Twenty Rocky Mountain hands (long)

[rharless]

A post of mine last week got some helpful comments regarding play in my 2-5 spread limit game in Colorado. I thought I would continue the analysis by posting some hands from my session last night.

Table description: Everyone at the table is an extremely straightforward average player. Preflop raises are uncommon. A post-flop raise from anyone almost always means big hand, not a bluff nor a big draw. We have usually 5-7 people seeing the flop for $2 each.

Hand #1: I have Q/forums/images/icons/heart.gifQ/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif UTG+1. I make it $7. I get one caller. Flop JT-rag with two hearts. I bet, she calls. Turn is small heart. I bet, she calls. River is fourth heart (small). This player is completely expressionless. I bet, she calls. My Q-high flush wins. I am stunned when she rolls over K/forums/images/icons/spade.gifK/forums/images/icons/club.gif.

Hand #2: I have J/forums/images/icons/club.gif6/forums/images/icons/heart.gif in the blind. (We have just one blind, $2). Flop is 6-5-2r. I check. Checked around to button who bets; I raise. MP calls $10 cold. Button calls add'l bet. Turn is 5, I bet, MP calls, button mucks. River 5. I bet, he calls. I lose to 77.

Hand #3: I am in LP with QTo. Five players limp to me and I call $2, blind checks; seven to the flop. Flop is T-high. Checked to me, I bet, they all fold.

Hand #4: I am in MP with AKo. Two limpers to me and I raise to $7. All muck except the blind who calls $5 more. Flop A-rag-rag. He bets, I raise, he says "oh! you mean you were serious?" and calls. Turn Q, he says "I think I just beat you" and he bets. I call. He checks the river (blank) and he wins with AQ.

Hand #5: I am in UTG+2 with 8/forums/images/icons/club.gif7/forums/images/icons/club.gif. Both UTG and UTG+1 limp for $2. I call. Four more call and blind checks; 8 to the flop. Flop is Q/forums/images/icons/club.gifJ/forums/images/icons/club.gifrag. UTG+1 bets, I call, all fold to UTG who calls. Turn is the 9/forums/images/icons/club.gif making my flush. UTG+1 bets and I raise, UTG folds and UTG+1 calls. River brings A/forums/images/icons/club.gif. We both check and I win.

Hand #6: I am on button and there's five callers to me. I muck K9o. Too tight?

Hand #7: I am in LP with QTo. Three callers to me and I call. Flop is A-T-3(r). Check to me, I bet, and the blind calls. Turn is small rag. Check to me and I bet and she calls. River is blank, I bet, and she calls, obviously wins, with A6o. This is the same lady who smooth called KK all the way in Hand 1 and come to think of it, I have never seen her call with less than top pair. Duh on me!

Hand #8: I am in MP with J/forums/images/icons/club.gifT/forums/images/icons/club.gif. Two limpers to me and I call. Two more limpers, blind checks, six to the flop. Flop is T/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif8/forums/images/icons/heart.gif3/forums/images/icons/club.gif rainbow. EP bets, I raise, guy to my left cold calls $10, EP calls the add'l $5. Turn is a 9/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. Check to me and I bet, guy on left raises to $10, first guy mucks, and I call. On the river (blank) he bets, and I muck. He shows the dealer that he had 6/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif7/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif for the small straight, flush/straight flush redraw.

Hand #9: I am in MP with black KK. I make it $7 and I get four callers (two in front and two behind). Flop is 432(r). Blind bets. Loose Asian Lady (LAL) to my right raises. I have seen her raise only once before and it was on draw (very noticeable b/c she is the only "raise on draw" player at the table). I three-bet. Everyone else mucks and blind cold calls the $10. LAL now makes it $20 and I muck for just $5 more. Obviously I am beat, but is this a reasonable laydown for a pot of $85 (not that I counted it down on the spot)? I didn't even question the laydown at the time. Rest of hand goes check-bet-call, check-bet-call and LAL shows 65o for the flopped nut straight.

Hand #10: I have 33 in MP. Two callers to me and I call. Three more callers. Flop is Q /forums/images/icons/club.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif (I just love these hands). Blind bets only $2. Two callers and I make it $7. Everyone after me mucks, two of the three call the extra $5. Turn is 2/forums/images/icons/club.gif. Check to guy on my right who bets, and I just call, first guy also calls. River is 2/forums/images/icons/spade.gif. Check, bet, I raise, first guy mucks, second guy pats my felt (ahem) and says "nice hand" and mucks.

