QQ from SB

[rhinoceros]

online, blinds .25/.50, I have Qh Qd in the SB. Only 6 players seated, if that matters. All fold to me. BB has $30, I have more. I raise $1.50, he calls.

Flop:
Ah Th 7d

I immediately think I am behind to Ax. But maybe he has a lousy kicker. I can't bring myself to check-fold, so I bet $3. I plan to fold to a raise here (or later unless something good develops). He calls.

Turn:

Ah Th 7d As

I check, he checks.

River:

Ah Th 7d As 8s

I check, he checks.

I win. He has 7h 4h.


I gave him a very valuable free card by not betting the turn. But I didn't expect him to have this hand after calling pre-flop. Obviously, I want to bet into a flush draw, but not an ace. Should I be able to read the difference?

I am surprised that he never took a bet to shake me out. Each of us was frightened of the other's AJ or some such. Should he have tried something more aggressive?

[thebroker]

He should've folded on the flop. You gave him insufficient odds to draw.

[Chris Villalobos]

The player with 7h4h should have folded pre-flop,*yes*, but on the flop he has a strong hand short-handed IMO. I'm supprized 7h4h didn't raise on the flop. Just because he wasn't getting good pot odds doesn't mean he should fold. If I was him I would be eyeing our hero's stack. The probable Aces wouldn't be as scared if the 3rd heart (or a seven or four) came on 4th street. So even if 7h4h isn't the best hand right now it has 14-outs agaist Aces good kicker (though Aces do have the chance to redraw on the river if it gets that far).

[nicky g]

on the flop, the guy with 7h4h is tiny favourite against one pair, even top pair. he should have raised on the flop - the combination of being favourite and the fact that the other guy will occasionally fold makes it profitable. it works best if a pot-sized rase can get you all-in.

[Ignatius]

After his flop call and the 2nd ace on board, I think a small turn bet in the ballpark of $5 (1/2 pot) is in order here - let him do the guessing if you're milking top-trips, make him pay if he's drawing, protect yourself from being bluffed out of the pot and try to find out where you stand.

> Should he have tried something more aggressive?

He was in a perfect semi-bluff situation after you checked to him and you were lucky that he didn't take the opportunity to bet you out of the pot.

cu

Ignatius

[Chris Villalobos]

Be careful when saying that a flush-draw-with-pair is favored over top-pair on the flop. If the top-pair's side card is suited to the flush then it becomes the favorite again with about a 10% margin. This would be a good prop bet agaisnt someone who thinks otherwise.

I figured the odds after losing a hand like this when I went all-in on the flop with flush-draw-with-pair against a big pocket pair, when the pocket pair had one card suited to my flush draw. How else could I have played it though? Hmmm.... I wasn't that bad off if my opponent would sometimes fold. Flush-draw-with-pair is much better if you have a overcard, like the suited Ace of course.

[TAFKAn]

His preflop play was fine, if not perfect. It's heads up, he has position, and your preflop raise from the blinds screams big pair. I have never folded a hand like 74suited in this spot and I never will.

He flop play could go either way. Raising here is probably preferred simply because making the flush may not get paid. Although calling is just fine, because the pot is small and you have lots of chips left to take if he makes his hand, but it's only $3 if he misses the turn and you fire again. And there's always the chance that you'll totally screw up and give him a free turn card.

Once you screw up and give him a free turn card after the ace pairs on the board, he's GOT to bet it. He made a huge mistake by not betting. Your hand looks for all the world like KK or QQ and here's a chance for him to buy the pot.

Not to mention, NOW if you decide to call him and he makes his hand on the river, you may still call again because his betting looks like it could be just a reaction to your showing weakness, as opposed to him making a hand. So he should ABSOLUTELY bet the turn in case you don't have an ace and will fold a better hand than his pair of sevens, and if you call the turn, he can bet the river for value if he makes his hand cause you're more suspicous and likely to call now. He played great for the first two rounds and screwed up badly on the last two.