No limit hand

This happened about six months ago at AJs.


A very weak inexperienced player was going up and down between 200 and 1000 for most of the night. He was TERRIBLE. (No, I'm not disguising my own play here)


To his immediate left (coincidence?) sat one of the best players in the bay area (Sam B for those of you familiar with the name).


Across the table sat a decent, but overly loose-aggressive asian player whose name I am not sure of but I think it was "Bernard".


Ok here comes the hand. Weak player has $250. Sam B. and Bernard both have about $3000. I'm not entirely sure about the positions but at the point where it mattered, Bernard acted last.


Very little action to start. It gets to the weak player and he goes all in for about $250 which is totally overbetting the pot. Sam B calls.


All fold to Bernard who goes all in over the top.


What did the "weak" player have?


What did Sam B. have?


What did Bernard have?


I believe it is possible to determine the hands from the action alone up to this point.


natedogg

My read is this:


"Weak" has medium pocket pair. Sam B. has AK suited. Bernard has AA.


My rationale is that Sam B. just cold calls the initial pre-flop bet because his hand plays well multi-way and he's going to need some help from the board to win (i.e. no reason to isolate "weak"; he can stand some company).


Bernard should have AA to make a $3000 bet pre-flop against an all-in hand. He knows there will be a flop; that the whole pot is not for sale. If Bernard's hand is weaker than Sam's, Bernard should not be putting a play on Sam B. in this setting, imo.

I would put the weak player on a medium pocket pair or big slick or AQ. He obviously doesn't want a caller... He is very weak and inexperienced tho. At PL this often means he has the goods... AA or KK.


Sam B just calls??? AA or KK. (trapping??) other hands he will fold or raise.


Bernard goes over the top for $3000.00?? The pot is ~$500 so he is betting 6X the pot. He is a reasonable player, so I don't think he would do this with AA. I would put him on TT, JJ, or QQ... he too obviously doesn't want Sam to call. He has to have a reasonable hand because he is definitely going to a showdown.


So in conclusion...


The weak guy probably has the goods QQ, KK, AA. Inexperience and pushing mean a made hand.


Sam B wouldn't just call with QQ or AK. I put him on AA or KK.


Bernard... could have TT,JJ,QQ, KK (unlikely).


Just my thoughts,


Derrick

If Bernard knows that Sam B. is one of the best players in the Bay area, he should have AA. He's not looking for company, he wants to show down with Weak Player.


Sam B. is inviting others in, so he might have big suited cards. I don't know if he plays it like this with a big pair (maybe occasionally with AA, but I don't know him).


Weak player could have anything. If he's a limit player, maybe he's trying to take the antes with QJs or JTs. He could show down 55 and I wouldn't blink an eye.


It's Sam's play that interests me the most, what did he have?

I would put the weak player on a semistrong hand, a medium pocket pair or AQ say. I have no idea what Sam had but unlike the other responders so far I would tend to put Bernard on AK.


Chris

Since you've said nothing about any of the other players, how big their stacks are etc... It is hard to guess, but... Sam B knows the weak player wouldn't overbet the pot without a high pocket pair, probably AA KK, much less likely QQ or AK...therefor for Sam B to be in the pot he would have AA or KK. With KK he would most likely raise and since he didn't, I must assume he has AA, and he didn't raise because he's trapping Bernard. My guess Weak player KK Sam B AA Bernard QQ

MY GUESS


Weak player: medium pair (5-8).


Sam B: High pair Q-Q (or less likely J-J).


Bernard: A-K suited.


Weak player wants the pot while he is "ahead" , he thinks any pair is the nuts.


Sam thinks he can beat WP but there is no reason to raise as the only hands that will call him is K-K and A-A.


Bernard realize Sam's thinking and want a shoot at the 500 + blinds in the pot. He's representing the only hands Sam's affraid of. If his play works and Sam folds Bernard pays $250 to win +500, wich he does 49% of the time.


If Sam calls he is still in quite good shape.

Medium pair, AKs, AA.

KQ, JTs and 22


Good player is calling to fight for the big pot if he hits


Bernard tries to shut him out knowing that his made hand is better than the weak players


Weak player thinks KQ is an absolute bonecrusher

First of all, I am assuming this is a preflop discussion.


I think Sam has a hand like JJ, QQ, (or maybe KK). Although a reraise to protect would be typical, I think in this case he figures a reraise would only bring a hand that can beat his--so he just calls.


I think Bernard has KK, or maybe AA. Bernard simply cant just call here even with AA. It gives Sam a chance to flop a set on him. AA will be tough to release here essentially heads up. Bernard would have position (it appears) post flop, still I think the risk is to great that Sam flops a set. I think Bernard CAN actually call with AK, JJ, QQ, or 10-10,- he did not he raised, so I rule out these hands. Even for an aggressive player moving in here would not be wise with QQ. KK on the other hand might move in for fear of Sam having and hitting with AK, or flopping a set knowing that as an agressive player he is incapable of releasing KK as an overpair.


On the other hand, I think it is possible for Sam to have called with AA, not wanting to lose anyone--I think this less likely as Sam then risks losing his stack, out of position to a flopped set. Remember on the flop Sam will be forced to bet out the pot or nearly 800 (assuming another caller). Now if someone comes overtop for 2K more? Not an easy decision with AA, thus I think Sam would be more likley to reraise here with AA, rather then try to figure our what is going on on the flop.


I think the loose/bad player has AK--typically an overplayed hand in NL by this type of player.


When do we get results!!!

I would guess weak player has AA or maybe KK.


I would guess Sam B has AK.


I would guess Bernard has KK although QQ is possible.


Ken Poklitar

I think Weak player has a pair. I know players who are weak and will simply push in w/ any pair.


I think Sam B has the heat, I'd expect him to call all in w/ AA or KK. I think he made a great play to trap anyone who'd think that he's trying sneak into a multiway pot. A lot of aggressive players will raise to isolate the all in player, and I think Sam B just called waiting for someone to do exactly that.


I give Bernard a pretty strong hand, but nothing like AA or KK. I'd say his range of handes his something along the lines of AK and TT-QQ.


Rookie

Nice situation Natedogg... here's my take:


Weak: medium/premium pair let's say pocket JJ for the sake of it. You often see weaker players making this type of play with this type of hand.


Sam B: AA, wanting to trap the overly agressive Bernard and make more than 250 on the deal.


Bernard: AK, wants to shut Sam out of the pot and isolate the weak player.


Nicolas

Nope. Not enough info on how the crazy player's been playing. But if he's been pushing hard preflop with the usual hands, I'd put crazy player on AJ or AQ or a medium pair (very hard to put him on AA, KK or AK), Sam on AK/AQs, 99 or better, and Bernard squarely on big slick (second guess is queens).

I'm not very experienced in no limit, but I'll take a stab at it. New guy probably has either a medium pocket pair or something like AQs. Sam's sitting there with AA or KK. Bernard's probably got AK or a medium pocket pair like 10-10 or JJ.


spanQy

Judging from the preflop action, this is obviously a KK vs. AA or QQ vs. KK situation.

nt