QQ UTG in 10-20

Last night was my first try at moving up from 5-10 to 10-20. I'd appreciate any comments about 2 hands I played. I'll put them in seperate posts.


The game had a couple of loose players, a couple of rocks. Only one or two strong players.


I'm UTG, I tell myself it's going to be my last hand of the night. I'm up a whopping $3 and thought I'd be happy breaking even, since I didn't feel like I played especially well this session.


Anyway, I'm dealt two red Queens. I raise. Two loose limpers call 2 bets cold. The cutoff, another loose player makes it 3 bets. Folded to me and I cap it.


Both limpers call 2 more bets cold and cutoff comes along.


Flop: Ah 7c 5h


I figure I could very well be in 4th place. I bet out to find out where I am. First limper raises. Everyone calls including me. Mistake? At least one of them has to have a big ace, should I have just mucked here?


Turn: [Ah 7c 5h] 9h


Well, now I have a draw to the second nut flush. Of coure, there's a good chance AK or KK are out there so that may not be good. I check, first limper bets and to my surprise everyone folds to me. I call.


River was a low non heart. I check fold. He was nice enough to show his AJo. None of us could believe that he took down that pot with that hand.


From seeing him play I know there is no way I could have pushed him off that hand though. The question is, how much earlier could I have gotten away from mine?


Thanks.

ReelBigFish,


You wrote: ”I'm UTG, I tell myself it's going to be my last hand of the night. I'm up a whopping $3 and thought I'd be happy breaking even, since I didn't feel like I played especially well this session.”


Try to receive satisfaction/happiness from playing well in good games. Don’t worry about your chip count for the session as playing well is the main thing that matters over time.


”Anyway, I'm dealt two red Queens. I raise. Two loose limpers call 2 bets cold. The cutoff, another loose player makes it 3 bets. Folded to me and I cap it.”


Some may argue against capping but I won’t.


”Both limpers call 2 more bets cold and cutoff comes along. - - Flop: Ah 7c 5h - - I figure I could very well be in 4th place. I bet out to find out where I am.”


With this many opponents and pre flop action you don’t necessarily have to bet as sometimes you will find out where you are at by checking. Let’s say you check and it goes bet-raise-cold call. Now you can be sure you are against an ace and you don’t have odds to call to spike a queen or running one card flush. Meanwhile you haven’t put a dime in the pot post flop.


”First limper raises. Everyone calls including me. Mistake? At least one of them has to have a big ace, should I have just mucked here?”


I count 24 small bets in the pot and your call closes the betting. You are only 22 to 1 against spiking a set and you have a red heart. You have some potential with a backdoor flush. This is an easy call.


”Turn: [Ah 7c 5h] 9h - - Well, now I have a draw to the second nut flush. Of coure, there's a good chance AK or KK are out there so that may not be good. I check, first limper bets and to my surprise everyone folds to me. I call.”


Now you have 13 big bets in the pot. You can still spike a set. You can catch a heart (if you do you probably check-call the river). Another easy call IMO.


”River was a low non heart. I check fold. He was nice enough to show his AJo. None of us could believe that he took down that pot with that hand.”


Note you were getting about 15 to 1 here. Your fold is probably right against typical opponents but may be wrong against someone who might push JhJs or TsTh hard on this flop and turn.


”From seeing him play I know there is no way I could have pushed him off that hand though.


I agree, especially with this big a pot and him having postion.


”The question is, how much earlier could I have gotten away from mine?”


You couldn’t get away earlier. But once in a while you will be up against an opponent who will push a lessor hand. Then you would rather be later.


Regards,


Rick

That was a very well explained response Rick, thank you. Very helpfull.

Rick-


I don't think it's a good idea to check and call the river if the fourth heart hits, since it's very likely that you're opponent will only bet if he has the K, while he will likely feel pot-stuck and call with two pair or a smaller heart.


Just a thought,

Guy

Guy,


I guess I agree. That player is less likely to have the king of hearts than the player who made it three bets pre flop and then folded on the turn. Do you fold if you bet the queen high flush and he raises (on an unpaired board)?


Regards,


Rick

Re: Folding-


I don't know-- probably, since it takes a rare bird to raise with the J in that spot. I hate to cop out, but I'd have to know something about the player in order to decide.