Count the mistakes

[JohnM]

In a NL 5K tourney that started with 120+ and is down to 23. I have a good stack, about 30K (Average stack is 13,000) but have been without much to play for the last hour. I'm in the BB with 200 antes and a 2000 blind. The button, who has almost as many chips as I, limps 1st in and the SB folds.
I know the button from 10-20 games and he is very loose, a chaser, not very aggressive but value bets often on slim values. He is not a real tricky player.
I look down and see the K /forums/images/icons/club.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/club.gif . Is this a raise? I checked and so did the button. The flop is the K /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif . I check again. Is this a betting position? If so, How much. Button chks again and The turn is the 2 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif and I check again as does the button. The river is a red 7. Now what? I kept on the skirt and checked only to see the button slam his stack of 25,000 into play and says "ALL IN"! Now what? /forums/images/icons/confused.gif He showed so the results and his hand follow.

[JohnM]

The reason that he showed is that I decided he had something like A7 suited and was betting the river card so I called. After the passive play preceeding that point, I think I should just give up. The 6K or so in the pot is not worth the rist that I was wrong - which I was. He had the 8 <img src="/forums/images/icons/club.gif" alt="" /> - 6 <img src="/forums/images/icons/club.gif" alt="" /> and hit a gut show straight /forums/images/icons/frown.gif . Served me right but I think that I should have won this hand in at least 2 previous positions. I really screwed it up even if my read had been right and I would have won the hand; my errors are still glaring. Appreciate your help and feedback.

[sdplayerb]

Since you are a large stack up against a large stack, I would err on the side of caution as you very likely have more to lose than to gain.
On the turn I may bet around 2K (also tough since I haven't played with him). I'd definitely check fold on river. He just isn't going to overbet the pot without top pair good kicker so the chances of you winning is small. That is the only real major mistake I see.

If he had been a medium stack, i would have raised preflop and gone after it on the flop.

You want to battle the small stacks that can't devastate you.

SD

[drewjustdrew]

Checking preflop is fine. I assume they paid 18 spots, no need to risk a ton of chips and be out of position. Pot sized bet on the flop or check. Bet the turn if you didn't bet the flop. If he calls the flop, I am done except for an absurdly small bet. Huge mistake calling on the end. He bet way too much for it to be worth your while. You can only beat a bluff in my opinion with this scary board, and it is not worth finding out when he overbets by 4 times the pot.

P.S. - if they only pay 9 spots, it may be worth a $6000 raise preflop, but I always find button callers suspicious. If he calls, he is making a mistake. Once you hit your king, you go all-in from there and win the pot. I love hind-sight.

[TimTimSalabim]

Mistake #1 is not betting the flop. The presence of the spades almost requires a pot-sized bet, to see where you're at, especially since you said he's not really tricky. If he doesn't have a spade or a big made hand, he'll almost certainly fold. If he raises you, you can probably safely fold your hand. If he calls, he's most likely on the spade draw, or possibly trying to trap you with a made flush. At any rate, you gain a lot of information, and in a lot of cases, you win the pot right there.

Mistake #2, and the much bigger one, is calling on the end, as there is little you can beat other than a bluff. And since you said he's not really tricky, it's unlikely to be a bluff.

[ohkanada]

Pre-flop don't raise out of position with K4s against a button limper.

On the flop I can see checking or betting out 5k.

On the turn check is the only play. Why get cute on a 4 flush board.

On the river check/fold. What can you beat? If he bets 5k then maybe you can call but I wouldn't call much.

Ken Poklitar

[Paluka]

I think you pretty clearly should bet 5k or so on the flop. The call on the end is absurdly horrible.