Stud Hand to Talk About

Here's a hand that I played in a $20-$40 seven-card stud game at The Mirage on Thursday night.


The game was full and after a couple of players passed I raised with 6dKs6s. (Note the king is down.) My sixes were completely live and the only high card remaining behind me was a Kd which was held by a player who was unknown to me but who was also playing too loose aggressive.


The next couple of players folded but then the player with the king reraised, the bring-in with a 3d up called the two bets cold and I called.


On fourth street I caught a king (giving me kings up), the player with a king caught a six, and the bring-in caught an off suit 9. (Notice that both I and the third street reraiser each have a king, six up.) The other player with the king six up was first to bet which he did, the player in the middle raised, I called the two bets cold, and the initial bettor called.


On fifth street I caught a four, the other king,six caught a queen, and the player in the middle caught a blank. It was checked to me, I bet, and both players called.


On sixth street I caught a second four making me high on board, and the other two players each caught blanks. I bet and both of them called.


On the river I caught a blank. I bet and the player who reraised on third street called and the other player folded. (Note: I also noticed that the other player had only $10 left on the river so he would not be able to raise.)


I won the pot with my kings and sixes.


All comments welcome.

Since the King is a loose player he could have anything and to figure his holding is wasting time.


Bring-in: he could have played with (A-3)3, or 3 suited cards but his 4th play doesn't support the "flush" supposition.


Given that table is somewhat good, I don't think he played with a hand like (3-9)3 even if many players when in the bring-in spot feel themselves "attached" to the pot because they are involved with some bucks.


A more probable holding might be a medium hidden pair such as 7-7 or 8-8 but a higher pair also (not ACes as he would have reraised on 3rd---or is this player so sophisticated to not reraise you with hidden aces?). (On 4th street he bet on the fact that the KIng has fallen in the wrong spot and don't suspect you do have the king kicker). It appears almost obvious he puts you on a split pair of 6s and looking at another 6 in the loose player' board left him safer.


Marco

Why didn't you reraise on 4th street?

Because he feared a trips of 9s and to not drive away the loose player when favorite (or almost supposed). Yes, with a trips on 4th you have to wait the later streets to pop the pot but there was the loose player in)


Marco

I think a reraise on fourth would have been the right play. With the K and the 6 counterfieted on the board, it would be best to try to push out the other K since he could make a larger King's up. The 3 might have been making a move, or he might have made two pair, but I would rather play him heads up at this point.

On fourth street, Mason probably already has the hand he's going to showdown so I would raise immediately and try to win without the showdown. His cards are terribly dead so I think the hand should be played as fast as possible. The only reason I can see to just cold call on 4th street is to wait for the more expensive 5th street raise to drive out the other K6.


I don't see any reason to fear trip 9s (or trip 3s) from the third player although I can't put him on a hand (9s and 3s?...just 9s?). Perhaps, he was trying to isolate the other K6 and then got rattled by Mason's cold call.

Mason,


Maybe I have misread your post, ( I'm at work so I am scanning quickly ) but wouldn't YOU have to act first on 4th street. Your post indicates the 'other' King-6 was first to bet. How could this be if he acted after you on third? You would be first King-6 after the dealer making you first to bet.


Later,


CJ

Mason,


After finishing a small project here in work, I got to thinking about your/my post.


I assume the bring-in was seated between you and the other King!

(I.E) bring-in in 5 seat, you in 8 seat, other King in 1 seat.

So please disregard my previous post. ( shouldn't try to do 3 things at once )


Anywho.. All in all I would say well played. Curious about not three betting fourth. Waiting for big-bets I assume.


I would assume you would check/call the river if the other opponent didn't have just $10.


Later,

CJ

I'm assuming 3rd player is a good player .

I would have put the 3rd player on pocket Aces.

On 4th st your call is correct because if LA has Kings he will reraise anyway and if he doesn't then you don't want to drive him out.


Your 4th st Cold call told 3rd player that you had Aces beat hence his check on 5th st.


You knew that if 3rd player called you on the river you were beat.

I definitely would not have put the third player on pocket Aces since he didn't play very aggressively. I would have expected him to either bring it in for the full bet on 3rd street or 3-bet on 3rd street. He did neither. And why would he check on fifth street when it seems unlikely that either of his two opponents could have two-pair since their boards are so similar? However, I can't put him on a reasonable hand myself other than split two pair. Or he may have just one pair and thinks both of his opponents are playing with completely dead cards (which they are).

I guess I didn't read the original post right.

Both the King and the poster were playing "too loose aggressive".

I'm not sure thats what he intended. Raising his hand on 3rd street is a little "too aggressive" but OK occasionally.

My plan was to raise on fifth street. I was surprised when it was checked to me. Also, I probably have the initial bettor in very bad shape. Why knock him out?

Actually I didn't fear a set of nines on fourth street precisely because he did raise there.

But why drive out the other player with the king-six since his hand is now very dead?

Against a tighter player I would agree with you. But given this person's loose aggressive style and the fact that I now have two kings in my hand there is a good chance that he does not have a pair of kings.

I agree. Pocket aces would have most likely made it three bets on third street in this game.

If he (the other K) had a hand worthy of a 3rd street re-raise, whether it's split Kings or a K-high three flush or some other pocket pair then I want to apply as much pressure and extract as much money from him as possible. I also want to get another bet from the 3,9.


I can see calling on 4th street with the intent of raising on 5th street. I was surprised nobody bet before you on 5th street.

After the 39 checks 5th street I would certainly put him on an underpair to my kings.

That works for me. I think it is a matter of image and how you want players to react to you on future hands. The dead hand may have called your re-raise on fourth and then gone most or all of the way with you anyway. If you raise and the dead hand folds and the bring-in player calls you, you get the same amount as the way you played it with one less player to beat you, minus a portion of the raised bet on fifth. That portion of an extra bet may not be worth the lost equity by allowing the supposedly dead hand to catch up a bit. As you well know, the same hand can be played many ways with acceptable long term results.


in response to:


My plan was to raise on fifth street. I was surprised when it was checked to me. Also, I probably have the initial bettor in very bad shape. Why knock him out?

did you even play the hand...your key overcard was out...K...you did have k6s,but i thot in general small pair big kicker you want all live cards...otherwise well played...gl