Hand #11: I have 22 in EP. I call. 8 to the flop for $2. Nothing on flop, I muck to a bet.

Hand #12: I have KJo in MP. One limper to me. Second in the hand, I raise to $7 (this is first time ever I have done this with KJo). Everyone behind me mucks, limper calls. Flop is Q-rag-rag. Check, I bet, he mucks.

Hand #13. I have black 7/forums/images/icons/club.gif 7/forums/images/icons/spade.gif in MP. Two limpers to me, I limp. Some limp behind. Flop is 5/forums/images/icons/spade.gif3/forums/images/icons/club.gif2/forums/images/icons/club.gif. Bet to me, and I raise to $10. Everyone else mucks and original bettor calls. Turn is 6/forums/images/icons/club.gif to complete any reasonable flop draw. He now bets again and I muck. He turns over 65o to show me his two pair.

Hand #14: I am in LP and I have K9s. Two callers to me and I muck.

Hand #15: I have Q /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 8/forums/images/icons/spade.gif in the blind. Flop is 8-5-3r (one spade) . I bet and get one LP caller. Turn is 9 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif . I bet and LP raises me and I call. River is another 8. I bet and he calls. I lose to 55.

Hand #15: I have Q9s on the button. Oddly, there's only two callers to me. I muck. Too tight?

Hand #17: I have ATo in MP. One caller to me and I just call. Two more callers, five to the flop. It misses me and I fold to a bet.

Hand #18: I have 99 in MP. One caller to me and I raise. I get two callers (one ahead and one behind). Flop is K82. I bet and LP calls, EP mucks. Turn is K. I bet, LP raises, and I fold.

Hand #19: I have QJs hearts in LP. Four callers to me and I raise. I get two callers. Flop is KKT with one heart. Checked to me and I just check. (Note, this is the only hand of the session where I preflop raise and then I check the flop. In this case I was opting for the freecard - I think it can go either way but maybe everyone here is strongly in favor of betting?) Turn is a blank, EP bets, MP calls, and I call. River is a blank and we check it through. EP wins with 99. MP had 22.

Hand #20: I have QTs diamonds in MP. I open-raise to $7. (Like #12, this is the first time I have ever raised this hand preflop.) I get one caller. Flop is J-rag-rag (one diamond). I bet and she mucks.

Please comment away.

Thanks!
RH

[bernie]

overall, you played ok....some mistakes but not many at all...

Hand #1: she made you money by not playing aggressive when she had the best of it....id be happy with this pot

"Hand #2: I have J6 in the blind. (We have just one blind, $2). Flop is 6-5-2r. I check. Checked around to button who bets; I raise. MP calls $10 cold. Button calls add'l bet. Turn is 5, I bet, MP calls, button mucks. River 5. I bet, he calls. I lose to 77."

another money saving hand...


"Hand #3: I am in LP with QTo. Five players limp to me and I call $2, blind checks; seven to the flop. Flop is T-high. Checked to me, I bet, they all fold."

nice

"Hand #4: I am in MP with AKo. Two limpers to me and I raise to $7. All muck except the blind who calls $5 more. Flop A-rag-rag. He bets, I raise, he says "oh! you mean you were serious?" and calls. Turn Q, he says "I think I just beat you" and he bets. I call. He checks the river (blank) and he wins with AQ."

many of these types of players arent 'tricky' talkers...you could fold to his turn bet given the descriptions of the texture...but nothing wrong with calling if youre not sure..


"Hand #5: I am in UTG+2 with 87. Both UTG and UTG+1 limp for $2. I call. Four more call and blind checks; 8 to the flop. Flop is QJrag. UTG+1 bets, I call, all fold to UTG who calls. Turn is the 9 making my flush. UTG+1 bets and I raise, UTG folds and UTG+1 calls. River brings A. We both check and I win. "

standard post flop...preflop, id consider a little loose. id play this in MP maybe, but not this early...

