6/12 - Comments Needed

[calvin]

Hello,

Two hands from a 6/12 session from a few weeks back. It was an interesting session for me, as sitting at the table I kept thinking to myself how soft this game should be. Table is weak-tight, a bunch of regulars who I know, and almost of the players are very predictable.

Hand #1: I am in EP with AA and open raise. Folded to weak-tight guy in LP, one off of the button, who reraises. I make it three bets, he makes it four, and I make it five. He calls.

At this point I put him on AA-QQ, as I don't see him betting this strong with anything less, regardless of his position, as he has not been very aggressive at all. I am liking my chances of winning at this point.

Flop is Q x x, rainbow. I have a feeling I am drawing to two outs. I bet, and am called.

Turn makes the board Q x x x, no straight or flush draws. I bet, and am called.

The final board is still Queen high with no flush or straight possibilities. I check, he bets, and I call.

Results to follow.

Hand #1: I seem to be tilting after losing my full house (3's full of 7's to 7's full of 2's) to the same player a few hands earlier. The table is, for the most part, the same weak-tight table as I described before. I, for some reason, open limp UTG with KTo. Folded to the weak-tight player who raises. I can't help but think "great," as he hasn't played a hand in a few orbits, but I decide to call.

The flop comes T x x, with two of a suit. I check, he bets, I checkraise. The turn is another rag, leaving the board T high. I bet out, he calls. The river is another rag, perhaps making a straight possible, I don't recall. I bet, he calls.

Results to follow with my thoughts.

Thanks for any and all replies,
Calvin

[calvin]

Hello,

In hand #1 he turned over QQ for the flopped set.

In hand #2 he turned over KK for the overpair.

I hand one, I thought that he had exactly QQ after seeing his reaction the flop, I honestly don't think I have ever had a better read than that. That is why I am so curious about my play. Should I stay in this hand and be betting it, especially without him raising me once? How would you play this hand?

In hand #2, I did not have a precise read on him. I thought any big ace, and maybe even any pocket pair 99 or higher, as I open limped and it was folded to him. When the flop came ten high, I was hoping his overcards missed, but he would still bet out, allowing me to checkraise. The turn and river cards were not scare cards for me, so I decided to bet both. When he turned over KK, I was very surprised how weakly he played it. All comments are both welcome and much appreciated.

Calvin

[Homer]

Hand 1

Played well. The only judgement call is on the river. If you have a perfect read and can fold to a raise, then you should bet. Half the time you will be raised by QQ and the other half you will be paid off by KK (and 1/13 times tie AA), making it a neutral EV play. If you check, your opponent may not bet KK, and you will have to call a bet from what is more likely to be QQ, making checking a negative EV play. However, against most opponents, you can't be sure enough to fold to a raise with an overpair. Plus, they will likely bet KK on the river for you. If this is the case, then checking is a better play than betting.

Hand 1

If you're going to play KTo in EP, open-raise with it. Your play throughout the rest of the hand was fine, except for the river. If this player is weak-tight, he is not going to pay you off with his overcards on the river. So I think you should just check and hope to induce a bluff, especially since he has encouragement to bluff with four to a straight on board. I have a strange feeling that you lost to a JJ or QQ that went into a shell following your checkraise.

-- Homer