interesting 3-6 hold 'em session

[34TheTruth34]

Since it's the current trend on 2+2 to post a bunch of hands from a single session, I'm going to do the same. Here are the 10 most interesting hands that I played in my last 3-6 hold 'em session. There is a lot of material here and a lot to comment on, so thank you in advance. Here goes:

Game condition: Loose passive

1. 3 limpers to me I call with A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif . Five way action for one bet each. Flop 8 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif-5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif-5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. BB bets out, clueless guy to my right calls, I raise, 2 callers behind me, BB and clueless guy call. Turn 2 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. BB checks, clueless guy bets, we all call. River J /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. Checked around to button who bets. Clueless guy calls, I fold. Button shows 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/club.gif for a rivered flush. Clueless guy shows me his hand, 85o for a flopped full house, and says "nice flop, huh?". I laugh and say "yeah, I guess". Clueless guy continues to stare angrily at his hand and it occurs to me that doesn't realize he has the winner. I have a personal rule that if a player doesn't put his hand face up on the table I won't comment in any way. He mucks. After the hand I whisper to him that I had ace-five. We both laugh /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

2. I pick up 8 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 8 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif on the button after 3 people limp. I call, SB mucks, 5-way action for one bet. Flop 8-4-4 rainbow. BB bets out, LAG in MP raises, I smooth-call, BB calls. Turn Q, still rainbow. BB checks, LAG bets, I raise, SB folds /forums/images/icons/frown.gif , LAG calls. River 3. LAG bets out, I raise, he reraises /forums/images/icons/confused.gif . I say "you got quad fours?" trying to get any kind of read from his reaction. Nothing. I decide to just call. He shows 4 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif and I take it down.

I get moved to the main game. It contains a couple of solid regulars, a couple of not-so-solid regulars, a couple of people I don't recognize, and a major fish lady playing every single hand to the river and stacking everyone else's chips. A very good game, still on the loose passive side, but overall slightly tighter preflop.

3. I get a free play in the BB with J /forums/images/icons/club.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/club.gif . Six way action for one bet. Flop J-4-3 with one club. I check, EP bets, fish lady calls, 2 more LP callers, I raise, folded to EP who calls, fish lady comes to life with a 3-bet, everybody folds around to me. I call hoping she has 4-3. EP folds, heads up me and her. I check-call the turn and river, both blanks, and she shows a set of fours and takes it.

4. Next trip around I pick up AKo in BB. 4 callers, all regulars and semi-decent players (fish lady must have had real bad cards to have folded preflop). I decide to just check. My reasoning is that I want to trap them if an A or K comes and quietly check-fold if it doesn't. Of course, the problem with that is that it's impossible to make up those extra bets if the flop comes, oh I don't know, say, K /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif-K /forums/images/icons/spade.gif-5 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif. I bet out hoping they put me on a five. Folded around to SB who calls. I think he would check-raise the turn if he had a king. Turn 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif. He check-calls. River T /forums/images/icons/spade.gif, putting a 3-flush on the board. Needless to say, I don't like the card. He checks. This player is one of the not-so-good regulars in the game. He will call on the flop and turn with any piece of the board or any pocket pair at all. But would he call on the river without a king? I decide to bet for value and he check-raises. Is he waiting until now to make his move with a king? Does he have the flush? I give up thinking and decide to just call. He has the flush. I give him a "well played" for trapping me on the river. He says "I tried to give you a break when I checked". I don't know whether this is true, or if he just knew I had a king and would bet it. Either way, as bad as he normally plays, he certainly outplayed me on that one.

5. BB again, this time with A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif A /forums/images/icons/club.gif. 3 limpers, I raise, they all call. Flop J /forums/images/icons/club.gif-T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif-7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. I bet, EP folds, fish lady calls, LP calls (a pretty reasonable player from what I've seen of his play). Turn J /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif, my worst nightmare. Even though I only have 2 opponents, I chicken out and check. They check too. Upset I missed a bet, I bet the river before the dealer even puts it out. I don't even look at it. They both fold.

6. Yet another BB hand. This time A2o. 5 players for 1 bet each. Flop A-2-3 rainbow. I bet, 3 callers. Turn A. I bet again, folded around to button who raises. I 3-bet. He thinks and thinks and finally, somewhat reluctantly, calls. River 3. I lose my composure upon seeing the card and let a "son of a b***h" slip out. He realizes instantly what has just happens and smiles. I bet, he calls and shows A /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif and we chop it. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif . Another player at the table says to me "wow, that river card sucked for you." I just stare at him.

7. 4 limpers, I limp in the cutoff with ATo, button calls, BB checks. Flop A-A-3 rainbow. Checked to me. I pick up a tell on the button that he will bet. He is a solid regular, probably my best "friend" of all the people I regularly play with. I check, everyone folds, I call. Turn 3. I check and say, "You can probably beat pocket sixes, huh?" He nods and bets and I check-raise. He calls. River J. I bet, and he folds his pocket eights face up. He's clearly angry telling me that I lied to him. I let him know that I never specifically stated that I had pocket sixes. I tell him what I had and he responds with "I don't care what you had". I spend the next hour trying to give him his $6 back. He declines every time. The table agrees I'm an a-hole. I feel that I played the hand correctly, but now I ACTUALLY FEEL BAD that I played the hand the way I did. I have a funny feeling I'll be hearing about this one for the next 3 years...