"Hand #6: I am on button and there's five callers to me. I muck K9o. Too tight?"

no

"Hand #7: I am in LP with QTo. Three callers to me and I call. Flop is A-T-3(r). Check to me, I bet, and the blind calls. Turn is small rag. Check to me and I bet and she calls. River is blank, I bet, and she calls, obviously wins, with A6o. This is the same lady who smooth called KK all the way in Hand 1 and come to think of it, I have never seen her call with less than top pair. Duh on me!"

i agree....duh. what do you think she was calling with...you knew that though...'nuff said


"Hand #8: I am in MP with JT. Two limpers to me and I call. Two more limpers, blind checks, six to the flop. Flop is T83 rainbow. EP bets, I raise, guy to my left cold calls $10, EP calls the add'l $5. Turn is a 9. Check to me and I bet, guy on left raises to $10, first guy mucks, and I call. On the river (blank) he bets, and I muck. He shows the dealer that he had 67 for the small straight, flush/straight flush redraw."

again, fiven your description you could fold the river here...but calling is fine...

"Hand #9: I am in MP with black KK. I make it $7 and I get four callers (two in front and two behind). Flop is 432(r). Blind bets. Loose Asian Lady (LAL) to my right raises. I have seen her raise only once before and it was on draw (very noticeable b/c she is the only "raise on draw" player at the table). I three-bet. Everyone else mucks and blind cold calls the $10. LAL now makes it $20 and I muck for just $5 more. Obviously I am beat, but is this a reasonable laydown for a pot of $85 (not that I counted it down on the spot)? I didn't even question the laydown at the time. Rest of hand goes check-bet-call, check-bet-call and LAL shows 65o for the flopped nut straight."

many will probably say bad fold here...but again, with youre description. she raises with a draw, but what about when she caps? good read...


"Hand #12: I have KJo in MP. One limper to me. Second in the hand, I raise to $7 (this is first time ever I have done this with KJo). Everyone behind me mucks, limper calls. Flop is Q-rag-rag. Check, I bet, he mucks."

a nice way to play KJo...seems youre getting alot of respect when you bet. even a better reason for the way you played this hand...

"Hand #13. I have black 7 7 in MP. Two limpers to me, I limp. Some limp behind. Flop is 532. Bet to me, and I raise to $10. Everyone else mucks and original bettor calls. Turn is 6 to complete any reasonable flop draw. He now bets again and I muck. He turns over 65o to show me his two pair."

hindsight it's at least a call. but at the time, id say it's a raise or fold. you may have 6 outs, even if he has a set...


"Hand #15: I have Q 8 in the blind. Flop is 8-5-3r (one spade) . I bet and get one LP caller. Turn is 9 . I bet and LP raises me and I call. River is another 8. I bet and he calls. I lose to 55."

gotta love when they dont raise the river here...even if you dont call, why just call with a FH? love these guys too...they just love showing their hand at the end...as untactical as it is...


"Hand #17: I have ATo in MP. One caller to me and I just call. Two more callers, five to the flop. It misses me and I fold to a bet."

ya got a little cute here....remember the respect youve been getting? raise this preflop in this spot


"Hand #18: I have 99 in MP. One caller to me and I raise. I get two callers (one ahead and one behind). Flop is K82. I bet and LP calls, EP mucks. Turn is K. I bet, LP raises, and I fold."

they arent calling your preflop raise with anything...when you bet the flop and they dont fold with a K showing, the one with a K is usually calling. nice fold on the turn...

"Hand #19: I have QJs hearts in LP. Four callers to me and I raise. I get two callers. Flop is KKT with one heart. Checked to me and I just check. (Note, this is the only hand of the session where I preflop raise and then I check the flop. In this case I was opting for the freecard - I think it can go either way but maybe everyone here is strongly in favor of betting?) Turn is a blank, EP bets, MP calls, and I call. River is a blank and we check it through. EP wins with 99. MP had 22."

i may have bet the flop, then checked the turn for the free card...theyll tell you if they have a K wont they?

"Hand #20: I have QTs diamonds in MP. I open-raise to $7. (Like #12, this is the first time I have ever raised this hand preflop.) I get one caller. Flop is J-rag-rag (one diamond). I bet and she mucks."

again, nice use of your image. time to start stealing more...

all done...

just some ideas...

b

[Bob T.]

