Playing mid-pairs (two hands) [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

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Entity

08-28-2004, 02:01 PM

Two hands to take a look at. #1 is against an unknown, so I'm assuming semi-decent raising standards for a tight-passive player (AJ-AK, KQ, PP JJ+). #2 is against a crazy LAG (VPIP 80%, PFR 16%, Tot-A 1.5).

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 raises, MP3 calls, CO folds, Hero calls, SB folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (12.40 SB) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 8/images/graemlins/club.gif (6 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, MP3 calls, Hero raises, BB folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (9.20 BB) 5/images/graemlins/spade.gif (3 players)
MP2 checks, MP3 checks, Hero bets, MP2 calls, MP3 calls.

Gutshot + I'm pretty sure I have the best hand.

River: (12.20 BB) K/images/graemlins/club.gif (3 players)
MP2 checks, MP3 checks, Hero checks.

Missed a value bet? Couldn't tell if MP2 might be trying a check-raise, and I had told myself I'd bet non-scare cards, and had assigned J-A to be scare cards. Not sure if I would've gotten a call.

Final Pot: 12.20 BB

-----

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls, SB raises, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, Hero calls, MP2 calls, Button calls.

Flop: (12 SB) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, T/images/graemlins/club.gif, T/images/graemlins/spade.gif (6 players)
SB bets, BB folds, UTG+1 calls, Hero raises, MP2 calls, Button folds, SB calls, UTG+1 calls.

I don't think it's likely that he has a T, just given hand distributions. I'm thinking Ace-anything is much more likely, followed by various other PP's. Generally he'll 3-bet when he thinks he's still ahead, so I'm trying to figure out whether my 66 is good. Check/folding against a LAG is wrong in this instance, I think. Check/calling doesn't give me any info and allows him a free card if he's drawing to A's, K's, etc.

Turn: (10 BB) 6/images/graemlins/club.gif (4 players)
SB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets, MP2 calls, SB calls, UTG+1 folds.

Hand plays itself from here on out.

River: (13 BB) A/images/graemlins/club.gif (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, MP2 calls, SB calls.

Final Pot: 16 BB

detruncate

08-28-2004, 04:00 PM

Hand 2 is standard. An overpair, the pf aggressor just calling your raise, and the rest of the field not getting in on the action suggests that you're likely holding the best hand. There's nothing more you can do except hold on tight, hope for a blank to fall, and see if you make it past the turn without being raised. Well... almost nothing. You could also spike your boat and do a happy dance. I'll have to remember to write that into the playbook more often.

Hand 1 is trickier. I don't much like pushing underpairs for just this reason. You have 2 people in the hand with you on the river. It's quite possible that the pf aggressor is on overcards, but what about the other cat? Could be he's sitting on an ace (seems to happen a lot), but an 8 is just as likely if he's called down all the way. You're lucky enough that the pairs involved leave only 99 and TT as likely pf limping hands that beat you, so an overpair is less likely for our passenger.

I don't hate a bet, as one or both of them might call it down with an A and MP3 might have a smaller pair, but I don't think it's a tragedy if you check it through. A lot of people wouldn't have seen the river without at least an 8 in their hand, and though MP2 is less likely to have a K than an A, it's still one of 4 or so likely pairs to his A... and we haven't even discussed the possibility that he's on an overpair and your flop raise scared him passive. All things considered, I think I'd check... but I'd probably wonder about it afterwards and post the hand.

Entity

08-29-2004, 02:16 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 2 is standard. An overpair, the pf aggressor just calling your raise, and the rest of the field not getting in on the action suggests that you're likely holding the best hand. There's nothing more you can do except hold on tight, hope for a blank to fall, and see if you make it past the turn without being raised. Well... almost nothing. You could also spike your boat and do a happy dance. I'll have to remember to write that into the playbook more often.

Hand 1 is trickier. I don't much like pushing underpairs for just this reason. You have 2 people in the hand with you on the river. It's quite possible that the pf aggressor is on overcards, but what about the other cat? Could be he's sitting on an ace (seems to happen a lot), but an 8 is just as likely if he's called down all the way. You're lucky enough that the pairs involved leave only 99 and TT as likely pf limping hands that beat you, so an overpair is less likely for our passenger.

I don't hate a bet, as one or both of them might call it down with an A and MP3 might have a smaller pair, but I don't think it's a tragedy if you check it through. A lot of people wouldn't have seen the river without at least an 8 in their hand, and though MP2 is less likely to have a K than an A, it's still one of 4 or so likely pairs to his A... and we haven't even discussed the possibility that he's on an overpair and your flop raise scared him passive. All things considered, I think I'd check... but I'd probably wonder about it afterwards and post the hand.

[/ QUOTE ]
In hand #1, I know what you mean. I forgot to mention that MP3 is a monkey. He turned over A2o after I checked the river, and I thought: WTF? What does that change on how you play this? I really basically neglected him, as he would call with any ace through all the hands he played -- VPIP 53% and WtSD 53%. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

MP2 turned over AJo and MHIG.

In hand #2, I turn g00t. Superlag turned over 88, MP2 turned over Q5o (??), and of course, MBIG (my boat is good).

Rob