10 pot limit hands to discuss

All these hands are with blinds $1 and $2.


1. You have $115, and raise a couple limpers with two black queens. 4 players see the flop of K53 all hearts with you acting last. Checked around, because a lot of check-raising has been going on. Turn is a Qd. Early player who has you covered bets pot ($33), all fold to you. What do you do?


2. You have T7s in the small blind. You call after 3 limpers. Flop is K89 rainbow. Checked around. Turn is a 6 giving you the nuts. You bet half the pot, hoping to induce a raise from someone who thinks you're buying it. One caller. River is a 7. What do you do?


3. You have KK UTG. Someone opens for 5. He has 70 left behind. One caller, you make it 20 to go, he makes it 50 to go. Caller folds to you. What now?


4. You raise on the button with AK and flop comes K high vs. the big blind. Flop: He check-calls you. Turn: he check-raises you the pot, let's say it's $40 after you bet. The board is KT62 rainbow. You have $55 left. What if you have $35 left?


5. You limp in mid position after one limper with KQs. One limper behind you. The flop is Q high, all hearts. You bet when checked to and

the big blind calls. Turn is a brick. Big blind checks to you. Pot is $20, he has $50, you have more. Action?


6. You limp UTG after three limpers with 77. Flop is five handed, 875. You have about $150, the pot is $10. You bet after everyone folds and one player check-raises you and has you covered. Action? Let's say you call and he bets into you on the turn when a K comes.


7. Same stacks as before. You raise on the button with 88 after one limper. The blind defends and the limper calls. Flop is A82. You bet again and are check-raised by the limper. A call constitutes a commit because you have only room for one more bet. Action?


8. You are playing 3 handed with about 90 in front of you, the short stack. You call $2 in the big blind with j8s and see a family flop. JJ7, two tone. Small blind bets 5, you raise to 15, button COLD CALLS, small blind calls. Turn is a 5 offsuit. Small blind bets the pot into you. Action?


9. You open raise with AK and the button and blinds call. You bet the pot on a king high, two tone flop. The button calls. Turn brings the third flush, which matches your king. You check, button checks. River brings an offsuit T. What do you do?


10. You are the button with QQ and open raise to $5. The big blind re-raises. You raise again to make it about $50 more. He calls. You have enough for one pot size bet and a half, about $160. Flop comes rags. He check-calls you and the turn is another rag. Action?


natedogg

1. You have $115, and raise a couple limpers with two black queens. 4 players see the flop of K53 all hearts with you acting last. Checked around, because a lot of check-raising has been going on. Turn is a Qd. Early player who has you covered bets pot ($33), all fold to you. What do you do?


2. You limp UTG after three limpers with 77. Flop is five handed, 875. You have about $150, the pot is $10. You bet after everyone folds and one player check-raises you and has you covered. Action? Let's say you call and he bets into you on the turn when a K comes.


3. You open raise with AK and the button and blinds call. You bet the pot on a king high, two tone flop. The button calls. Turn brings the third flush, which matches your king. You check, button checks. River brings an offsuit T. What do you do?


natedogg

A big disclaimer first of all. I'm surely a much worse PL player then you are. But I'll give you some comments. Bare in mind that I've only played the baby games this far.


1) Tough spot. I probably would have bet the flop representing Aces, Kings, AK or the flush. On the turn he could be betting a worse hand (AK, 55 and 33 comes to mind) but you'll not get any action unless you're beat. I think I would call the turn, if you raise you'll push out worse hand and get reraised by better hands. If you get reraised you're giving up the chance to fill up. If he bets the river I guess it's up to your judgement. Would he bet a busted draw, top/top or middle set in this spot? If the fourth flushcard comes on the river and he checks to you you've got a good bluffing opportunity to represent Ah Kx (but I guess you would bet it on the flop). I would have a hard time calling with Th 9h at least. If the river is a brick and he checks to you I suppose a bet is good but I might check it none the less, not wanting to get checkraised.


2) Another tough one. Bet and fold if raised, check / call and check / fold are all valid against different opponents. The only reasonable draws on the turn (assuming rainbow) are JT and sets. But then again he could have KQs/KJs/KTs type of hand and just called your "steal"-bet. If he was in late position this probability is less though. So against a call-station type I'd bet / fold, against an over aggressive check / call, against a conservative I guess check / fold. (But this is with plenty of time to analyse).