1 - I am stunned also, I guess she means it when she calls. What does she raise with.

6 - I muck this also, I hate this hand except in steal situations.

7 - Maybe you should be terrified when she calls. I might muck the next two hands if she raises.

12 & 20 - This is fun isn't it?

15 - They must think that you are a maniac, betting unimproved trips, and top pair like you do. Some of the mucks that you made are on the very conservative side, but when you see what they call with, what they bet or especially raise with must be a monstrous hand.

19 - I bet you wished that you had bet the flop when you saw the showdown.

[rharless]

b, Thanks for the feedback.

Hand 5, 87s, I knew that loose move would be duly noted in the peanut gallery. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif The table was just sooo passive preflop... basically I took a gamble that the remaining players wouldn't raise. Position is not good for maximizing the pot postflop either, however, which I guess is a point I didn't consider too much.

Re hand 8, I did fold the river -- I only saw his cards b/c he showed the dealer his hand and I was able to lean back and spot the cards too.

Re hand 9, we are actually allowed 5 raises in Colorado. Therefore, when LAL made it $20, there were two raises left. LAL is scary enough -- but the blind is a player I know very well, and her bet 5/ cold call 10 complicates my situation.

Hand 17, I wasn't intentionally being cute (at least not with my cards /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif )... but I did consider possibly raising it. Still trying to adjust to the rhythm of raising more often preflop. These hands (KJo, QTs, ATo) are hands with which I have been taught to avoid 2nd place, so it's a mind shift for me. I have always known that there are hands I can raise with that I can't call a raise with, but that spectrum of hands seems much larger than I guessed at my 2-5 structure.

[rharless]

A funny hand re the player in hand 1. Flop is A96 and blind bets, she calls. Turn is a 6. He bets, she calls. River is a 6. He bets, she raises, he re-raises, she calls. Blind has A6, she has 99. Owie.

I did make conservative mucks, but the table was really extremely straightforward. Bet means top pair or better. Raise means top two or better. Three bet means the nuts. (Unfortunately, river call means "you lose!" /forums/images/icons/wink.gif ) Only one player did not fit this betting pattern description, but she was not tricky.

19 -- yes, I wished I bet the flop /forums/images/icons/frown.gif If I had not raised preflop, I would have bet the flop actually. Since I raised preflop, I was now avoiding the potential checkraise, but I don't know if that was a good reason.

[J.R.]

Hand #1: I have QQ UTG+1. I make it $7. I get one caller. Flop JT-rag with two hearts. I bet, she calls. Turn is small heart. I bet, she calls. River is fourth heart (small). This player is completely expressionless. I bet, she calls. My Q-high flush wins. I am stunned when she rolls over KK.

OK, and thanks for showing. Be wary of this passive player's raises.

Hand #2: I have J6 in the blind. (We have just one blind, $2). Flop is 6-5-2r. I check. Checked around to button who bets; I raise. MP calls $10 cold. Button calls add'l bet. Turn is 5, I bet, MP calls, button mucks. River 5. I bet, he calls. I lose to 77.

I would check/call the river here and fold if raised on the turn. Coldcalling 10 on the flop smells odd.

Hand #3: I am in LP with QTo. Five players limp to me and I call $2, blind checks; seven to the flop. Flop is T-high. Checked to me, I bet, they all fold.

I fold QTo here, the randomness of the cards my opponents often play, and the manner in whcih they play them means I have a hard time gauging where I am, so I just play good cards and bet when I have something or jam with a nice draw and a multiway pot.

Hand #4: I am in MP with AKo. Two limpers to me and I raise to $7. All muck except the blind who calls $5 more. Flop A-rag-rag. He bets, I raise, he says "oh! you mean you were serious?" and calls. Turn Q, he says "I think I just beat you" and he bets. I call. He checks the river (blank) and he wins with AQ.

Don't know where this was, but the friendly recreational gambling nature of many players (you know the type) would lead me to play it the same way. Many players are very open and honest about their hands.

Hand #5: I am in UTG+2 with 87. Both UTG and UTG+1 limp for $2. I call. Four more call and blind checks; 8 to the flop. Flop is QJrag. UTG+1 bets, I call, all fold to UTG who calls. Turn is the 9 making my flush. UTG+1 bets and I raise, UTG folds and UTG+1 calls. River brings A. We both check and I win.

