Caught stealing - now what

[SydParrot]

Midway through a tournament. I've been at the table for about 20 minutes and have played one hand, AA, and doubled up. Blinds 75/150. I am CO with As8s and have about 2500. The button has about 4000.

Everyone folds to me. I bet 450, the button calls, the blinds fold. The pot is 1150. The flop comes 962r, no spade.

What range of hands should I expect the button to be holding? I pushed and got looked up. Did I have it coming?

[CardSharpCook]

Played that way, you made a "scared bet". A strong bet would have been to chk/rz. Remember, you want him to believe that you hold a monster. IF you held a monster, you would wish to draw out a few more chips, so you would want him to think you had a weak hand. If he checks behind you, give a subtle disgusted look (if live), and bet 3/4 pot on the turn. This is second level thinking - in a $5 tourney, you could probably get away with pushing. Ironically, third level thinking would have you push here, because your opponent would think that a good bluff would be a chk/rz, so you are making a bad "bluff" to induce a call, when really you want a fold. Follow?

BTW, I did what you did today. I bluffed ever street out of position until finally I gave him all my chips on the river. Had I simply chk.rzed the turn, I could have taken down the pot.

CSC

[SoBeDude]

the button cold called your raise. that should have sent off alarm bells. make a flop bet of just over 1/2 the pot. if he comes over you muck it.

if he calls, look at the turn and reevaluate.

-scott