3) I'm guessing you limp-reraised? Isn't there a saying "In PL: The third raise is _always_ aces"? If he's conservative/rockish I might fold. But if he's somewhat aggressive I guess I'll just close my eyes and push the rest given the fact that his stack isn't huge. (If he has aces the better move would be to call preflop since you'll bet any non-ace flop and he can get you in then, the caller complicates things though).


4) So your call would put you all-in? You're either getting 2:1 or 2.7:1 on your call. Given the board it sure smells like a slowplay and your holding should be no mistery to him at this point. Fold.


5) Is he capable of putting a move on with just Ah? A checkraise here and you're forced to fold, even though you're getting decent potodds on a call. Unless he makes a move with Ah he certainly has you beat. If he's conservative you can bet and fold if raised. If he's aggressive you can check and call the river if a non-heart comes.


6) Limp UTG after three limpers? Interesting move. ;-) I'm guessing early position. He could be betting a number of hands that you have beat. AA-99 (although TT-99 is doubtful), 87 or 55. The only hands that have you beat are 88 and 96. 96 seems unlikely for an EP limper. I would call, planning to raise him on the turn. If he still fires after a K on the turn it is troublesome but I would probably still go ahead and raise.


7) Would he smoothcall preflop with AA? At least I wouldn't in that spot. I'd call the flop and either call/raise/bet allin on the turn.


8.) 3-handed PL is not my game. I guess since it's shorthanded he could be pushing an overpair but it seems unlikely given the small preflop raise. You have the worst possible reasonable jack and the button (who showed strength on the flop) is still to be heard from. Folding can't be that wrong if the bettor is reasonable. If you were to show him your jack he shouldn't be surprised so there is a good chance he has you beat.


9) The only hands I see you beating at this point is KQs/KJs. It might be a chop with another AK. You could also be behind to a set who got scared from betting by the 3rd flush card but it seems unlikely. AK seems likely but I'd have a hard time calling a big bet to chop the pot.


10) If I'm counting correctly you have about $60 left to get a showdown in a $300 pot? I'd bet my last bucks on the turn here. I guess you could check and try to induce a bluff here but either way will probably have the same result, the money is going in.


Phew. That was a lot of typing. Hopefully I didn't botcher anything up to badly. As always, comments on my comments are always appreciated.


Sincerely, Andreas


PS Suckup part. Keep up the great posts. I truly enjoy your posts. DS

1. Re-ray all-in. You didn't give a respect level to the player, so i'm lacking for info. But, if he flopped it, I still have outs. If he didn't, he will muck.


2. Again, not enough info. Is the player in the blind? Is he a maniac capable of limping early with 69? Again, without enough info I would probably get my money in early.


3. Is button capable of checking the nuts on the turn? If it was the first hand I had ever played with the button, then I would probably check call a reasonable amount.


Adam.

#1 - The only question I see here is how often he'll fold if you raise all-in. If he'll fold often enough, given whatever range of hands you put him on, then raise all-in. If not, then probably fold. Calling down a possible bluff doesn't seem like the best play unless whenever he's bluffing he'll be drawing dead or close to it.


#2 - Depends upon the player. How often will he do that as a cold bluff? As a semi-bluff with the straight draw? With the made nuts (since many folks will slowplay that hand)? Figure out those chances, and the best play becomes apparent. Against most players, I would raise all-in on the turn, as I would be a solid favorite most of the time, and when behind, I would usually have 10 or 9 full outs.


#3 - I would usually check-call. If you bet, you're not likely to get called by a worse hand, but the flush will raise you. Also, if you bet, their raise when they bluff is so big you probably can't call, while their bet you can call. Also, it's more likely they're bluffing after you check then after you bet. Basically, I see little upside against most opponents with a bet, but a check will often induce a bluff or a misguided value bet on their part.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

1. Re-raise. You still have a number of outs if he really does have the flush.


2. "You limp UTG after three limpers"? How is this possible. - With this flop and the check-raise back to me I would put someone on the straight draw with 10/9 or some near combination. Player may just call if they flopped the straight. Set over or under your set is also possible but unlikely. I would put in more action right away - reraise right back. If he has the straight he has it. IF not you put the ball back on him. Then you can make your decision based on his response and Your hand can improve to beat a straight.