Bet the river.

Hand #6: I am on button and there's five callers to me. I muck K9o. Too tight?

I don't think so. How do you play when a K flops and EP bets and MP calls?

Hand #7: I am in LP with QTo. Three callers to me and I call. Flop is A-T-3(r). Check to me, I bet, and the blind calls. Turn is small rag. Check to me and I bet and she calls. River is blank, I bet, and she calls, obviously wins, with A6o. This is the same lady who smooth called KK all the way in Hand 1 and come to think of it, I have never seen her call with less than top pair. Duh on me!

Flop bet is interesting, but given the calling station nature of most games in Colorado, (and the weak tighties who never bet) you are not folding many players unless you image is tight. I don't think raise the flop here, but given you did I would take the free card on the turn.

Hand #8: I am in MP with JT. Two limpers to me and I call. Two more limpers, blind checks, six to the flop. Flop is T83 rainbow. EP bets, I raise, guy to my left cold calls $10, EP calls the add'l $5. Turn is a 9. Check to me and I bet, guy on left raises to $10, first guy mucks, and I call. On the river (blank) he bets, and I muck. He shows the dealer that he had 67 for the small straight, flush/straight flush redraw.

If this was JTo I fold. You know the player, good fold. Like the flop aggression. The coldcall lets you know to watch out.

Hand #9: I am in MP with black KK. I make it $7 and I get four callers (two in front and two behind). Flop is 432(r). Blind bets. Loose Asian Lady (LAL) to my right raises. I have seen her raise only once before and it was on draw (very noticeable b/c she is the only "raise on draw" player at the table). I three-bet. Everyone else mucks and blind cold calls the $10. LAL now makes it $20 and I muck for just $5 more. Obviously I am beat, but is this a reasonable laydown for a pot of $85 (not that I counted it down on the spot)? I didn't even question the laydown at the time. Rest of hand goes check-bet-call, check-bet-call and LAL shows 65o for the flopped nut straight.

Trust your read, most of these players are straightforward. Would she pump it with 2 pair, since your play screams big pair?

Hand #10: I have 33 in MP. Two callers to me and I call. Three more callers. Flop is Q 9 3 (I just love these hands). Blind bets only $2. Two callers and I make it $7. Everyone after me mucks, two of the three call the extra $5. Turn is 2. Check to guy on my right who bets, and I just call, first guy also calls. River is 2. Check, bet, I raise, first guy mucks, second guy pats my felt (ahem) and says "nice hand" and mucks.

Why raise the flop and smoothcall the turn? I would raise the turn as well.

Hand #11: I have 22 in EP. I call. 8 to the flop for $2. Nothing on flop, I muck to a bet.

8 to the flop, sounds like you had the right game conditions for the limp. Pairs play much better than suited connecting hands without big card strength.

Hand #12: I have KJo in MP. One limper to me. Second in the hand, I raise to $7 (this is first time ever I have done this with KJo). Everyone behind me mucks, limper calls. Flop is Q-rag-rag. Check, I bet, he mucks.

I usually muck. Was the game really that weak-tight. I would often expect coldcallers and my hand is to weak, imo, to play out of position multiway.

Hand #13. I have black 7 7 in MP. Two limpers to me, I limp. Some limp behind. Flop is 532. Bet to me, and I raise to $10. Everyone else mucks and original bettor calls. Turn is 6 to complete any reasonable flop draw. He now bets again and I muck. He turns over 65o to show me his two pair.

I would call, unless you knew this player would bet draws into a field on the flop.

Hand #14: I am in LP and I have K9s. Two callers to me and I muck

I call every time. This is a much better hand than QTo here, IMO.

Hand #15: I have Q 8 in the blind. Flop is 8-5-3r (one spade) . I bet and get one LP caller. Turn is 9 . I bet and LP raises me and I call. River is another 8. I bet and he calls. I lose to 55.

Fold the turn unless the 9 was a spade.

Hand #15: I have Q9s on the button. Oddly, there's only two callers to me. I muck. Too tight?

I would call. The problem with hands like this and the K9s is that unlike the standard structured game, the flop is not the cheap street, so pocket pairs play better than suited drawing hands because of the larger post-flop action. But for 2 bucks, with bad players who will pay you off, I call on the button.

