Friday, January 2, 2009

Strong Hands In Trouble

Happy New Year friends. I'm still thinking about poker goals for '09. In the meantime...in just about an hour's worth of 4-tabling last night, I managed to run into a whole bunch of tough spots, all in which I was holding a strong hand, but not a dominant one. Feel free to tender an opinion, and also to critique my play leading up to the critical decision.

Hand 1.
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
UTG: $51.20
Hero (MP): $57.15
CO: $50.75
BTN: $69.70
SB: $52.90
BB: $50
Pre-Flop: A Q dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG raises to $1.75, Hero raises to $6, CO calls $6, 3 folds, UTG calls $4.25

Flop: ($18.75) J A 7 (3 Players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $11, CO calls $11, UTG folds

Turn: ($40.75) 2 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO checks

River: ($40.75) 4 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets $33.75 and is All-In,

Hero?

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Hand 2.
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
SB: $47.75
BB: $101.85
UTG: $83.50
Hero (MP): $54.90
CO: $74.55
BTN: $72.45
Pre-Flop: J J dealt to Hero (MP)
UTG raises to $1.75, Hero raises to $6, UTG calls $4.25

Flop: ($12.75) 4 9 5 (2 Players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $8, UTG raises to $16, Hero calls $8

Turn: ($44.75) 7 (2 Players)
UTG bets $61.50 and is All-In,

Hero?

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Hand 3.
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 5 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
BB: $111.85
Hero (UTG): $54.80
CO: $55.40
BTN: $66.55
SB: $53.25
Pre-Flop: Q Q dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $1.75, CO raises to $4, 3 folds, Hero calls $2.25

Flop: ($8.75) 8 2 4 (2 Players)
Hero checks, CO bets $6, Hero raises to $17, CO raises to $28,

Hero?


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Hand 4.
Full Tilt Poker, $0.25/$0.50 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter
BTN: $48.35
SB: $100
BB: $86.90
Hero (UTG): $52.80
MP: $43
CO: $40.60
Pre-Flop: K T dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $1.75, MP calls $1.75, 3 folds, BB calls $1.25

Flop: ($5.50) Q K 7 (3 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $3, MP raises to $6, BB folds, Hero calls $3

Turn: ($17.50) K (2 Players)
Hero checks, MP checks

River: ($17.50) 6 (2 Players)
Hero bets $8, MP raises to $22.50,

Hero?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

H1 - by check/checking the turn/river, i think he thinks you dont have an ace, but rather a high PP (which also means you cant have a flush). i think i'd call. but its tough.

H2 - dont like calling the check/raise - push and make him decide. call the all in, hope he misses his AK.

H3 - i feel like you're behind aa/kk, I'd fold here.

H4 - probably best case is a split. tough to fold though. he played it kind of odd, min raise then a check. i'd call and hope he didnt back door a flush or something. KQ/77 are possible too - maybe would explain the turn check.

Unknown said...

H1 - it's tough to tell where he's at because of the check on the turn, although i think i would have checked there as well, but, i would probably snap call that ridiculous bet on the river because of the size of the bet. He can't possibly think you're going to pay him off with any kind of hand because you showed weakness on the turn; he doesn't want a call in my opinion.

H2 - don't like the smooth call on the flop when he min raised to 16, i think i reraise is necessary. If he played KK or QQ that way preflop i'd probably be okay with paying him off, not something that's going to affect my play. Same goes for a set.

H3 - I feel like if you had popped it to 12 preflop one more time, you would have had a better idea of where you were at. For instance if he just smooth called you can at least put him on 10s. or AK. Without reraising preflop it's just a guessing game on the flop as to where you stand. I quess i'd make my decision on the player in this case if i was facing the same decision. Has he been dumping of chips/playing tight, etc...because he could just be overvaluing 10s or Js...

H4 - I'd probably check-call the river. He's representing a better kicker on the flop, so i'd take his word on it if he's been playing tight. Or he's testing the strength of his AQ. Either way, you save yourself a touch decision by check-calling.

Stephen and Cara said...

H1 - I'd fold and put him on either AJ or AK. Your hand is too marginal.
H2 - I'd fold. He's either chasing a flush or has a better PP than you. Between the two possibilities I don't like your odds.
H3 - I like the way you played this better than the other two. It's a change of speed for you finally since you seem to only see flops when you're allowed to be the aggressor. Or maybe those are the only hands you seem to write about. Anyway, I'd go all-in at this point. I'd put him on two high faces and think he is trying to push you out of the hand as you haven't shown him that you're all that confident in your hand up to this point. I'd be hoping he saw your check-raise as just a bluff-test for him but he is sticking to his guns. Even if he has something I'd say its 50/50 whether its a better pocket than yours and worth the push.
H4 - Easy call. Its worth $14.50 to see if he caught a flush when you have a set and the pot is at $48...