A couple hours later, the table has changed dramatically. The regulars are gone and the game is fired up something crazy. The whole table is playing like they're on tilt and in the gamble-it-up mode. Usually when this happens, I abandon all hands but the best ones. But, this time I play it different. Because these guys are playing almost any two cards and raising each other with wacky 2-pair hands, I decide that I'm going to play any hand that can make a straight or flush. This may not be the right decision, but I decide to try it anyway and hope to win a monster pot or two.

8. I have J /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 9 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif in the BB. 3 callers and LP raises, I call and UTG limp-reraises and of course it gets capped. 6 players for 4 bets each. Flop 9 /forums/images/icons/club.gif-5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif-4 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif . I decide to bet out, 4 callers, surprisingly I don't get raised. Turn J /forums/images/icons/spade.gif. I bet out again and get 3 callers. River Q /forums/images/icons/club.gif, my worst nightmare. I check and it gets checked around. I show first and they all muck /forums/images/icons/confused.gif. Didn't see that one coming...

9. I'm on the button with 7 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/club.gif. 4 callers to me, surprisingly no raise. I call, 6 way action for one bet. Flop 3 rags with 2 clubs. Checked to me, I bet, they all call. Turn another rag, but a club, giving me a flush. They check to me, again I bet, 3 callers. River another rag, but this one puts a 4-straight on board. Checked to me, I bet, BB raises another person calls, I 3-bet saying "I don't know if my hand is good or not, but we'll find out together". Just the BB calls. I show and then he flips over J /forums/images/icons/club.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif and takes it.

10. I'm in the cutoff with T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif. 3 limpers and I call. Then all hell breaks loose. Button raises, SB re-raises and BB caps. I groan and call the 3 more bets. Flop 9 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif-6 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif-3 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif. BB bets out and and MP raises. This is where I should fold, but instead I call, BB reraises and MP caps. I call 2 more small bets. Pot is ridiculously big. Turn 4 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif, giving me more outs. BB checks, MP bets, I call and BB check-raises. We both call. River 8 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif giving me the nuts. BB bets out, MP calls, I raise, BB angrily slams QQ faceup in the muck, MP calls. I show, he just stares at his 69 and throws it away. As I'm stacking the chips (which I finished just as the next hand was ending), he asks me "how did you take so much heat with that hand?" I pause for a second to think and answer honestly, "I really don't know".

Comments?

[FletchJr.]

1. first hand, i like you're play but I'd also considering raising the turn. It's not very likely that a flush is out there everytime the 3rd suited card comes down. It may be a risky move, considering you had 2 players who called after your flop raise, try to figure out what these players would be calling with in these situations for future hands.

2.Seems like you played the hand well untill the river. I would of raised on the river, if he's a lag he could have a variety of hands you can beat. 43 even q4s and possibly A4. The chances of him having QQ or 44, are too slim, i'd hit him again.
*note, you had a really strong hand on the turn, you could of even only called the turn, in hopes for the overcall or extra action on the river. But you probably played it best up untill the river.

3.you're play was fine here after she 3 bet you. I probably would of bet out on the flop though, and 3 bet if raised.

4. played that one fine. you might want to check if he likes to draw to, or if he likes to check-raise. otherwise i think you got to call him.

5.you got to bet the turn when you see no sign of aggression on the flop. If they are super aggressive, then check to induce.

6.Played it fine, just keep the comment to yourself, some low limit players are so bad they don't clue in and think the card doesn't help them.

7.I think you played well. Got lucky didn't have to decide whether your goin to have to call the last bet or not.

8. I probably wouldn't bet the flop. A bet on the flop probably won't get you a free card on the turn if a big one comes, and if a blind then check raises you and everyone else folds, then what do you do? call raise again in hopes of a free card on the turn. This is all assuming that you don't know what's coming on the turn.
River, hmmm i don't think a 3 bet is that profitable here, if a fish is check raising you on the river he's probably got at least a top straight, but much more likely a flush, and with only 7 high your not looking too good.

10.Results were excellent, but really you should of folded twice preflop, once for the first bet and twice for the 3 extra bets. Then on the flop I think you should of folded aswell. On the turn, you got to cringe and call the initial bet and then twist your stomach more when the other guy check raises. NIce pot though.

Well that's how i would of played them all. Please right comments on my comments, why you don't like my actions and why you do thanks

[rharless]

1 - seems fine. some would raise the turn; I will as well but only occasionally, as I figure with that many opponents, someone just flushed, particularly one of the cold callers.

2 - I would wait until river to raise, and on the river I would pop it at least once if not twice more.

