Rate these Plays

Tough 10 handed HE.


#1

I’ve not been getting much action with my raises so I open with a call in mid-position holding As Ah. I am called by the Cutoff, Button, Small Blind(SB)& Big Blind(BB).


Flop = Js 8c 6s


The blinds check to me, I bet, Cutoff raises, the blinds fold and I reraise. Cutoff caps it and I call.


Turn = 8s


I check, Cutoff bets and I call.


River = Jh


I check and fold.


#2


I’m on the button with Ad Qs. I’m first to act and raise, Big Blind calls.


Flop = Ac 8c 3c


BB bets and I raise. BB reraises and I call.


Turn = 6 s


BB checks and I bet. BB reraises and I fold.


#3


I’m on the button with Kd Jc. All fold to me and I raise; Big Blind calls.


Flop = Th 8h 2c


BB checks and I bet. BB calls.


Turn = 6s


BB bets and I fold.


#4

I’m in the BB with 9s 8h and call a raise from the Cutoff who is first to act. The two of us see the flop.


Flop = Tc 6c 2d giving me a draw to an inside straight.


I bet and am raised. I fold.


#5

In early position with Kc Tc. I call. The SB calls and the BB checks.


Flop = Jd 9h 3d giving me a draw to an inside straight.


SB checks, BB bets and I raise, SB folds and BB calls.


Turn = 6s


BB checks, I bet and BB calls.


River = Qh giving me a straight


BB checks. I bet. BB folds.


Constructive criticism is welcome.

1) First...always raise with AA. Note that when open raising from MP you should do that with more hands. You make opponents more easy to read by being the preflop aggressor. I think your problem with this hand started with your preflop call.


2) Bit opponent dependend. I think most people would slowplay a flush heads up here. But he could fastplay when it's the non nut flush (fearing that you have a single better spade). I think you played it fine till turn, and it really depends on the opponent whether to call him down or not.


3) Again (sorry) player dependend IMO. It's raise or fold IMO.


4) I wouldnt call preflop. You're out of position with a hand that doesnt play well heads up. On the flop I like your bet. I would call the raise against an aggressive opponent. But against an aggressive opponent you shouldnt have called preflop and you now know why.


5) In loose games your preflop call is not wrong. In tight games I prefer to fold in early position.

Overall I think you way overplayed the hand, and got lucky. Against typical opponents I would call the flop bet, and fold the turn when bet. I might even fold the flop when BB is weak tight.


BTW it's kinda late here, and it's a quick reaction how I would play it on first reaction. I probably should look at it tomorrow :-)


Regards

[1] I rate this play 42. If you aren't getting much action on your raises then raise a lot more often until you DO get action. Otherwise, you played it fine.


[2] Rate: 1025. I think you are better off flat calling the flop bet, hehehe, figuring to raise the turn since this will disguise your other weak calls. Rarely fold top pair like this heads up. Even Mother Theresa would be tempted to muscle you off a hand if you are seen to play like this. If you fold like this you WILL find players taking shots at YOU when they rarely take shots at anybody else.


[3] Rate: 32.78471. If the opponent had two pair or better he'd probably check-raise; his bet usually indicates he cannot raise. Folding is no disaster, but you probably have 10 outs and are getting 4:1 to call. Comments on hand 2 apply a little here also.


[4] Rate: 567/45. Almost ALWAYS call flop check-raises even if you figure to fold the turn. This drastically reduces the odds the opponent is getting on his semi-bluff raise. Again, see notes on hand 2 above.


[5] Rate: the number of "free card" posts that I liked. You need to be able to SERIOUSLY outplay the opponents before KTs can be profitable in early position. Dump this rag. Otherwise, your play seems reasonable.


- Louie

In the future, I think you would get a wider response if you posted this on the low stakes or medium stakes poker forum rather than on the beginners forum.


Hand #1: Despite you not getting much action on your raises, you are giving up too much by limping in with AA. By giving the blinds free plays, you are inviting disaster. You are not giving out one free card but rather three free cards. On the flop, since you did not raise preflop, your reraise is correct with your big overpair and backdoor nut flush-draw. When your opponent continues charging, you know you are in trouble. On the turn, you are calling because you may have the best hand and you have the nut flush-draw. The river is a disaster. I agree with your fold. Who knows, but had you raised preflop, the cutoff might have folded and you could have won a small pot instead of losing a big one.


Hand #2: I agree with your play on this hand. When the board flops all of one suit and you do not have a card in that suit, you are severly crippled. Based on the betting sequence, when check-raised on the expensive street it looks like you are playing with no outs. However, if you think you have an image problem you may want to simply pay off here.


Hand #3: On this hand, your play was fine. Folding is clear when you are led into on fourth having shown all the strength so far. Your outs are only to a pair which may not win. The pot odds are not there to be chasing anyway.


Hand #4: On this hand, you should fold nine-eight offsuit for raise despite being half-way in and the fact that your opponent is probably stealing. You simply don't have enough hand. If it were suited you could play. Otherwise, you really need a tad more high card strength. I also think you should call when raised despite the fact that the pot odds are not there to play your four-outer. Your opponent may not have top pair or an overpair and be simply fooling around with overcards or a flush-draw. When this is the case you have six more outs when you pair one of your hole cards. Call, and force him to follow through with a bet on fourth if a blank comes. He may be raising for a free card and check it back.


Hand #5: Preflop, I don't like coming in early with king-ten suited in a full tabled limit holdem game unless the game is both passive and loose. I dislike your flop raise. This is a small, puny pot and it is not worth getting involved having just a gutshot and an overcard. I would fold. Save your raises and the rest of your stack for better gambling opportunities. I also dislike your turn bet. Normally, it is good poker to follow through with a bet on fourth against one opponent but you need to have some reasonable assurance that he will fold or that your hand is best. Given that he led into you and then called your raise, this seems unlikely. I would take a free card. If a blank comes, you can fold if bet into. If you hit your hand, you may get bet into allowing you to raise or you may get a "curiosity" call at the river if he checks.

Thanks to you all for your responses; it was interesting to see the more aggressive play advocated by Louie. On reflection, I agree failing to raise with AA in #1 is an error and playing KTs in early position (#5) in a tough game is not recommended by S&M.


Regarding #4, my understanding of HEPAP is that offsuit connectors down to 54o are playable in the BB v a stealraise. Can't say that I like this much as you probably have to show 2 pair or a straight to win.


These hands were from 5-10 online play in which I have taken $600 up to $2000 and back down to $600 over a period of 300 hours online playing time forcing me to reexamine my strategy, particularly postflop.

In the future it's really best to post each of these hands seperately. That way if a good discussion develops it will stay focused by hand.

Simon,


this must be a wind up.


lost 4 words, u r awesome....


never ever chase an inside straight......


i cannot see one place where u played well.


#2 take care but jeez, take up something else


no offence lol.


Droopy