I have no idea how to play shorthanded

[mctommy015]

This situation seems to come up a lot and I really have no idea what to do. I realize it depends on a lot of things, but what do you tend to do when you have no reads? Should I check/fold the turn? Bet the river? I just feel lost.


Party Poker 5/10 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG folds, MP folds, Button calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB calls, Button calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 4/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, Button calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, Button folds.

River: (6.50 BB) 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB

[mctommy015]

Oh, I recently made the jump from 3/6 full to 5/10. I can tell from playing these first 5000 hands or so that i'm good enough to beat it, it just seems like I feel lost during hands a little too often. Did anyone else have this experience when they started playing 5/10?

[TJD]

You raised PF - fine!

You bet flop - good!

They BOTH called. Now it is tricky. There is a str8 and a flush draw on the board and they could have called with those.

BUT v random pocket cards, one of them will have a pair or better now 70% of the time or thereabouts.

1) This means that MOST of the time your bet will not be for value
2) It will NOT work as a bluff. If they have a pair they are calling you down 'cos they suspect you have overcards.

So, I suspect that most players here would suggest checking against unknowns. It is MOST likely that someone will bet and again against unknowns you will probably fold, despite the fact that you may be ahead.

However, bear in mind that when the flop is Q54 with 2 diamonds you are checking the turn as well! Only NOW you will be raising when they bet /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Swings and roundabouts. You probably had the best hand preflop. The flop gave them some interest and you did not win with your flop bet. You missed. Time to go slowly.

Of course with reads the play may be totally different.

T

[aflaba]

"However, bear in mind that when the flop is Q54 with 2 diamonds you are checking the turn as well! Only NOW you will be raising when they bet"

Are you sure about this? With a straight draw and a flush draw I wouldn't want to give free cards.

I would almost always bet here even if the flop was Q72r. There are many callers, who would call a bet with crap, but not bet.