Hand #17: I have ATo in MP. One caller to me and I just call. Two more callers, five to the flop. It misses me and I fold to a bet.

I usually fold ATo here unless the table is tight, than I might raise, but rarely. I find there is little need to advertise here as I can fold endlessly but get action when I do play a hand.

Hand #18: I have 99 in MP. One caller to me and I raise. I get two callers (one ahead and one behind). Flop is K82. I bet and LP calls, EP mucks. Turn is K. I bet, LP raises, and I fold.

I never raise here. Call, let others come in, and charge the heck out of them when you flop a set. I would check/fold the turn unless the LP player was tricky.

Hand #19: I have QJs hearts in LP. Four callers to me and I raise. I get two callers. Flop is KKT with one heart. Checked to me and I just check. (Note, this is the only hand of the session where I preflop raise and then I check the flop. In this case I was opting for the freecard - I think it can go either way but maybe everyone here is strongly in favor of betting?) Turn is a blank, EP bets, MP calls, and I call. River is a blank and we check it through. EP wins with 99. MP had 22.

I wouldn't raise to 7 here, but might raise to 4 or 5 (maybe that's a tell?). I would bet the flop and look for a free card on the turn.

Hand #20: I have QTs diamonds in MP. I open-raise to $7. (Like #12, this is the first time I have ever raised this hand preflop.) I get one caller. Flop is J-rag-rag (one diamond). I bet and she mucks.

Worked out, but at a typicall calling type table i would not raise here. I don't raise as much with suited medium cards here as I do in a structured game because there is proportionally less blind money you are playing for and it is more costly to play suited connectors on the flop than in a structured game (whcih is the same as saying you can not collect double bets on the later streets when you hit, which hurts your implied odds). I think suited connectors and gappers are overvalued in this structure unless you can get in cheaply.

[lskelly57]

Your play leaves very little room for comment since it's hard to find mistakes anywhere. But you did ask a couple of questions in places I thought the answer was easy, so...

>Hand #6: I am on button and there's five callers to me. I
>muck K9o. Too tight?

Not at all. A game of this structure (a single $2 with bets of up to $5 allowed preflop-river) with blinds so tiny means you have to play a balancing act between (a) tightening up to compensate for the fact that it's not much of a pot to fight over, and (b) loosening up for those wonderful implied odds you can get from being able to see a dirt-cheap flop.

Had you played that K9o hand, one of three things can happen.
(1) flop misses, you fold.
(2) Flop hits, you have best hand. You can't be entirely sure of that, however, which means you have to tone down the aggressiveness in protecting it. Furthermore, anyone who flopped a good draw gets the wonderful implied odds they were looking for, from you. Either way, mistakes are bound to be made.

(3) Flop hits, but hits someone else better. In these cases you get to payoff the winner, often with anywhere from zero to three outs, meaning all you can do is make errors.

Thus, with only a small pot to win, and many potential mistakes to be made, this seems to me an easy fold.

>Hand #16: I have Q9s on the button. Oddly, there's only
>two callers to me. I muck. Too tight?

Not at all. You need an awful good reason to play for a $4 pot. IMHO, Q9s falls awful short.

[Clarkmeister]

"Hand #1: I have QQ UTG+1. I make it $7. I get one caller. Flop JT-rag with two hearts. I bet, she calls. Turn is small heart. I bet, she calls. River is fourth heart (small). This player is completely expressionless. I bet, she calls. My Q-high flush wins. I am stunned when she rolls over KK."

You should also consider betting even if you don't have a heart.

"Hand #2: I have J6 in the blind. (We have just one blind, $2). Flop is 6-5-2r. I check. Checked around to button who bets; I raise. MP calls $10 cold. Button calls add'l bet. Turn is 5, I bet, MP calls, button mucks. River 5. I bet, he calls. I lose to 77."

A-OK.

"Hand #3: I am in LP with QTo. Five players limp to me and I call $2, blind checks; seven to the flop. Flop is T-high. Checked to me, I bet, they all fold."

Yay.