3 - You made a good read -- I think I would have lost more on this hand /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

4 - Raise preflop. I used to not-raise it as well, because it was easier for me to play the flop. To make more money, however, you have to learn to raise it preflop and play the flop. Also you do not want to be the "only raises AA/KK from BB" 100% predictable player

5 - If you definitely put LP solidly on J or diamond draw then it's a scare card and you can check. Otherwise you have to consider that this card is a scare card for your callers as well. Straightforward players can possibly call with T9, T8, 87, 99, 88, AK, AQ, AT, even QQ...

6 - fine

7 - some will say ATo is raise or fold, but I think this is fine

8 - I don't know if you knew the table was on tilt at this point. If so I would lay down J9s with the possibility of capping behind you. If you thought it'd just be one more bet then the call is more than ok. On the flop, I would definitely check and see how the action develops. Ideally, it gets checked to LP and you can check raise and narrow the field for your top pair. Alternatively it might come back to you for 2 bets and either you can put players on a better hand and muck, or you can check-re-raise if you think you are best. I think in this case checking actually lets you obtain more info about others' hands.

9 - tough luck

10 - I preflop I would have mucked for just one bet, and I would DEFINITELY have mucked for 3 more bets. By the flop you are tied on as the pot is enormous. On the flop, if a 3-bet would get you a free turn then I would have done that.

[MRBAA]

I think you played these hands well for the most part. As in your stud posts, your understanding of the game and ability to mesh probabilities with position with people and exercise self discipline will make you a consistent low limit winner, IMHO.

My main comment here is that it seems like you are a little more uptight and adversarial than necessary. First, if I saw the winning full in a friendly recreational player's hand, I'd definitely say to him -- just once and quietly -- "table your hand". Then it would be up to him.

Also, in the hand with your "friend", I think your c/r is fine -- but the coffeehousing is not. When I play in the Mohegan 3-6 game, I play as hard as I can and give no mercy to anyone but I do always refrain from needling or tabletalking with players unless they do it to me first.

At these limits, any intelligent person could be making more money/doing something more constructive with his or her time. So it's about enjoying the game, and part of that is about maintaining a friendly, human demeanor. btw, I think your approach is very similar to mine, including the verbal "edge". It's something I've been working on.

Another question -- did you play with a "pro" in this game, used to work at Foxwoods as a floor person, is trying to build a bankroll up. He plays very tight but is friendly and pleasant, although he gets a bit grim when losing?

[34TheTruth34]

did you play with a "pro" in this game, used to work at Foxwoods as a floor person, is trying to build a bankroll up. He plays very tight but is friendly and pleasant, although he gets a bit grim when losing?

I didn't notice a player by this description. There was another main game that he may have been in

[Homer]

1 - Fine. I'm glad you didn't tell the player he had a full house.

2 - Definitely 4-bet the river at least. Against some players I would 6-bet, but against most I would just call a 5-bet.

3 - Were the two non-club cards on the flop the same suit? If so, she could be pumping a flush draw. If not, she likely has a set. If you are fairly certain she has a set, you can call the three-bet, getting around 16:1, hoping to catch a Jack on the turn. If you miss you can then fold to her turn bet. If you aren't confident that she has a set then call her down.

4 - Against this many limpers I would raise AKo out of the big blind. I would only check in certain cases in which there are only or two EP limpers. Good bet on the flop. Hopefully someone will raise you so that you can three-bet. On the river I would bet every time. Against extremely straightforward players you can fold to the checkraise, but against most players you should call, hoping to be shown a weaker K.

5 - Bet the turn. If raised, you can fold.

6 - Routine, except for your comment. Don't say anything. Maybe you will get lucky and your opponent will fold, not realizing that the card helped him.

7 - Again routine, except for your comment. You gave out the classic "weak means strong" tell. If I were your opponent I would have checked behind on the turn and possibly folded to your river bet. Luckily, he didn't pick up on it, and your play worked out. He really should not get angry that you lied to him. What are you supposed to do, say "Can you beat ATo?" Does he honestly think that you have pocket sixes when you ask him that question?

8 - I would have folded to the cap preflop. I would have check-called the flop, hoping to make two-pair on the turn, knowing that I was almost certainly behind to an overpair. I would have checked the river as well, with the intention of calling a single bet.

9 - Someone mentioned that your preflop call was incorrect, but it isn't, it's fine. You played this entire hand fine, in fact (again, except for the comments /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif).

10 - You should have folded preflop without calling a single bet, especially considering the aggressive texture of the game. I'd much rather have any pocket pair in this situation. When it comes back to you for three more bets you HAVE to fold. Calling these three bets cold is by far the worst play you made in these ten hands. Calling on the flop could be correct if you knew there wouldn't be a reraise, but since it is obvious that there will be, you should fold. Your call on the turn is correct, even if you suspect that you will end up having to call an additional bet from a checkraise. BB shouldn't have folded for one more bet on the river.

-- Homer