If you just call and he bets the king on the turn- call. Depending on what hits the river you check call or bet right out. If this means that you lost your stack well so be it. Pull out another One or two hundred and have at it again.


3. Well I guess the set up is you check call the river if you don't know your opponent too well. If you do then you Bet the river or check - and fold if he bets - all of this depending on the river card.


I very rarely play 1/2 blind so the above post may be all wet or a bit off. But if so that is o.k. Please show me what is wrong and why.

Just had a quick look, so without going in to too much detail here's my gut reactions! Very interesting hands by the way!


1)Raise

2)Check call

3)Raise him all in

4)Fold or re-raise

5)Check and call river unless heart hits

6)Reraise all in

7)Reraise

/images/glasses.gifRaise or fold

9)Check call

10)Bet - why stop now!!


Cheers Nate.

no problem.

I lost in all 10 of those hands.


The interesting thing is that hand 8 (the one where I flopped tips with J8 in a 3 handed game and get heavy action even on the turn) is the ONLY one of those 10 hands where I folded the winner.


natedogg

-------

1. You have $115, and raise a couple limpers with two black queens. 4 players see the flop of K53 all hearts with you acting last. Checked around, because a lot of check-raising has been going on. Turn is a Qd. Early player who has you covered bets pot ($33), all fold to you. What do you do?

-------


Probably the single most misplayed hand in pot limit is QQ.


I get the impression that your raise may not have been very significant based on the fact that both limpers and another player came along for the ride. If you raised to $4 or $5, you are just begging for trouble. I hope you flop a set otherwise you will be guessing from here on out.


As it stands, you have three hands to beat. I like the idea of having 1 or 2 hands to beat with QQ. I *really* like the idea of winning the limped chips straight away by raising to $9 or so *or* just limping along and hoping somebody behind me raises so I can create the situation where I only have one hand to beat (by limp-reraising). This will be a common theme for this post: ~creating~ situations where you are likely to succeed.


Lets say you limp:

Somebody behind you (button/cutoff) raises it to $4 or $5, the limpers call the miniraise and you then make it about $25. There is a pretty good chance you are going to win right here. Maybe the positional raiser will call with AK or AJ suited or JJ or whatever, but probably not, for he will be well aware that you are going to cram the entire pot down his throat on the flop. If you get reraised preflop, you cuss to yourself and throw your hand away.


Another advantage to limping is that you can literally have *anything*. Remember: if "they" can put you on a hand or group of hands, YOU ARE LOSING ALREADY. And I did notice in the ten hands you submitted, that you tend to ONLY raise with "premium" hands (and they are in limit). But doing this makes you very easy to read and this is a pot limit player's dream. There are about 50 hands a good PL player would cold call with right behind you and only give you action when you are beat or you "can't" call (with outs in case you do). Mini-raises are great if you make them with about 40% of your hands because the players still have no idea what you have.


Okay, so there was no raise after you limp and the flop comes K53 hearts. You get the pot bet into you on the flop and you fold. You lose $2. Oh well.


It is checked to you: you bet the pot. Nobody has any idea what the hell you have (besides two cards). You can win the pot right there or if you get check-raised you toss your hand away.


Now lets say somebody calls your bet and you are uncertain if it is a trap, the bare Ah, a runt flush, or a weak king. Some knowledge of the player here would make this decision a little easier. If he is fishy, he could have all of the above. If he is a player, you may be getting trapped. So you turn a set. Wonderful. I wonder if we are winning this hand. I bet the pot at the fish and check against the player. If the fish decides to raise back at me (probably pretty close to all in - there is a much better chance that he folds here), I push it all in. Some may see a problem with checking against the player based on the "free draw" principle, but it is the only move. He would proabably at least token bet the Ah, a runt flush, a lone king, or a set on the flop. It is almost a certainty that you are losing here. Nobody checks and calls a limper that can play the game without a beast.


