Dubious
06-29-2005, 10:18 AM
I've been thinking through a hand from a live tournament I played this weekend. So, far, I don't think I'd play it differently next time, but I wanted to get some advice.
5 players left, top 4 positions pay out. Blinds are 100/200 with following approximate chip counts: SB 8000, BB 4000, Hero 4000, MP 1500, Button 4000.
I am under the gun with AA and I raise to 600. It was the standard raise for this round, generally folded to in this game but often got one caller. This time, Button and SB call.
Flop was K82, three suited. SB checked and I bet 1200. Button calls and SB folds. The button is a very good player who can be very aggressive and tricky. She seldom just calls anything. At this point, I'm reading the button as possibly having a king, but maybe more likely flopping a set to her pocket pair.
Turn was another K and I think I see a genuine smile from the button. I don't have position, I'm guessing I'm behind so while I consider a bet, I end up checking. She checks too.
River was a 9. I think that any bet here might take the pot, but maybe not. I'm pretty sure that she's going all-in here if I check, but I don't want to hesitate so I lean completely back from the table, try to look relaxed and, without looking at her, just quietly say, "Check." I was hoping to cause her to be suspicious and decide to also check. Instead, she went all-in. Ends up she had me covered by only 10 chips or so. I count everything, chat with her briefly to see whether I can pick up any hint of whether she wants me to call or not, and I coundn't tell anything. So, I folded, figuring that I still wasn't the low person and I'd probably still make the money. She then shows AJ.
The great thing was that I didn't let it affect me. I made it into the money, eliminated her an hour later on a similar bluff (where I had a great hand and let her raise all-in on the river) and I went on to win the tournament.
However, I'm wondering whether I had the right play and thought process on that one hand. Is there something to my play there that will really hurt me in the long run. Was the out-of-position bet on the flop too low? Do I put too much faith in thinking I saw somebody briefly smile? What do you all think?
5 players left, top 4 positions pay out. Blinds are 100/200 with following approximate chip counts: SB 8000, BB 4000, Hero 4000, MP 1500, Button 4000.
I am under the gun with AA and I raise to 600. It was the standard raise for this round, generally folded to in this game but often got one caller. This time, Button and SB call.
Flop was K82, three suited. SB checked and I bet 1200. Button calls and SB folds. The button is a very good player who can be very aggressive and tricky. She seldom just calls anything. At this point, I'm reading the button as possibly having a king, but maybe more likely flopping a set to her pocket pair.
Turn was another K and I think I see a genuine smile from the button. I don't have position, I'm guessing I'm behind so while I consider a bet, I end up checking. She checks too.
River was a 9. I think that any bet here might take the pot, but maybe not. I'm pretty sure that she's going all-in here if I check, but I don't want to hesitate so I lean completely back from the table, try to look relaxed and, without looking at her, just quietly say, "Check." I was hoping to cause her to be suspicious and decide to also check. Instead, she went all-in. Ends up she had me covered by only 10 chips or so. I count everything, chat with her briefly to see whether I can pick up any hint of whether she wants me to call or not, and I coundn't tell anything. So, I folded, figuring that I still wasn't the low person and I'd probably still make the money. She then shows AJ.
The great thing was that I didn't let it affect me. I made it into the money, eliminated her an hour later on a similar bluff (where I had a great hand and let her raise all-in on the river) and I went on to win the tournament.
However, I'm wondering whether I had the right play and thought process on that one hand. Is there something to my play there that will really hurt me in the long run. Was the out-of-position bet on the flop too low? Do I put too much faith in thinking I saw somebody briefly smile? What do you all think?