randomfish
09-22-2004, 02:00 PM
First post, so go easy on me. This is kinda long, but hopefully it'll make the analysis more interesting.
Also, this is a Prima hand, so I'll have to format the hand history myself. Unfortunately I can't quite remember the exact stack sizes, and Prima doesn't seem to have this info in their hand histories. Anyway...
Pot Limit .05/.10 at Prima.
Hero is MP with K/images/graemlins/spade.gifK/images/graemlins/club.gif and about 80 big blinds in the stack.
Villain is UTG+1 and has me covered.
UTG+2 has less, I think somewhere around 40 bb.
One poster, 9-handed table.
Preflop
UTG folds, <font color="red">Villain raises to $.30</font>. <font color="blue">UTG+2 calls</font>, <font color="red">Hero re-raises to $1.45</font>.
Everyone folds to Villain who calls along with UTG+2.
Pot $4.60. Flop comes A/images/graemlins/spade.gif 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Flop
Villain checks. UTG+2 checks.
<font color="purple">Ouch. No draws on sight, but the inevitable A. However, Villain and UTG+2 both check to me.
My read on Villain at this point is that he's above average for this level. He sometimes bets or raises too small, especially in big pots, but other than that he seems to play solid ABC poker with the occassional bluff or semibluff thrown in. Basically, he may be really good, or he may be simply playing by the book. No read on UTG+2.</font>
<font color="red">Hero bets $2.</font>
<font color="purple">I usually bet the pot or 3/4 of the pot if I have raised preflop and it is checked to me, regardless of hole cards. At this point, however, I instead bet small: only $2 in a $4.60 pot.
My reasoning (at that moment) was as follows. Villain's hand distribution likely includes only PPs over TT, AK, and maybe AQ or AJ. I interpret his check as one of three things: either he's hit trip Aces on a perfect flop and is slowplaying; or he's hit top pair but has reservations about his kicker; or he's got a smaller pocket pair.
If he's got a lower pocket pair, he'll probably fold to any decent-sized bet. If he's really weak, he may even fold a weaker ace like AJ. At the time I figured my small bet might even look like I had AA and was begging for a call (in hindsight, that reasoning feels pretty silly).
On the other hand, if he's going for the check-raise with AK (or even AQ), I want to be able to get away from my 2nd pair. Betting the full pot would have me invest over half my stack.</font>
<font color="blue">Villain calls</font>. UTG+2 folds.
Turn
Pot $8.60. Turn 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Villain checks. Hero checks.
<font color="purple">Villain checks again. I believe his call means he's got at least one ace. I check through hoping for the miracle King. </font>
Pot $8.60. River T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
River
<font color="red">Villain bets $3.80</font>. Hero folds.
<font color="purple">He bets about 80% of my remaining stack, giving me slightly worse than 2-1 on a call. I don't think my hand is good that often, so I fold.</font>
Obviously, the flop is where the big decision is. I'd like to know how some of you more experienced players would play pocket kings on flops like these. Instant check/fold mode? Or do you try to make a move on a player who you think is decent enough to fold a partial hit?
I guess if I wanted to represent pocket A's, I should've checked the flop and raised the turn instead? Will probably cost me slightly more, but shows much more strength, hence more folding equity.
After the session, I looked over my PT stats on Villain (only about 150 hands) and found he had raised pf on 4 occassions: a minraise with KQs from LP, a $.30 raise with AA from the BB, a minraise with pocket queens, and finally, a $.30 raise with AKo from MP.
I think this information, coupled with his betting pattern, indicates either AA or possibly AQ/AJ. Maybe a weakly played AK. If so, I got away pretty cheaply on this hand, but was my reasoning ok? Then again, I'm still not sure if he's good enough to bluff at the pot on the river; my turn check does scream "pocket pair, not aces".
Comments on all streets, and especially my reasoning, are much appreciated. I'm still pretty new to poker, so I may be completely off the mark on some of these hings (folding equity, pot commitment, etc.).
