Interesting 20-40 war on flop

[IowaMatt]

Tonight I was playing 20-40 in St. Louis in a full game. I am the big blind with 22. UTG raises. He is normally a pretty solid player but tonight has been raising with subpar hands. Four players call and I call making us 6 handed for the flop.

The flop is K 7 2 rainbow.

I bet into the field. The preflop raiser folds and the next player nicknamed Cannon (well deserved) raises and all fold to me. I reraise, he reraises and ultimately I just call and 8 bets. I know normally this is too much but this guy just wont backdown and I thought if he had KK or 77 he would have reraised preflop.

The turn is a 7 and I check. Frankly I was fearing at this point K7 even though he had called two bets cold. He checked behind me.

The river was a 3 and I bet and he called. My full house stood up.

How many of you would have gone that many bets on the flop? What could he have had to have played it that strongly? I didnt ask. Never do. Just happy to stack the chips.

[astroglide]

which guy is this? i'm from st louis, i play 20/40 regularly, and i don't know anybody named 'cannon'

[JTG51]

I know a couple of players that I'd put all my chips, my car, my computer, and anything else I own in against.

Against all others though, I'd stop when he 4 bet. I may or may not try to check raise the turn then.

[astroglide]

i think going this far is bad for either reason

if you're beating him, you've completely blown your cover

if he's beating you, you're dumping money to him with bottom set

i probably would have smoothed the flop and checkraised the turn

[Rick Nebiolo]

Matt,

With this rainbow disconnected flop and the pre flop bettor on your left why not go for the checkraise on the flop or perhaps the turn?

~ Rick

[IowaMatt]

These players are very creative in their play and normally will not fold any kind of draw whatsoever. Therefore, I bet the flop hoping the preflop raises would raise and put some pressure on them. We already have 12 bets in the pot when the flop comes. I really wanted to win this as quickly as possible or get it down to heads up.

[JTG51]

I agree that this is the best way to play the hand. My original answer was based on the assumption that you bet the flop.

[IowaMatt]

I didnt go for check raise on the turn in the case because he often puts lots of action in on the flop only to check the turn. I did just call when he put the EIGHT bet in. What the heck do you think he had?

[JTG51]

A king, with a kicker.

[astroglide]

i know at least a couple people in st louis that would play ak this way. who was this person, specifically?

[JTG51]

Really? There are multiple players that will not 3 bet AK preflop, but will 8 bet one pair on the flop? Sounds like some good games! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[astroglide]

you have no idea. for being such a small pool of people, it is AMAZING how nuts they will go every night. thank god for wealth!

[Dynasty]

After all that flop action, I think I would have checked the river as well. 77 is the #1 hand I would have had him on.

Given his turn check and you winning the pot, I'd say K2s is a possibility. That's the logical hand which gets hurt the most by the 7 pairing.

[Rick Nebiolo]

Matt,

At 12 small bets this pot is in the "medium big" range with no direct draws possible. All except mega fish will fold longshots to two bets cold but will often take one off for one bet forgetting that they may have to pay installments (after you checkraise).

In other words, sometimes you want to take a small risk and trap players who would play backdoor flushes, backdoor straights, pairs in hand, and any hand that pairs the flop. Sometimes you lose but the extra bets are worth it when you consider pot size.

Maybe QuadNines will do the math /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Regards,

Rick