I'm going to discuss two consecutive hands I played recently at a cash game ($5/$10 no limit). They were the first two hands I played at this particular table.
I had just barely sat down at the table and had to post the big blind. I didn't recognize any of the players and I hadn't seen even one hand played out before I posted.
An early player limped in; a middle player raised it to $50. The small blind called. I looked down, and saw Ace/Jack of hearts. Yee-haw! What do you think I did? Reraise? Smooth call and slow play? (I can tell you that I made my decision instantly, and never second-guessed it for a moment.)
I folded.
What?? Fold Ace/Jack suited from the big blind? What could ever have compelled me to do something so ridiculous?
Well, of course several things went into my decision.
First of all, I didn't know my opponents at all. I didn't know whether the pre-flop raiser would play any two napkins, or was super-tight and only played Aces.
Second, Mr. Raiser already had one over-caller. Another tighty? Who knows? I sure didn't! I could be way behind already; against any pair I am under 50% to win. Was I willing to commit so much of my hard-earned money on just a guess or a hunch? No; at least, not until I knew the players better.
Third, as I've alluded to already, Ace/Jack is the kind of hand that can seriously be behind. Any pair leads it at this point; and against Ace/King or Ace/Queen it is something like a four-to-one dog. And the pre-flop betting made it seem quite possible that I was up against a bigger Ace; certainly Ace/Ten or worse wouldn't be very likely to raise into two limpers, or overcall a big raise. The fact that my hand was suited adds maybe a percentage point or two to my chances; unless I flop a flush, or at least a four-flush, the hand isn't really worth taking any further past the flop.
So I folded, as did the early limper. It was heads up to the flop.
The dealer put a Four/Deuce/Ten rainbow on the board (and no hearts) -- completely missing my hand.
The preflop raiser put a $70 bet into a $120 pot. The small blind thought for a while, fiddling with his cards while he considered what to do. He eventually said, "I think your bluffing", and mucked his hand.
I don't know what either player had, but as the session continued that day I determined that the early raiser was moderately tight, and the small blind who called him much looser. In other words, I don't think the pre-flop raiser was bluffing, and I think I made a good laydown.
++++++++++++++++++++++
The very next hand, I was in the small blind. The same pre-flop raiser from the last hand raised it to $50. The player to his left insta-called. Everyone else folded to me, so I was looking at putting $45 into a $115 pot; in other words, I was getting pot odds of 2.5 to 1. If my hand was a winner 40% or so of the time, mathematically a call was the right choice.
I looked down and saw Ace of Spades/Queen of Diamonds; a hand only one kicker better than my previous hand.
I decided to call. Ace/Queen is actually a LOT better than Ace/Jack. And I trusted that I could get away from the hand if I failed to flop anything.
It was up to the big blind now -- and he popped it up to $100! A curious little min-raise.
The preflop raiser called the extra $50; now there was $260 in the pot.
The player on his left, who insta-called the initial raise, said, "Well, that's too much for me" and folded his hand! I was baffled. The pot odds at that point were over five to one! I called the raise, and we went to the flop.
The cards came King of Diamonds, Two of Spades, Jack of Spades. I was first to act.
I had basically garbage at this point. A gut-shot straight draw, sure; but the Ten of Spades completes the potential flush for my opponents. With only a 13% or so chance at the non-spade straight, I had lost total interest in the hand. I checked.
Oddly, my two opponents also checked.
The turn was the Jack of Clubs, putting two Jacks on the board. Now, my non-spade straight was a 7% possibility; but against the potential full house it was still loser.
I checked -- and again, the two other players also checked.
The river was . . . the Ten of Diamonds! So, I had rivered my straight!
By now, I pretty much thought that I had the best hand after all. I didn't think somebody with a full house would have played it that way -- it would have meant that they seriously slowplayed a set (holding pocket kings) or two-pair (say, King-Jack). So I began to consider how best to get the most value for my hand.
I decided to bet $200 into the $350 pot -- a pretty big bet, maybe looking like a "scared" bet. I got one caller -- the big blind -- and the other player folded.
I showed my straight. My opponent showed Ace/King offsuit, and I dragged in the pot of over $700.
Needless to say, I think my opponent misplayed his hand. His preflop re-raise was good; with Ace/King your goal is to build the pot, and you're not afraid to see the flop.
Checking the flop was a huge blunder. You've got top pair and top kicker, on a board that is straightening. Why give an opponent (i.e. me) the chance to catch up? Put out a bet here and pick up your pot. I certainly would have folded to a bet here!
After the turn brought another Jack, I can understand the check here. I don't agree with it, but I do understand it. Having failed to bet the flop, he doesn't know where he's at in the hand. And being timid, he just checks behind. He should have bet here to gain some information. Again, I would have folded if he had.
On the river, it's too late. I even think the call was a mistake; any Queen or Jack beats you.
Needless to say, it was a lucrative session at the poker table that night.
No comments:
Post a Comment