"Hand #4: I am in MP with AKo. Two limpers to me and I raise to $7. All muck except the blind who calls $5 more. Flop A-rag-rag. He bets, I raise, he says "oh! you mean you were serious?" and calls. Turn Q, he says "I think I just beat you" and he bets. I call. He checks the river (blank) and he wins with AQ."

The only way I raise this flop is if I am also routinely raising with hands like TT and JJ in this spot also. Otherwise, call and crank either the turn or (preferably) the river. You should bet the river when checked to against most people, but with his comment, I would likely check also since most people don't lie about stuff like that.

"Hand #5: I am in UTG+2 with 87s. Both UTG and UTG+1 limp for $2. I call. Four more call and blind checks; 8 to the flop. Flop is QJsrag. UTG+1 bets, I call, all fold to UTG who calls. Turn is the 9 making my flush. UTG+1 bets and I raise, UTG folds and UTG+1 calls. River brings A. We both check and I win. "

Bet the river.

"Hand #6: I am on button and there's five callers to me. I muck K9o. Too tight?"

If they are really bad I'd play it. Given that you bet the Txx flop above with QT and they all folded, I'd definitely play if the blinds are very unlikely to raise. As a side comment, you'll be amazed at how much your hand reading skills are forced to improve when you get in those marginal spots.

"Hand #7: I am in LP with QTo. Three callers to me and I call. Flop is A-T-3(r). Check to me, I bet, and the blind calls. Turn is small rag. Check to me and I bet and she calls. River is blank, I bet, and she calls, obviously wins, with A6o. This is the same lady who smooth called KK all the way in Hand 1 and come to think of it, I have never seen her call with less than top pair. Duh on me!"

This is one where I'd check behind, especially given her play on the earlier hand. If the flop had been king high rather than ace high, I'd bet the river.

"Hand #8: I am in MP with JT. Two limpers to me and I call. Two more limpers, blind checks, six to the flop. Flop is T83 rainbow. EP bets, I raise, guy to my left cold calls $10, EP calls the add'l $5. Turn is a 9. Check to me and I bet, guy on left raises to $10, first guy mucks, and I call. On the river (blank) he bets, and I muck. He shows the dealer that he had 67 for the small straight, flush/straight flush redraw."

Seems fine to me, though I'd want to be in LMP for JTo.

"Hand #9: I am in MP with black KK. I make it $7 and I get four callers (two in front and two behind). Flop is 432(r). Blind bets. Loose Asian Lady (LAL) to my right raises. I have seen her raise only once before and it was on draw (very noticeable b/c she is the only "raise on draw" player at the table). I three-bet. Everyone else mucks and blind cold calls the $10. LAL now makes it $20 and I muck for just $5 more. Obviously I am beat, but is this a reasonable laydown for a pot of $85 (not that I counted it down on the spot)? I didn't even question the laydown at the time. Rest of hand goes check-bet-call, check-bet-call and LAL shows 65o for the flopped nut straight."

I'd take one off for the extra $5. They know you can't have more than one pair, so you'll find yourself getting pushed around by 2 pair or even pair + draw here very often (you did say she likes to push draws). Make them fire again on the turn. The pot is way too big to be folding when you could easily have 5 outs right now, 8 outs on the turn, and there's even a small chance you are in the lead. On the turn, you have to really trust your read that you are behind to more than 2 pair to fold, but if its a mistake, its far less of a mistake than folding on the flop getting 14 or 15-1.

"Hand #10: I have 33 in MP. Two callers to me and I call. Three more callers. Flop is Q 9 3 (I just love these hands). Blind bets only $2. Two callers and I make it $7. Everyone after me mucks, two of the three call the extra $5. Turn is 2. Check to guy on my right who bets, and I just call, first guy also calls. River is 2. Check, bet, I raise, first guy mucks, second guy pats my felt (ahem) and says "nice hand" and mucks. "

Seems fine to me.

"Hand #11: I have 22 in EP. I call. 8 to the flop for $2. Nothing on flop, I muck to a bet."

Okie Dokie.

"Hand #12: I have KJo in MP. One limper to me. Second in the hand, I raise to $7 (this is first time ever I have done this with KJo). Everyone behind me mucks, limper calls. Flop is Q-rag-rag. Check, I bet, he mucks."

These are my favorite hands in all of poker. Well done and don't forget this one.