Also, this is a Prima hand, so I'll have to format the hand history myself. Unfortunately I can't quite remember the exact stack sizes, and Prima doesn't seem to have this info in their hand histories. Anyway...
Pot Limit .05/.10 at Prima.
Hero is MP with K/images/graemlins/spade.gifK/images/graemlins/club.gif and about 80 big blinds in the stack.
Villain is UTG+1 and has me covered.
UTG+2 has less, I think somewhere around 40 bb.
One poster, 9-handed table.
Preflop
UTG folds, <font color="red">Villain raises to $.30</font>. <font color="blue">UTG+2 calls</font>, <font color="red">Hero re-raises to $1.45</font>.
Everyone folds to Villain who calls along with UTG+2.
Pot $4.60. Flop comes A/images/graemlins/spade.gif 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Flop
Villain checks. UTG+2 checks.
<font color="purple">Ouch. No draws on sight, but the inevitable A. However, Villain and UTG+2 both check to me.
My read on Villain at this point is that he's above average for this level. He sometimes bets or raises too small, especially in big pots, but other than that he seems to play solid ABC poker with the occassional bluff or semibluff thrown in. Basically, he may be really good, or he may be simply playing by the book. No read on UTG+2.</font>
<font color="red">Hero bets $2.</font>
<font color="purple">I usually bet the pot or 3/4 of the pot if I have raised preflop and it is checked to me, regardless of hole cards. At this point, however, I instead bet small: only $2 in a $4.60 pot.
My reasoning (at that moment) was as follows. Villain's hand distribution likely includes only PPs over TT, AK, and maybe AQ or AJ. I interpret his check as one of three things: either he's hit trip Aces on a perfect flop and is slowplaying; or he's hit top pair but has reservations about his kicker; or he's got a smaller pocket pair.
If he's got a lower pocket pair, he'll probably fold to any decent-sized bet. If he's really weak, he may even fold a weaker ace like AJ. At the time I figured my small bet might even look like I had AA and was begging for a call (in hindsight, that reasoning feels pretty silly).
On the other hand, if he's going for the check-raise with AK (or even AQ), I want to be able to get away from my 2nd pair. Betting the full pot would have me invest over half my stack.</font>
<font color="blue">Villain calls</font>. UTG+2 folds.
Turn
Pot $8.60. Turn 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Villain checks. Hero checks.
<font color="purple">Villain checks again. I believe his call means he's got at least one ace. I check through hoping for the miracle King. </font>
Pot $8.60. River T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
River
<font color="red">Villain bets $3.80</font>. Hero folds.
<font color="purple">He bets about 80% of my remaining stack, giving me slightly worse than 2-1 on a call. I don't think my hand is good that often, so I fold.</font>
Obviously, the flop is where the big decision is. I'd like to know how some of you more experienced players would play pocket kings on flops like these. Instant check/fold mode? Or do you try to make a move on a player who you think is decent enough to fold a partial hit?
I guess if I wanted to represent pocket A's, I should've checked the flop and raised the turn instead? Will probably cost me slightly more, but shows much more strength, hence more folding equity.
After the session, I looked over my PT stats on Villain (only about 150 hands) and found he had raised pf on 4 occassions: a minraise with KQs from LP, a $.30 raise with AA from the BB, a minraise with pocket queens, and finally, a $.30 raise with AKo from MP.
I think this information, coupled with his betting pattern, indicates either AA or possibly AQ/AJ. Maybe a weakly played AK. If so, I got away pretty cheaply on this hand, but was my reasoning ok? Then again, I'm still not sure if he's good enough to bluff at the pot on the river; my turn check does scream "pocket pair, not aces".
Comments on all streets, and especially my reasoning, are much appreciated. I'm still pretty new to poker, so I may be completely off the mark on some of these hings (folding equity, pot commitment, etc.).