -- are you hoping he is making that move with KQ?
2. he has heart draw -- get it in there
3. should have got it in on the flop -- cannot fold to weak bet -- hopefully he has A9 and not 5 9
Hand 1 - A,Q off suit...haven't we talked about this? Craig makes a good point about calling, raising, and dumping. You seem to work under the belief that you always need to raise for value on a hand and not just occasionally let a hand play out reducing risk (and possibly reward) and letting you save some lettuce for latter hands.
Hand 2 - I'm fine throwing all in here. He has to have K,K to make me feel bad about it. If he has two pair then that means he is calling a raise with K,10 or K,8, kind of stupid so I don't feel bad about getting beat by two pair. SHOVE.
Hand 3 - Mucho All In-O. He's sitting on a high pair or maybe A,K. Screw him. Rodney may be right about just calling, but I'm going with Craig, force this one.
I'm willing to admit that AQ play is a leak. But given the situation, does anyone other than Brec disagree that making the raise on the flop is the right move? I'm OOP so I want to know straight off if I am ahead, and I want to take it down right now if he is holding something like AK. If I call here, then I'm presumably calling the turn and river as well, assuming nothing scary comes and the bets are reasonable. If you're going to stay in with AQ here, I think you have to raise the flop to see where you're at. Brec, if you're advocating folding PF, that's one thing, but it sounds like you are advocating calling the flop, no?
I fold after the $5.50 re-raise. I have no real reason other than that I have never won a hand when chasing a raise with A,Q off suit. I lost one very memorable hand in a tourney at Commerce. It knocked me out of the tourney and I am scarred. A,Q off is just craplousy. Your raise is good pre-flop, but I don't call the additional 3.50. You wouldn't have pushed 5.50 if someone bet it before you, so why call now?
btw, enough with the suspense, what did you do in each hand?
Brec, I put the results up in a new post - titled "3 Hands Results". You should be able to find a link on the right.
Hand 1- You're too invested... have to call at this point.
Hand 2- Put him all in given your stacks and the fact that its 50/50 chance he's bluffing.
Hand 3- Call it down and hope he doesn't have a 5 or that you hit your flush.
1- hate AQ. might fold preflop. I think you're behind but with the amount in the pot have to call. dont like how the hand played out.
2- putting him on a draw so you can push and hope he misses.
3- i feel like you are behind to T9 or set, with str8 still possible. just call. i dont like this spot so much.
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