2 $5/$10NL hands

[iceman5]

I played a short $5/$10 NL session this morning. I say "short" to emphasize that I have no reads. In Both hands I have a tad over $1000 and villain has me covered.

#1) Im the BB with A9. MP limps and SB completes.

Pot is $30. The flop comes 972 with 2 hearts. SB leads for $30. I min raise to $60. MP folds and SB calls.

Pot is $150. The turn is another 7. The SB leads again, this time for $100. I raise to $300.

Thoughts?

#2) UTG+1 raises to $35. Im next and call with AK. We're heads up

Pot is $85. The flop comes Ac9cJs. Villian bets $30. I min raise to $60. He reraises to $235 and I push all in.

These arent the most exciting hands in history. I guess my main question is this: to a decent high stakes player, this looks like I have a set in both hands doesnt it?

What do you think?

[freemoney]

the 2nd hand is a better hand really folding here though?

[iceman5]

[ QUOTE ]
the 2nd hand is a better hand really folding here though?

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you mean ..am I folding? or do I think HES folding?

[DrPublo]

You don't make him for better than 1 pair in hand 2 when he reraises to $235? JJJ seems likely. Not that it makes a world of difference but do you have the Kc?

The Doc

[iceman5]

No, I dont have the Kc. I dont have any read so I dont have a clue what he had, but he was raising preflop more than normal and it felt like he mightve had AK, AQ at best but probably more like KJ or worse and was trying to test me.

Almost every time someone min raises a flop, they have a monster so I really thought I could get him to lay down even AK here.

[Jeffage]

[ QUOTE ]
Almost every time someone min raises a flop, they have a monster so I really thought I could get him to lay down even AK here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Think again. Many people also min raise the flop to "see where they're at" with a hand like a weak ace or flush draw. Also, I doubt anyone is folding AK on the flop here facing a min raise. They will probably call and then evaluate based on what happens on the turn.

Jeff

[iceman5]

I meant that he would fold to my all in if he had AK after a min raise, reraise..and all in.

He also may have thought I min raised with a flush draw and thats why he reraised. So I didnt think he had anything better than AK and I really though it was worse, but I didnt like the board enough to continue past the flop.

Too many cards would make the hand tough to play so thats why I pushed in ( plus I really think it looks like i have a set)

[muzungu]

Hmm, I'm not a fan of either hand. The theme in both: you had tptk, tried to get tricky instead of just playing it strong, got played back at, and then decided to make a play. Why do this?

On the first hand- you have a vulnerable TPTK, the board is draw-heavy, and there is a player behind you. make it $100 or whatever, take it down, onto the next one.

The second hand, I am either calling or making a real raise. Now if he 3-bets me, it is an easy fold.

Also- why would a set be minraising on the second hand? The board is very coordinated.

The problem with these goofy min-raises is that they do not challenge the villains enough, so when the board changes and/or they play back, you don't have a good feel for where they are at.

I think your $ got taken in at least one of these hands, probably the second.

-muz

[iceman5]

No, actually the villain folded in both cases.
Im surprised that people didnt like the plays much.

Imagine if I was the preflop raiser in hand #2. I raise preflop with AK. He calls. I bet the flop (I wouldve bet more than $30)...he min raises me.

Alot of people here would say to reraise and fold to a push.

Thats exactly what I was trying to simulate from the other side. Not to mention the fact that I may well have had him beat.

[creedofhubris]

Hand #1, I don't mind it. If you get called or raised you are done.

Hand #2, I like this better if you are bluffing, drawing, or on a monster, not when you *may* have the best hand.

Why would you do this with a medium holding like your AK?

[iceman5]

Hand #1...yes, if I get called Im done (check behind on the river)

Hand #2...this one is questionable I realize, which is why I posted it. I posted the same hand on another forum without saying what I had and everyone put me on a set. That was the whole point.

How would you have played it? I almost never min raise, but did it for the sole purpose of making it look like what everyone does with a set (not what they should do..but what they do).

If I raise to $100 and he reraises, he will have to reraise to more like $400 and I think my folding equity is shot and I have to fold.

Would you just call him down and hope he has AQ? The board is most likely going to get way too scary for that. If I just call that weak flop bet,he will think Im drawing and will fire again at the turn.

Im open to suggestions other than what I did.

[emil3000]

The hand you push out that you don't want to call in hand 2 is specifically AK. Can't see AJ folding if he raises that in the first place. Putting him on AK in that spot fits the betting pattern, but so do the hands that beat you, sets, two pair. He will have those hands often enough for this move to be -EV in my opinion. Also I don't think this is maximizing EV when you're ahead. I would call the flop, and probably the turn as well, trying to represent a flush or straight draw. Then maybe I can valuebet him too if the draws miss.

[Popinjay]

first hand if you had a set you would flatcall and let him hit a flush. good players know this

[creedofhubris]

Hand #2, I gotta say, I really like call-call if he's going to put you on a draw on the flop and fire with any two on the turn. Listen to what you're saying.

[Prevaricator]

Hand 2 it looks more like him having a set. What are you trying to accomplish by representing a set anyway, what hands better than yours will fold?

[Garland]

All I have to say is, not knowing the opposition, min-raising does next to nothing in discovering where you're at or inspiring a fold for all but the worst weak-tight.

Hand #1

Raise flop to $75-90. Given that you didn't call the turn, and call a decent river.

Hand #2

I think it's important to know what A and K you have, specifically if you have the K/images/graemlins/club.gif.

I don't mind your play in Hand #2, except for the mini-raise. Without a decent read, rhyme or reason, I almost always like to raise 2.5 to 3 times their bet.

I don't think mini-raising necessarily looks like a set. More and more players are playing it hard nowadays, and you should do the same with your marginal strong hands same as your monsters.

Garland

[iceman5]

Hmm..Good point. I really didnt want to play past the flop because half the cards in the deck were going to scare me or kill my action.

Any club or any card higher than an 8 is going to suck.

If I call his weak bet, then a T or Q or another J or club shows up, Im going to have to fold to a large bet. I really dont even like a King all that much