Am I crazy?

[andyfox]

I'm in the big blind with pocket 4s. All fold to the small blind, who does not chop. He calls and I knuckle. Flop is A-A-2 rainbow. He bets, I raise, he 3-bets, I 4-bet, he calls. Turn is a T of the 4th suit, he checks, I bet. River is a Q, he checks, I check, he says "nothing,"u I show my 4's, and, to quote my favorite poker authority, my hand is good.

One observor says, "well played," another says, "Are you crazy? He's crazy and so are you."

Who was right? BTW, we're only considering my sanity as it relates to the play of this hand. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

[Jim Brier]

I would rather raise preflop with your hand in this situation than post-flop. The small blind might fold rather than commit additional money to take a flop in a heads-up situation like this when he is out of position. The other advantage is that you retain the initiative which can be helpful post-flop.

[Zele]

I think either comment could be correct. This seems like one of those hands where knowledge of your opponent if paramount. If he's generally passive or uncreative, your 4-bet crazy. If he's fairly manical, esp. with a scary board when no one has shown strength, your 4-bet was outstanding. From the end result, it seems like your judgement was correct.

I think you played the turn and river perfectly.

[Uston]

It's all relative. It doesn't matter how horribly you play (I'm certainly not implying that this applies to you), if you can find opponents who are worse. If this guy is willing to put in 4 bets on the flop and call your turn bet with "nothing", then you'd be crazy to not play it like you did.

[snakehead]

your opponent is either crazy or has a very low opinion of your play. since he didn't raise btf (a major mistake, in these situations I always raise or fold), he obviously doesn't have an ace, or a pair. his best hand would be suited connectors, but most likely they aren't suited and maybe aren't connected. I would think that he would raise with as little as one face card in his hand.

he was right when he assumed you didn't have an ace sinceyou didn't raise btf. but he screwed up by not when he didn't give you credit for having a pair. there would be no reason to raise with a small pair, since he's calling you for sure, and any overcard can mean trouble for you, so I like your play.

you got one of the safest flops you could get for your hand, so no reason to take your foot off the gas. no reason to bet the river, though, since he won't call unless you are beat. I put him on 43 or 53 from your post.

[Ikke]

"since he didn't raise btf (a major mistake...."

Can you elaborate on this? I remember a thread where Abdul Jalib states that you should do you fair share of limping here due to high implied odds (but balance ofcourse, for instance with big pocket pairs). Still big mistake?

Thanks.

Regards

I had a similar experience recently. 15-30 game. I am in the small blind. I've been in the game about 15 minutes and have played two hands (folding on the flop and turn respectively) when I pick up 9-4 off suit in the small blind. Everyone folds to me and I raise the big blind who unfortunately calls. The flop comes 3-4-7 rainbow. I bet - he calls. Turn is an 8 (I can't remember if a flush draw arrived). I bet - he calls. River Q (no flush possible). At this point I'm ready to give up, but decide to fire the third barrel - he calls. I show my hand and he mucks. How do you possibly explain what happened?

[Jimbo]

MJS,

he had AJ and your pair won.

Jimbo

[Clarkmeister]

[snakehead]

abdul who?

I'm just saying that in situations where you are the bb and I am the sb, and everyone else has folded, I would almost always raise if I wanted to play the hand. otherwise, I would fold. in this case, the sb had 'nuthin'.

if I just called, you might as well through away your hand, because I have a monster.

I've given it more thought. I think he had 5-3 or 5-4 (both possible suited). A pair with a straight draw seems more logical. Otherwise, why call on the end if he didn't even have a pair?