Pocket twos at a tight table [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

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08-24-2005, 05:34 PM

I just discovered the site a few weeks ago or so but registered to post only last week. I just wanted to say that it's a great place and the advice seems to be really good, I hope it can help me become a better player.

READS: The table has been playing very tight. I probably should leave the table but it's been a fun time trying to learn how to play against tighter players. I'm not sure what's going on because the table was good for a while and then for the last five orbits or so has been very tight and aggressive. I have taken the blinds down without a fight a few times in the last orbits and many of the hands seem to be three handed or head's up. My stats on the players after me have them all as tight aggressive players but a little too tight, 14/7 or so.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
5 folds, Hero raises, 1 fold, Button 3-bets, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, Q/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (4.75 BB) T/images/graemlins/spade.gif (2 players)
Hero bets...

UATrewqaz

08-24-2005, 05:36 PM

I think this is fine, the preflop raise is a little iffy but the rest is fine. I doubt he raised your river bet, although if he does I think it's ok to throw away your hand as you can beat only a pure bluff.

I'd probably fold to the flop bet though.

Greg J

08-24-2005, 05:41 PM

I don't mind this line. I also might checkraise the flop and then go into slowdown mode by doing a check/call on the turn, and if he bet the turn check fold the river -- otherwise check call.

VoraciousReader

08-24-2005, 05:48 PM

Button probably just got tired of you taking down the blinds uncontested. I think you're likely good here. This is fine, imo.

USDaniels

08-24-2005, 06:14 PM

<grunching>
Weird hand. Villian bet the flop with what? Possibly nothing if he thinks (as you do) that the table is tight and he can pull the pot right there. Your flop call tells him you have MP,BP or wired pair and so he checks behind on the turn in an aborted bluff? Sounds plenty feasible. In that case, take the pot with a bet.

Worst case, he c/rs the river with the turned flush. Then you can let it go, and he still only got 1 BB out of you (and you'll note it dutifully).

</grunching>

DeathDonkey

08-24-2005, 06:18 PM

Hey there,

First of all I like to cap these type of hands preflop out of position, since you know it is heads up. You are a favorite against just about all unpaired hands he might have so you are doing this for value, and also to scare him a bit with some aggression.

That's a pretty good flop for you as you have the backdoor heart draw if you are behind, and your crushing AK with is a likely hand for him to 3 bet with. I really think you need to be betting here with the intention of 3 betting or checkraising at the least to scare him and also you probably have the best hand!

A beautiful turn card comes but its a tough spot because you might want a free card but more likely you are giving a free card! Bet here and if he raises again consider 3 betting as a strong semibluff with your draw. You usually have like 11 outs (flush + set) if you are behind and that pesky AK is in trouble against you still!

Nice river bet for value but sometimes you should check here to induce a bluff from a missed heart draw or AK. When he does this you want to checkraise because they sometimes get stubborn when you pick them off and he might call with his Ace high or whatever just to see what you have! That's a great 2 BB play!! Now of course you might get raised on the river yourself playing it this way but if you do you have more than enough pot odds to call, and in fact you might have odds to 3 bet! You only need to be ahead 1/6 times or so and if he has an overplayed AK you get maximum value!!

Welcome to the forums,
DeathDonkey

aces_dad

08-24-2005, 07:59 PM

I like the idea of capping pf with these low PP's HU in a blind steal situation. Though I haven't thought about the effects this has on the rest of the hand enough yet so hoping you can comment a little more on it.

Does this action necessarily tie you to being agressive on the flop and/or to a showdown? It seems to me ragged flops are preferable to anything with an A as that's what a villian would likely three bet here with.

Eeegah

08-24-2005, 08:04 PM

VoraciousReader

08-24-2005, 10:14 PM

DD,

I hadn't thought about a cap here...but it's interesting. It sounds like this is your default play heads-up...am I correct?

I can see it in this case because Hero has been stealing blinds. So there's a decent chance the 3-bet was Button saying "I don't believe you have a hand, you thief." And a cap by Hero says "Wrong, you've caught a monster by the tail."

But I wouldn't cap this every time...or even most times. We are almost even with 2 over cards (and we know for sure opponent has at least that...excluding the chance he's holding a 2.) Plus, having 3 bet, I think villain is more likely than usual to have a higher pocket pair...which would be all pocket pairs. So we have many hands where we have a tiny edge, and a non-insignificant number of hands where we are way behind. I'd rather see how villain reacts to a flop.

Do you find that the aggression pays off in intimidation, i.e. taking control of the hand?

08-24-2005, 10:27 PM

I often fold this preflop, but I don't mind the raise. As for the cap suggestion... I wouldn't do it, but I can see the value in doing it on occasion. Only bad part is the escalated pot may tie the villian to his hand if he flops a decent draw, making it harder to bluff him off of the hand.

I'd put the villian on a PP smaller than a queen, or AK. I like the check on the turn and the bet on the river. Your play matches a flush draw perfectly, and if he does indeed have a PP smaller than a queen, he may fold thinking you have something like QT or a flush.

08-25-2005, 02:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Hey there,

First of all I like to cap these type of hands preflop out of position, since you know it is heads up. You are a favorite against just about all unpaired hands he might have so you are doing this for value, and also to scare him a bit with some aggression.

That's a pretty good flop for you as you have the backdoor heart draw if you are behind, and your crushing AK with is a likely hand for him to 3 bet with. I really think you need to be betting here with the intention of 3 betting or checkraising at the least to scare him and also you probably have the best hand!

A beautiful turn card comes but its a tough spot because you might want a free card but more likely you are giving a free card! Bet here and if he raises again consider 3 betting as a strong semibluff with your draw. You usually have like 11 outs (flush + set) if you are behind and that pesky AK is in trouble against you still!

Nice river bet for value but sometimes you should check here to induce a bluff from a missed heart draw or AK. When he does this you want to checkraise because they sometimes get stubborn when you pick them off and he might call with his Ace high or whatever just to see what you have! That's a great 2 BB play!! Now of course you might get raised on the river yourself playing it this way but if you do you have more than enough pot odds to call, and in fact you might have odds to 3 bet! You only need to be ahead 1/6 times or so and if he has an overplayed AK you get maximum value!!

Welcome to the forums,
DeathDonkey

[/ QUOTE ]

This seems very aggressive. Does anyone else play like this?