Heads up against an exposed hand

10-20 game, scouting reports of the players in the game are not necessary for this one.


I limp UTG with 7h7s.


Folded to the blinds, who for some reason think they are chopping. SB starts to muck and BB turns his hand over. He has As2s Someone points out that I called. SB throws his hand away. BB turns his hand face down again and says, "Then I raise."


Now, I saw his hand and he knows it. I make it 3 bets, and he makes it 4! Question number 1, how far do I go here? I just call the 4th bet. Should I put a couple of more bets in if he's willing?


Flop: 7c Qs 9h


BB bets out and I just call. Question number 2, how the heck to you play this one? If I raise he can't possibly call. Given the fact that he's such a long shot and that I'll know exactly when I'm beat, I want him to stick around.


Turn: [7c Qs 9h] Ks


Uh oh, this one could get real ugly. He check calls.


River: [7c Qs 9h Ks] 7d


Great! I make quads against a guy that can't possibly call my bet and can't possibly try to make a move. He checks, I bet, he ponders. After a few seconds I just turn over my hand and he says, "I fold." Good choice.


Not that this situation will ever come up again, but any thoughts about how I played it?

Pre-flop, you should definitely 5-bet here. Not only do you have a better hand than your opponent but you will be able to play perfectly post-flop.


On the flop, you should raise. By just calling, you're giving him a free chance to outdraw you. The flop bet he put into the pot is no longer his. You have to charge him to outdraw you. Of course, you want him to call.


On the river, you shouldn't show your cards. It's far better that (1) he calls the final bet in order to see that he's beaten or (2) he folds and never knows if you actually had him beat.

I would raise preflop til I ran out of chips if they let me. Strictly on showdown value you are going to win about 70% of the time here. Thats about as big as overlays get considering you KNOW what the correct price is.

I should have let him call or muck. I just felt bad for the guy. He was a nice guy that made a dumb mistake. I thought a little good will was more important that the chance that I may make one more bet.


I think you are right about the pre flop action also. When he made it 4 bets, I actually started to doubt what I saw. I wondered if maybe it was AA and I was just seeing things.


I was going to disagree with raising the flop, but the more I think about it, the more I think you are right there too. I didn't want him to fold since he was drawing to runner runner outs, but I think he would have called. He was (obviously) really steaming at the moment.


OK, I guess I agree with all of your points. /images/smile.gif

At the time, I was kind of caught up in the humor of the situation. Now that I'm away from the game looking back, I'm kind of mad at myself.

You have to keep raising Pre flop. You are ahead and you will be able to play perfectly the rest of the hand.


I would also keep raising after the flop. Even though you have him drawing really thin, He may keep playing thinking that you are trying to put a move on him.


This actually happened to me in a 10-20 game 2 nights ago. I had AJs I raised UTG 3 players called and the SB reraised. We all called and the flop was rainbow rags, the SB bet I called everyone else folded, the SB turned over KK not aware that I had called. The turn was an A. I bet and he called. I bet the river and he called. He was sure I was just trying to make him fold the best hand since it was exposed and I knew he didnt have an Ace.


On the river make the guy call or muck.


Jay