Request for Comments Level 1 10+1

[JClarke]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

MP1 (t813)
MP2 (t797)
MP3 (t830)
Hero (t770)
Button (t735)
SB (t870)
BB (t800)
UTG (t800)
UTG+1 (t800)
UTG+2 (t785)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif, Q/images/graemlins/club.gif.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 raises to t60</font>, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Hero calls t60, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, BB calls t45.

Flop: (t187.50) A/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">UTG+1 bets t80</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t160</font>, BB folds, UTG+1 calls t80.

Turn: (t507.50) J/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets t120</font>, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: t627.50

Bet and raise size are probably too small. My reasoning was any bigger and I'm pretty much committed when I'm behind and not winning much more when I'm ahead. After the flop bet and call I figured him to have a pocket pair that wasn't aces. Would checking behind on the turn be a bad play? Kings are a possibility and he could pick up a set on the river and if he pushed the river, I don't think I could call. Any ideas for what I might do different next time? Re-raise PF? Call the flop? Or did I play it fine?

[Freudian]

Why not reraise him preflop? I would at least take it up to 150-200, hoping he would go all-in.

Postflop, I think reraising and betting aggressively when an ace falls on the flop will lose you chips in the long run. But it is much harder to play since you only called preflop. He could have pretty much anything.

[microbet]

[ QUOTE ]
After the flop bet and call I figured him to have a pocket pair that wasn't aces.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's the opposite of "monster's under the bed syndrome"?

Why wouldn't you think someone had an Ace?

I can see either calling or raising preflop, but the way things happened I can easily get away from this hand if an Ace or a King flops.

[valenzuela]

1) u reraise preflop.
2) u get away from the hand on the flop.

weak-tight early, maniac late.

[JClarke]

[ QUOTE ]
I can see either calling or raising preflop, but the way things happened I can easily get away from this hand if an Ace or a King flops.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that I think about it, with the BB in the hand too I should probably tone it down and fold the flop. However, his T80 bet into a 180 chip pot seemed to me to be a probe bet and was testing to see if his middle pair was good. Over-thinking the situation? probably. He could have an ace. Any bigger bet on the flop and and reasonable bet or raise on the turn and I fold.

[RobGW]

If you make a read that UTG doesn't have an A then I am all for it. However you do have to worry about the BB also. Also, at the $10 tables you have to be concerned someone called you with Ax. Its just a fact that they will call a big raise with AX. I've had KK busted so many times I've learned to respect the A high flop. Still, I would make a big reraise pre flop. That would probably chase BB out at least and make it a heads up contest.