"Hand #13. I have black 7 7 in MP. Two limpers to me, I limp. Some limp behind. Flop is 532. Bet to me, and I raise to $10. Everyone else mucks and original bettor calls. Turn is 6 to complete any reasonable flop draw. He now bets again and I muck. He turns over 65o to show me his two pair."

Headsup on the turn it is almost never ever correct to fold with one of a flush suit and a 3 flush on board. Here its even worse since you have straight outs also. Also remember this betting pattern. The bet, call a raise, bet again on the turn when a flush card comes pattern is almost NEVER a flush.

"Hand #14: I am in LP and I have K9s. Two callers to me and I muck."

Thats a bad bad bad fold. I'd play K9s UTG in the game with the texture you are describing.

"Hand #15: I have Q 8 in the blind. Flop is 8-5-3r (one spade) . I bet and get one LP caller. Turn is 9 . I bet and LP raises me and I call. River is another 8. I bet and he calls. I lose to 55."

I'd have folded on the turn without a second thought. Too big a chance you are drawing to 3 queens or dead against a straight.

"Hand #15: I have Q9s on the button. Oddly, there's only two callers to me. I muck. Too tight?"

Way too tight. You could get away with Q9o here.

"Hand #17: I have ATo in MP. One caller to me and I just call. Two more callers, five to the flop. It misses me and I fold to a bet."

Remember the KJo hand? Raise if you haven't shown up in a pot lately. If you've been involved in a lot of pots lately, then limp.

"Hand #18: I have 99 in MP. One caller to me and I raise. I get two callers (one ahead and one behind). Flop is K82. I bet and LP calls, EP mucks. Turn is K. I bet, LP raises, and I fold."

Tough hand. I'd muck too but I wouldn't like it.

"Hand #19: I have QJs hearts in LP. Four callers to me and I raise. I get two callers. Flop is KKT with one heart. Checked to me and I just check. (Note, this is the only hand of the session where I preflop raise and then I check the flop. In this case I was opting for the freecard - I think it can go either way but maybe everyone here is strongly in favor of betting?) Turn is a blank, EP bets, MP calls, and I call. River is a blank and we check it through. EP wins with 99. MP had 22."

Pick a flop that "obviously" missed you when checking with a draw on the flop. This flop is too likely to have dotted you between the eyes and you could easily win with a bet.

"Hand #20: I have QTs diamonds in MP. I open-raise to $7. (Like #12, this is the first time I have ever raised this hand preflop.) I get one caller. Flop is J-rag-rag (one diamond). I bet and she mucks."

Again, remember this hand. Remember the KJo hand. This is where you make the money. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

gl.

[rharless]

Both you and JR made similar comments about Hand 15, comments which are entirely puzzling to me. I think maybe the suits of the cards got lost along the way. Here is the hand again with text suits instead of images: I have Qs8s in the blind. Flop is 8-5-3r (one spade) . I bet and get one LP caller. Turn is 9s. I bet and LP raises me and I call. River is another 8. I bet and he calls. I lose to 55.

You said:
"I'd have folded on the turn without a second thought. Too big a chance you are drawing to 3 queens or dead against a straight."

Disregarding the three queens comment (seems completely irrelevent) -- I am drawing quite live with a flush draw?

On a different note, I found this statement a bit surprising: "remember this betting pattern. The bet, call a raise, bet again on the turn when a flush card comes pattern is almost NEVER a flush."

I haven't really taken a tally, but it seems like I've seen this move quite a bit for flushes or one-card straights. I will keep an eye out for this.

Thanks for your comments, as always.

rh

[Clarkmeister]

I missed the flush draw. My mistake. I'd check-call the river though.

Its a much more reliable pattern with flush draws hitting on the turn than when a 4 straight appears. Know your players, but definitely keep an eye out for it. My default play in your spot is to raise. You'll be amazed how often they fold, lol.

[cferejohn]

ATo is a *much* stronger hand than KJo or QTo when you can get it heads-up. In a game where you can clearly buy the pot with a pre-flop raise and a flop-bet, I would nearly always raise ATo against a single limper in MP (unless I know the limper is extremely tight and would only limp with better hands than ATo). If I wasn't going to raise, I would seriously think about throwing it away. I hate ATo vs. many opponents.