You are now prepared to make a decision on the river.


The board pairs: you have a monster and can raise/bet.


The board does not pair and it is not a heart: if he bets, you decide what action to take. This is one of those situations where there are too many variables involved to just say: "call or fold or raise". If he checks, you check. A player will not call any river bet here unless you are beat.


The board does not pair and it is a heart:

He bets: fold quickly

He checks: you check


A very tricky situation as you can see, but about the only winning lines of play.


I couldn't imagine being in the situation you are in, because almost all moves are wrong.


Fold: you could be winning

Raise: you are rasing against a flush (maybe even the nuts)


Which leaves calling as the best option?!? (In almost every situation, calling is a very bad move). But everything else is wrong. At least you have outs and might get paid off very well if he does have the nut flush and the board pairs. If you get bet into on the river after the board does not pair, you have a very tough decision. Another situation where there several variables. And if he checks, you check and hopefully win the showdown. Clearly a messy place to be - one that should be avoided if at all possible.


I lean more towards limping preflop here and possibly raising the limpers the full pot as an alternative.


-----------------------


Okay. I could delve even further into the other hands, but won't. I would play almost each hand differently than you did, however. (No, I am NOT criticizing your play - just providing an alternative). Here are the short answers:


2. Check the turn. Somebody WILL bet. You have a killer check raise.


3. Depends. Probably call most of the time. Unless I know the player and am certain he has aces.


4. Never bet the turn here. *Maybe* call the river if he bets. The check call on the flop by a good player is nasty.


5. Bet the entire pot.


6. No way i call the flop. I reraise 100% of the time. Overpair/2 pair/straight. Winning in all but one scenario with a chance to outdraw the straight. Why let KK draw on you?


7. Reraise as quickly as possible. prolly looking at AK. He probably will not fold based on the smallness of your stack and its not like you are going to fold.


8. Very complex. I would *call* the flop. Maybe I will eloborate on this later.


9. I thought we were on the button. Here is a situation where I would not check the turn.


10. Push it all in. No brainer. You are probably going to call anyway, right?


-------


Here is a hand that illustrates the principle of creating situations:


1. Game with very strong players. Middle position with TT. The person to your right makes it $4. You call (why raise here so AK behind you can come barrelling over the top and you have to fold [that is one wrinkle]). Left hand opponent calls. A loose-ish preflop raiser after him raises the entire pot. All fold to you. You cannot call. You reraise the entire pot. Left hand opponent folds. Positional raiser folds his AK/QQ/JJ/99.


This is a very complex hand. If he reraises you fold of course. He most likely has AK or QQ/JJ. But who really knows. Lets pretend we are certain he has AK. And knows he has AK (lol). Even money, right (or about 52/48 for the TT)? Wrong. He is drawing THREE cards to the AK until you get to bet a ton. you are around 2-1 for the flop (and hopefully the flop has an A/K AND T in it :]). You are going to bet the entire pot on the flop. He knows this. Is he going to call a 984 flop? how about J73? QJ4? T65? Lets pretend we think he has QQ. And he knows he has QQ (heh). When flop the flop comes A65, will he call? How about 873? 456? AK9? AA2? Reasons such as these make it almost impossible for him to call. And what if you *do* have aces? Put the onus on him. I don't like to guess. You guess. Let me know after I bet this $95. In big pots, it is almost imperative that the other player understands that he will have to risk his entire stack against you. Maybe he has seen you turn up with the goods so many times before and maybe not. Maybe he is up $50 for the session and if he plays on this particular hand, he will end up being a big loser for the session. Maybe he is afraid of looking "stupid" playing a hand when he is "obviously" beat.


