03-18-2002, 01:54 PM
I played in my first no-limit tournament ($6 buy-in at Paradise) and I actually won it. I felt that I played a very solid no-limit game, although there were 3 hands that stood out that I definitely questioned myself on. I was hoping to get some thoughts on my play.
Here are the hands:
Hand #1:
2nd round (10/20 blinds), I have about T1100 (everyone starts with T1000). I get dealt TT in early/mid position (4th to act maybe?) and triple the blind with my raise after all fold to me. I get called by the resident calling station (CS) (who’s two off of the button and sitting with about T2000) as well as the BB, who has about T1000.
Flop comes 9 4 3 rainbow.
180 in the pot. BB checks, I bet 100. (too small? What’s a good bet here and why?)
CS calls, BB folds.
Turn comes J, opening a flush draw. Board 9 4 3 J (with a flush draw)
I bet another 100. (too small? I’m afraid of getting trapped with a big bet, even though CS is a fairly passive player.)
CS calls.
River blanks off, but I check anyway. CS bets T20 (????) so I call. He shows A5 for a busted gut shot straight.
Ok, I’ll never know why CS didn’t either check or make a very large bet, but that’s his business.
My main question here is if my betting amounts were correct on each round if not, why not? Also, should I have come out firing on each round? How about the river, should I have bet there?
Theoretical question: what if CS had made a very large bet on the river, perhaps the size of the pot, or bigger? I know I would of dropped my tens, but would dropping the tens here be the correct thing to do? I know the answer is probably “depends on your opponent” and CS was definitely passive, any aggression coming from him would of meant trouble. However, what if CS was more of a maniac and he still made that big bet?
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Hand 2:
5th round or so, blinds are at about 50/100. I have about T1500 and am about 4th place in chips, three players have busted out of the 10 player table. I get dealt KJs and limp in early/mid position. I realize this is a very speculative hand and I plan on folding it to any substantial late position raise, and also realize if I don’t flop big, its history.
That being said, our old friend Calling Station (CS) is in the hand as well, as well as on other mid-late position limper. CS has about T3400 (his calls have been paying off) the other two have about T900 a piece.
Flop comes:
K Q 8
With the Queen in my suit. I am first to act and I bet the pot.
One fold, CS calls, BB folds.
Turn is a blank
I bet the pot again. CS calls
River is another low card, I believe there is a possible, raggedy, low straight possible, but I’m not too worried about it. I’m worried CS may have caught 2 pair somewhere down the line, so I check the river.
He checks it back, I open up, he mucks.
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3rd hand.
We’re in round 5 or so. Blinds @ about 50/100, I have about T1700, and Dangerous Player (DP) has about T1200 or so. By the way, dangerous as in good, he definitely has a clue.
I’m in the small blind with 77 and DP (who’s in the cutoff) doubles the blind. I flat call, BB mucks. Heads up, flop comes:
7 9 J with a flush draw
I check, going for the BIG check raise, DP checks behind me. I know I screwed up big by checking here, too many draws out to get me, and I have the smallest set of them all.
Turn comes J. Board:
7 9 J J with a flush draw
I have the boat. There is about T300 in the pot, and I come out overbetting the pot with about T400. DP thinks and thinks, then mucks.
I’m pretty sure I fucked this one up. I think it’s a question here of only getting called/raised by a better hand. At the time, I was hoping I might get some action from a J or an overpair, but he would of bet those on the flop. The bet being so large, I was also hoping he might put me on a bluff (although my table image doesn’t lend to bluffing) and call or re-raise.
So, what should I have done? I think checking again is out of the question. With a bet as large as mine, only a bigger full house will give me action, so how large should my bet have been? Half the pot? Just T100?
Thoughts here are appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance
- Spencer Smith
Here are the hands:
Hand #1:
2nd round (10/20 blinds), I have about T1100 (everyone starts with T1000). I get dealt TT in early/mid position (4th to act maybe?) and triple the blind with my raise after all fold to me. I get called by the resident calling station (CS) (who’s two off of the button and sitting with about T2000) as well as the BB, who has about T1000.
Flop comes 9 4 3 rainbow.
180 in the pot. BB checks, I bet 100. (too small? What’s a good bet here and why?)
CS calls, BB folds.
Turn comes J, opening a flush draw. Board 9 4 3 J (with a flush draw)
I bet another 100. (too small? I’m afraid of getting trapped with a big bet, even though CS is a fairly passive player.)
CS calls.
River blanks off, but I check anyway. CS bets T20 (????) so I call. He shows A5 for a busted gut shot straight.
Ok, I’ll never know why CS didn’t either check or make a very large bet, but that’s his business.
My main question here is if my betting amounts were correct on each round if not, why not? Also, should I have come out firing on each round? How about the river, should I have bet there?
Theoretical question: what if CS had made a very large bet on the river, perhaps the size of the pot, or bigger? I know I would of dropped my tens, but would dropping the tens here be the correct thing to do? I know the answer is probably “depends on your opponent” and CS was definitely passive, any aggression coming from him would of meant trouble. However, what if CS was more of a maniac and he still made that big bet?
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Hand 2:
5th round or so, blinds are at about 50/100. I have about T1500 and am about 4th place in chips, three players have busted out of the 10 player table. I get dealt KJs and limp in early/mid position. I realize this is a very speculative hand and I plan on folding it to any substantial late position raise, and also realize if I don’t flop big, its history.
That being said, our old friend Calling Station (CS) is in the hand as well, as well as on other mid-late position limper. CS has about T3400 (his calls have been paying off) the other two have about T900 a piece.
Flop comes:
K Q 8
With the Queen in my suit. I am first to act and I bet the pot.
One fold, CS calls, BB folds.
Turn is a blank
I bet the pot again. CS calls
River is another low card, I believe there is a possible, raggedy, low straight possible, but I’m not too worried about it. I’m worried CS may have caught 2 pair somewhere down the line, so I check the river.
He checks it back, I open up, he mucks.
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3rd hand.
We’re in round 5 or so. Blinds @ about 50/100, I have about T1700, and Dangerous Player (DP) has about T1200 or so. By the way, dangerous as in good, he definitely has a clue.
I’m in the small blind with 77 and DP (who’s in the cutoff) doubles the blind. I flat call, BB mucks. Heads up, flop comes:
7 9 J with a flush draw
I check, going for the BIG check raise, DP checks behind me. I know I screwed up big by checking here, too many draws out to get me, and I have the smallest set of them all.
Turn comes J. Board:
7 9 J J with a flush draw
I have the boat. There is about T300 in the pot, and I come out overbetting the pot with about T400. DP thinks and thinks, then mucks.
I’m pretty sure I fucked this one up. I think it’s a question here of only getting called/raised by a better hand. At the time, I was hoping I might get some action from a J or an overpair, but he would of bet those on the flop. The bet being so large, I was also hoping he might put me on a bluff (although my table image doesn’t lend to bluffing) and call or re-raise.
So, what should I have done? I think checking again is out of the question. With a bet as large as mine, only a bigger full house will give me action, so how large should my bet have been? Half the pot? Just T100?
Thoughts here are appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance
- Spencer Smith