08-23-2002, 07:33 AM
One circuit after sitting down in what seems to be a moderately aggressive game I limp from early position with AA. Three callers, including the big blind.
The flop comes 10c10h8c. Not the best in the world when you are playing from early position. BB checks. What would you do here?
I bet. I'm not terribly concerned about another 10 out there, if it happens I lose. What I am concerned about is everybody folding out of fear when I hold a biggie. Or worse, everybody checking after me if I try to induce a bet.
Have you ever noticed that? A medium-to-big pair appears on the flop and everybody ducks for cover? I actually find such a case soothing, more often than not it's one less card to worry about, but many find it frightening.
Anyway, I bet and it's folded to the big blind who check-raises. Ahhh...a game is on. What would you do here?
I know, I know, you want descriptions, observations, cunning little tells I've picked up. Tough luck. I just sat down and know little more than you except than I'm in a $40-80 game which is fixing to get expensive. Another reason not to limp-hope-to-reraise against a lineup you know nothing about.
I call. I'll fix either his goose or mine on the turn, that's what I'm thinking.
The turn is 2d. He checks. Cunning rascal but no showing weakness here: I bet by God.
And he raised.
Good lord, Billy. This dude isn't some rube off the farm. He's a damn hat and you're the rube.
What would you do here?
Everyone of you damn sharks is saying "Fold, Billy, fold," aren't you? Well, nobody ever said I was blessed with an over abundance of brains. I gave him one last chance to fold. I reraised.
He just called and I knew I had him. I had an iron grip on his walnuts.
The river was insignificant -- hah -- no straight, no flush! He checked, I bet, he raised.
Wait a minute - he raised? I'll tell you, I was a bit concerned he might hold a 10, or worse, now.
Ah...c'mon. Why'd you do that? Huh? In fact, a better question is "Why did I come here today"?
How many of you would fold here?
Not me. I need expensive living proof that I have indeed lost, especially with such a pile of money in the pot, half of which used to be mine. Never mind that I have more exxperience than most in the "reads go wrong" department. I called.
"You got a 10?" he asked. Hope glimmered.
"Nope, you?"
He showed me KcKx. I raked in the pot.
This isn't a herogram to myself, honestly. I went from thinking I played it well (limping preflop) to wondering how to maximize the size of the pot (flop) then regretting not open raising (preflop) to wishing I'd tossed the damned AA (turn) to congratulating myself I hadn't tossed the AA (turn) and then repeating the turn emotions again on the river. Complicated, I know.
So what do you think? Apart from "Billy is getting too old for this game". Best of luck, Billy (LTL)
PS - I won that hand. I should have left. As much as I tried to avoid him that damn fellow in the big blind took a big bite out of my retirement fund.
The flop comes 10c10h8c. Not the best in the world when you are playing from early position. BB checks. What would you do here?
I bet. I'm not terribly concerned about another 10 out there, if it happens I lose. What I am concerned about is everybody folding out of fear when I hold a biggie. Or worse, everybody checking after me if I try to induce a bet.
Have you ever noticed that? A medium-to-big pair appears on the flop and everybody ducks for cover? I actually find such a case soothing, more often than not it's one less card to worry about, but many find it frightening.
Anyway, I bet and it's folded to the big blind who check-raises. Ahhh...a game is on. What would you do here?
I know, I know, you want descriptions, observations, cunning little tells I've picked up. Tough luck. I just sat down and know little more than you except than I'm in a $40-80 game which is fixing to get expensive. Another reason not to limp-hope-to-reraise against a lineup you know nothing about.
I call. I'll fix either his goose or mine on the turn, that's what I'm thinking.
The turn is 2d. He checks. Cunning rascal but no showing weakness here: I bet by God.
And he raised.
Good lord, Billy. This dude isn't some rube off the farm. He's a damn hat and you're the rube.
What would you do here?
Everyone of you damn sharks is saying "Fold, Billy, fold," aren't you? Well, nobody ever said I was blessed with an over abundance of brains. I gave him one last chance to fold. I reraised.
He just called and I knew I had him. I had an iron grip on his walnuts.
The river was insignificant -- hah -- no straight, no flush! He checked, I bet, he raised.
Wait a minute - he raised? I'll tell you, I was a bit concerned he might hold a 10, or worse, now.
Ah...c'mon. Why'd you do that? Huh? In fact, a better question is "Why did I come here today"?
How many of you would fold here?
Not me. I need expensive living proof that I have indeed lost, especially with such a pile of money in the pot, half of which used to be mine. Never mind that I have more exxperience than most in the "reads go wrong" department. I called.
"You got a 10?" he asked. Hope glimmered.
"Nope, you?"
He showed me KcKx. I raked in the pot.
This isn't a herogram to myself, honestly. I went from thinking I played it well (limping preflop) to wondering how to maximize the size of the pot (flop) then regretting not open raising (preflop) to wishing I'd tossed the damned AA (turn) to congratulating myself I hadn't tossed the AA (turn) and then repeating the turn emotions again on the river. Complicated, I know.
So what do you think? Apart from "Billy is getting too old for this game". Best of luck, Billy (LTL)
PS - I won that hand. I should have left. As much as I tried to avoid him that damn fellow in the big blind took a big bite out of my retirement fund.