Tactics, baby. Situations. Create them. Know when you have the advantage. Maybe its the mathmatical advantage based on your holding and, again, maybe not. If you are going to win the hand 33% of the time by sucking out and 33% of the time by forcing the other player to fold - you are WINNING. Bet the farm. Plain and simple. Know your opponent. Put him on a hand and act accordingly. KNOW the percentage of time he will fold when you check-raise his overpair when you have JT and the flop comes 982 rainbow. Check-raise people with sets on the flop - show them (?) sure. Limp with AK and check raise a bet and call after a A95 two-tone flop? Call a bet and then raise a check-raiser on the flop with a nut draw? sure. Do this with sets also. Mix it up. Know when. Know why. Get wild. Get tight. Adapt to wild-ass Europeans. Check raise them $120 with KJo after the flop comes KQ4? Sure what the hell. Bet top set outright against 5 opponents - turn a full house and then check? Brilliant? Maybe. Cram AA down people's throats. Limp along with AA? If you are in the pot, make them think twice. Maybe you will fold harmlessly and maybe you will raise the entire pot. When do you raise second/bottom pair? Pick up the loose change. Its all part of the game. Learning the answers to these questions is what has made me successful in poker.


-------------------------------------

Maybe this gives you some insight into my game. Maybe not. /images/smile.gif


I appreciate the comments that I am a great player, etc, etc. But, honestly, I still make moves that are wrong/stupid (but I try to make a point of using that to my advantage against the opponent later) and am always learning new things. I love the game, but I play for money. MONEY. (Do I sound like Joey Knish? haha) I do not play for fun alone. (It is VERY fun, however).


And I will say this about the 10k/Tar_Baby post:


10K is low. /images/smile.gif

I have made around 6K in pot limit on UB.

4K in the 10-20 on UB.

1.5K in the $50 tourneys on UB (a few $20).

and another 1.5K in no limit/o8/5-10/other assorted crap on UB.

I calc my hourly rate, p/l, bb/hr, and a million other things regarding poker.

This definately helps my game. I highly recommend it.


I made more on Paradise last year, but it took much longer to do it.


I was amazed that there was a site offering PL for real money. Once I found this out, I was *there*.


There truly were some brilliant players playing on IRC (in the good old days), including many who are considered to be world class players today. Thanx to them for teaching me how to play (in one form or another) pot limit:


ZenBuddha/Horangi

StingRay

Obi

Superman

__

Fuhzee

and many others

-------


I need to get back to work.

Hope this made some sense /images/smile.gif


NHG

1) Call only. He very well may have the flush, but I doubt it.


2) Check and call if he bets the river. You've probably got the winner or at least half the pot unless it's a weak table.


3) Move in.


4) Muck and muck. He flopped two pair or a set, most likely the set. Save your cash.


5) Bet $10. If he moves in, muck.


6) Re-raise pot. If I just called and the King came, I'd check-raise pot.


7) Move in.


/images/glasses.gif Muck. You're outkicked. If you think your hand is good, then just call to keep the button in. If button re-raises and the small blind stays in, go ahead and call for the chance to triple up.


9) Bet half pot.


10) Bet all in.

NHG,


Great post!!!


And for those who don't read the whole post, at least take the time to read an excerpt below. This is great advice stated perfectly for any serious poker player, in my opinion.


From NHG:

Tactics, baby. Situations. Create them. Know when you have the advantage. Maybe its the mathmatical advantage based on your holding and, again, maybe not. If you are going to win the hand 33% of the time by sucking out and 33% of the time by forcing the other player to fold - you are WINNING. Bet the farm. Plain and simple. Know your opponent. Put him on a hand and act accordingly. KNOW the percentage of time he will fold when you check-raise his overpair when you have JT and the flop comes 982 rainbow. Check-raise people with sets on the flop - show them (?) sure. Limp with AK and check raise a bet and call after a A95 two-tone flop? Call a bet and then raise a check-raiser on the flop with a nut draw? sure. Do this with sets also. Mix it up. Know when. Know why. Get wild. Get tight. Adapt to wild-ass Europeans. Check raise them $120 with KJo after the flop comes KQ4? Sure what the hell. Bet top set outright against 5 opponents - turn a full house and then check? Brilliant? Maybe. Cram AA down people's throats. Limp along with AA? If you are in the pot, make them think twice. Maybe you will fold harmlessly and maybe you will raise the entire pot. When do you raise second/bottom pair? Pick up the loose change. Its all part of the game. Learning the answers to these questions is what has made me successful in poker.


I couldn't say it better so I didn't try.

These two situations seem very similar to me. If anything, I would think our hero's hand is stronger in #4, but you suggest checking the turn in #4 and betting the pot in #5. Why?


