Mirage 10-20: A dead Ace raises on 3rd street

Tonight was my first 10-20 game at the Mirage. Although, I did play a few hours of 10-20 at the Commerce last week. I'm happy to report that after playing for about 4 hours, I finished with a $116 win.


I thought this hand was interesting because I was holding live cards in a heads-up pot against someone representing a pair of Aces which were dead on 3rd street.


The third street boards are:


(x,x)3c

(7s,7h)4s ME

(x,x)6d

(x,x)9h

(x,x)As

(x,x)Ac

(x,x)Jd

(x,x)Ad


Look at all those Aces! Three of them are exposed on 3rd street. The 3c brings it in for $3. I call with a pocket pair of 7s. The next two players fold. Then, the As raises to $10. Everybody else folds to me.


There has been a lot of 3rd street raising by whoever is holding the highest door card. Often, these players will slow down on fifth street- even checking and folding on fifth. But, if they have the goods, they'll be betting the whole way.


So, do you want to play your live pocket pair aginst the dead Ace doorcard?


I decided to call since if I catch a 7, I've got a pair of Aces drawing dead.


The fourth street boards are:


(7s,7h)4s,4c ME

(x,x)As,5d


Looks like I just got myself into a tricky spot.


I bet $20 and get called. It's hard to believe he doesn't have either Aces or some other pocket pair bigger than 7s.


How do you play the rest of the hand?

Glad you won. More glad that you took a shot at it.


I know nothing about this game (stud), but I would assume that you have him on a medium pair such as TT. An ace seems unlikely, and since he called a paired doorcard, he is unlikely to be chasing spades heads up. Will this opponent bet a medium pair behind you on 5th if you check? If so, then I would trust this read and go for a checkraise. If not, then I think you need to steam this one through until a pair rears its ugly head on his board. If you haven't improved at that time, it's time to go into check-call or check-fold mode depending on your read.


That's the best I can do considering I never play stud.

Since you kicker is a straight flush card your call of the raise on third street is probablu okay. Once you pair your door card keep betting unless you get reason not to.

Just an idea--though I know it didn't happen this way--could you have check-raised him on 4th St., thereby representing trips, to see whether he'll maybe fold (Aces) or stay (pocket pair)? Or did he not seem aggressive enough a player to bet into your paired door card if you checked here?


BTW, Dynasty, I thought you already played 10-20, but your post implies you're moving up to this limit???

1. I think the call is marginal at best. I can see your point since there are dead aces, but why not raise and see if you can get the others to fold? I think this is a better play than calling. When your opponent raises to ten he probably has a pair in the hole and not aces. If you think there is a good possibility that he has aces then this is an easy call, but you have to put him on a pair in the hole. It is probably not a small pair either since his kicker is dead, it is likely J's Q's or K's, or maybe a threeflush.


2. Once you pair you door and he calls you have to keep betting unless he pairs on board. If he has a pair in the hole it is likely higher than tens and if he makes two pair he will likely raise you. I think your mistake was on third street, especially just calling rather than folding or raising. If the first raise is to ten then callers after you get much worse pot odds, and you have to play pretty tight in raised pots.


Pat

This is my first 10-20 game in Vegas. Usually, I only play 5-10.

It would have been great to be back in Massachusetts yesterday. We New England sports fans haven't had a championship since the '86 Celtics (and we took the Celtics for granted).


Whoa, this is a poker forum.


The fourth street boards are:


(7s,7h)4s,4c ME

(x,x)As,5d


So, I bet and my lone opponent called.


On fifth and sixth streets, we both caught blanks. My opponent never made an open pair. Both times, I bet and he called. I was betting without hesitation and he was calling almost as quickly.


On the river, I caught a 4 /images/biggrin.gif


Of course, I bet and he called after thinking for a few seconds. My full-house was good.


Probably irrelevent question:


While my opponent was thinking on the river, I shuffled my cards. When he called, I said something like "Well, I've got the three 4s....(looked at my other hole cards) and got my full-house on the river".


I said it to imply that I had the three 4s the whole time and caught a 7 on the river.


Is there any advantage or disadvantage to this?

well, for starters, why would you even play a pair of sevens with a 4 kicker? Especially if you're sitting right after the bring-in?


G