"4. You raise on the button with AK and flop comes K high vs. the big blind. Flop: He check-calls you. Turn: he check-raises you the pot, let's say it's $40 after you bet. The board is KT62 rainbow. You have $55 left. What if you have $35 left?


--- Never bet the turn here. *Maybe* call the river if he bets. The check call on the flop by a good player is nasty.


5. You limp in mid position after one limper with KQs. One limper behind you. The flop is Q high, all hearts. You bet when checked to and

the big blind calls. Turn is a brick. Big blind checks to you. Pot is $20, he has $50, you have more. Action?


--- Bet the entire pot."


------------


Here's a hand I came across this afternoon.


I open raise in MP with AsKs, button calls, blinds fold. We both have about $150. Flop TsJs5h. I bet pot. Opponent raise pot, so it's $51 back to me. I reraise all in. He calls. Turn 4h, River Qc. He turns over TcTh, I win with my straight.


Comments?

I would argue that the biggest difference between the two hands is that in hand #4, you have tipped off your hand (to a degree - you may be stealing on the button, but I get the feeling that the opponent has a pretty good read) He has to put you somewhere when you raise. Where does he start? Bingo. And yet he still shows no fear. Hand over.


And with hand #5, you have revealed nothing. You can have a myriad of hands. Another situation where you make *him* guess. Will he call 40% with a draw? If he reraises, You Go Home Now. A good read on him would clearly make this bet more profitable or perhaps unmakeable...


Both players played the hand you provided just about as i would (might not raise the AK preflop - prolly hope a hand like TT does and then come over the top). No way i fold the AK there - especially after I'm so committed. Some may only count the outs after the cards are revealed, but its very hard to put him on a set after one flop raise - especially if he plays well. So what percentage of the time will he fold to the huge reraise (AJ/KJ/KQ/Q9/89/smaller spades - maybe even 55 or JT)? In this case - 0%, but we don't know that. "Its gotta be done"

All of these hands were losers for me and the I lost #8 (the trip jacks) by folding the winner. With the rest, some of them I folded and got shown the winner, and others I moved in or called down only to be shown a better hand.


Most of the responses more or less fall in line with how I played the hands, so that is somewhat reassuring.


Responses from Fossilman and NowHeresGod especially coincide with my understanding of how to play, so thanks to you guys and everyone else for the comments.


There's one thing true about all forms of poker: You will lose money when you make the second best hand. /images/smile.gif


natedogg

1. You have $115, and raise a couple limpers with two black queens. 4 players see the flop of K53 all hearts with you acting last. Checked around, because a lot of check-raising has been going on. Turn is a Qd. Early player who has you covered bets pot ($33), all fold to you. What do you do?


If I call, I have about $60 left and basically the pot will be so big I really can't fold on the river if no heart comes. I raised all-in because his hand reasonably looked to me like AK with a heart. Lost to a flopped flush. I wonder, but I think the only way to avoid death is to get check-raised on the flop. If he check-callst he flop, I check behind on the turn and then probably have to call the river if he bets into me.


2. You have T7s in the small blind. You call after 3 limpers. Flop is K89 rainbow. Checked around. Turn is a 6 giving you the nuts. You bet half the pot, hoping to induce a raise from someone who thinks you're buying it. One caller. River is a 7. What do you do?


I check-called the river and he had JT for the nuts. Is it possible to fold here?


3. You have KK UTG. Someone opens for 5. He has 70 left behind. One caller, you make it 20 to go, he makes it 50 to go. Caller folds to you. What now?


I moved in and lost to AA. Stack sizes make this a no brainer, but I wanted to make sure others agreed with me.


4. You raise on the button with AK and flop comes K high vs. the big blind. Flop: He check-calls you. Turn: he check-raises you the pot, let's say it's $40 after you bet. The board is KT62 rainbow. You have $55 left. What if you have $35 left?


I had $55 left and folded, he showed KT. With $35 left, I would have leaned toward a call, since he could be simply raising in with any to pair knowing the rest is going in anyway.


5. You limp in mid position after one limper with KQs. One limper behind you. The flop is Q high, all hearts. You bet when checked to and

the big blind calls. Turn is a brick. Big blind checks to you. Pot is $20, he has $50, you have more. Action?


I bet the $20 pot and he called. I'm done. River is a brick and he bets $30 all-in, I folded. He shows a flopped nut flush. I'm just wondering where these guys get all these flops, cause I need one too.


6. You limp UTG after three limpers with 77. Flop is five handed, 875. You have about $150, the pot is $10. You bet after everyone folds and one player check-raises you and has you covered. Action? Let's say you call and he bets into you on the turn when a K comes.


Of course I can't let go here. The early limper (and some players are so bad they'll limp early with AA and then go hog wild with it on a five handed flop) had 69 this time of course. I reraised him and he put him all in for the rest. By that time, it was only like $40 more so I had to call, but I figured I needed the board to pair.


7. Same stacks as before. You raise on the button with 88 after one limper. The blind defends and the limper calls. Flop is A82. You bet again and are check-raised by the limper. A call constitutes a commit because you have only room for one more bet. Action?


Some idiot slowplayed AA and got paid.


8. You are playing 3 handed with about 90 in front of you, the short stack. You call $2 in the big blind with j8s and see a family flop. JJ7, two tone. Small blind bets 5, you raise to 15, button COLD CALLS, small blind calls. Turn is a 5 offsuit. Small blind bets the pot into you. Action?


Folded. After all that heat if he didn't fear a jack, then I sure as hell had to fear another one with 8 kicker. He showed A7. Hmmmmmmmmm. I'm pretty sure this guy is used to shorthanded LIMIT hold'em, because I think this is a terrible move in shorthanded big bet.


9. You open raise with AK and the button and blinds call. You bet the pot on a king high, two tone flop. The button calls. Turn brings the third flush, which matches your king. You check, button checks. River brings an offsuit T. What do you do?


I bet into him 3/4 of the pot because he's a fish and would call with any king, but would not bet any kind of hand that I can beat. He called with KT. I didn't make the opponent's playing skills clear when I described the hand, but given that, I think the river bet is clear.


10. You are the button with QQ and open raise to $5. The big blind re-raises. You raise again to make it about $50 more. He calls. You have enough for one pot size bet and a half, about $160. Flop comes rags. He check-calls you and the turn is another rag. Action?


He had moved into check-call mode with KK and I was toast.


natedogg

Yep. This falls in line EXACTLY with how I try to play the game, and how I believe you should play if you want to win. In fact, I have a mantra about big bet which goes like this:


Know your opponents, vary your game, use position, play stack sizes.


Vary your game is #2, and NHG's paragraph was pretty much the eloquent way of saying that. If you don't keep your opponents guessing, the only alternative is that they are NOT guessing. That's bad.


By the way coach, you are one of a small handful of players I have in a list I keep of the ones who I think are dangerous.


natedogg

I liked your motto so much, I thought I would share it with everyone. I hope you don't mind.


NowHeresGod: you know my motto, "any suited six!"

Natedogg,


Thanks for the "dangerous" comment. I've always tried to be hard to put on a hand. I agree with the "know your players" thought, but I think, in some situations, playing on-line might make it easier to know your players. This might sound goofy since you obviously can't pick up tells and such, but what you can do is keep a detailed book on players, edit it, refer back to it, etc., all while still playing. This would be difficult to do in a live game. Pull out your notebook when a guy makes a bet on the end and read "loose aggressive, likes to check-raise flop, will bluff on the river..." ok, I call. /images/smile.gif


Good luck.

NHG, I found your post very helpful. Please post more often! You mentioned that you learned a lot

on IRC poker, is that mainly dead now as a place where you can truly learn a lot about big-bet poker?


I try to learn from my mistakes (at UB) but a lot of times, I don't really understand why it was

the wrong play and what I should have done instead.


Could you please elaborate on your answer to #8?

Your choice is to call on the flop; this is the

original scenario:


8. You are playing 3 handed with about 90 in front of you, the short stack. You call $2 in the big blind with j8s and see a family flop. JJ7, two tone.


Small blind bets 5, you raise to 15, button COLD CALLS, small blind calls. Turn is a 5 offsuit. Small blind bets the pot into you. Action?