Gotta Love Low Limit Hold-Em!!

[rtucker5]

Loose low limit on-line game with 2 maniacs.

I pick up K /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif Q /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif under the gun and raise. I normally don't raise this hand in this position, but I felt the spirit move me. I get 4 cold callers including a maniac in the CO, plus both blinds call with the bb being the other maniac at the table. 7 players and 14 small bets going into the flop.

K /forums/images/icons/spade.gif Q /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

I yell "yahtzee" at the computer screen and type "I got you all now!" The maniac BB (MBB) bets, I raise. 1 MP cold caller, maniac in the CO (MCO) 3 bets, SB calls 3 cold, the MBB caps it, and everyone calls. 5 players and 17 big bets to the turn.

6 /forums/images/icons/club.gif (K /forums/images/icons/spade.gif Q /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif )

SB checks, MBB bets, I raise, same MP coldcaller, MCO 3 bets. SB cold calls 3 again and MBB caps it and we all call. 5 players and 37 big bets to the river.

A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif (K /forums/images/icons/spade.gif Q /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/club.gif )

I yell "fluck" (minus the l) at my computer and pray this card didn't help anyone (yeah right!!) Checked to the MP coldcaller who now bets. MCO, SB, and MBB call. I am trying to justify my fold when the thought of all the money I put in the pot crosses my mind and decide I can close the action. I call.

Questions:

1) Was this a good raise pre-flop?
2) Should I have been jamming top 2 so hard?
3) Is the call on the end justified after 3 overcallers after a potential straight and flush got there, not to mention a bigger 2 pair?

Results to come............

[J.R.]

1) Was this a good raise pre-flop?

Yes. I like this raise in tight games, where you will win the blinds, or in loose passive games, where you build a big pot with a great multiway hand. In tough games this raise provides decpetion, but its showdown value is weak as it can't beat A high. Nevertheless, in this game its a raise.

2) Should I have been jamming top 2 so hard?

Yes, especially with maniacs putting in the raises.

3) Is the call on the end justified after 3 overcallers after a potential straight and flush got there, not to mention a bigger 2 pair?

You close the action, the pot is huge, and there are some nuts at work who can reasonably be put on hands you beat. However, MP coldcaller is a common theme on all streets, and that screams draw. Nonetheless, I call here with 41 bets in the pot because you only need to be right one out of 41 times to make this call.

[marbles]

"I yell "yahtzee" at the computer screen and type "I got you all now!""

--Yelling "yahtzee" is fine, but typing anything other than "my cat's breath smells like cat food" is a dangerous move. Your opponents are likely to respond in wildly unpredictable ways, and you can throw hand reading out the window.

[bernie]

"1) Was this a good raise pre-flop?"

you could play it both ways

"2) Should I have been jamming top 2 so hard?"

yes. why wouldnt you? given your description of the other guys in that are throwing chips. realize what they may be jamming with on the turn. have they been capping the turn with less or do they slow down a little more on the turn unless they have a hand.

"3) Is the call on the end justified after 3 overcallers after a potential straight and flush got there, not to mention a bigger 2 pair?"

you dont have enough info to fold here do you? although a guy calling the whole way is now betting. he knows that at least the maniacs will likely call here. so is he betting a lesser hand here in hopes to make a better hand fold? doubt it.

you could lay it down here, but if you fold the winner, you will need a huge barf bag or 2.

arent maniac games fun?

b

[Bob T.]

I pick up K Q under the gun and raise. I normally don't raise this hand in this position, but I felt the spirit move me.

I like raising this hand in this position. If you have to deal with AK, you frequently find out about the possibility when someone three bets. Sometimes you eliminate AQ with a raise also. If it happens that you only win the blinds, that isn't a disaster with this hand and position. If you limp with big suited connectors in early position, I think that is ok also.

2) Should I have been jamming top 2 so hard?


You only put in one raise on the flop, and one on the turn. I think that that is reasonable. If you were playing against non maniacs, you might be in trouble here.

3) Is the call on the end justified after 3 overcallers after a potential straight and flush got there, not to mention a bigger 2 pair?


The pot is HUGE. The call has to be right about 2.4 percent of the time. The maniacs have all calmed down. You are probably in second at worst. I think that you need to call here closing the action. How big of a mistake could it be anyway?

[rtucker5]

you could lay it down here, but if you fold the winner, you will need a huge barf bag or 2.

This would have been true because I almost folded. Amazingly, my hand was good. MP showed A 10 for a rivered top pair. Everyone else's hand mucked back to my winner. Hand history showed SB had Q 9, MBB had K J, and MCO had K 10. Gotta love low limit!!

[lil']

"I felt the spirit move me"
Hee hee, funny! /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[rigoletto]

1) Was this a good raise pre-flop?

Yes, but with this lineup you should try a call reraise with big suited upon occation.

2) Should I have been jamming top 2 so hard?

Definately!

3) Is the call on the end justified after 3 overcallers after a potential straight and flush got there, not to mention a bigger 2 pair?

Call, it's not even close.

[Homer]

Just one comment:

There is no way you should fold on the river with a decent two-pair in a monster pot with your call closing the action, three callers before you or not.

Forget everything you've ever heard about needing a stronger hand to overcall, as long as you are playing in loose low-limit games.

-- Homer

[bernie]

"as long as you are playing in loose low-limit games."

and there are 2 maniacs playing. and, as you said, since you made it to the river after all of that....

some loose LL games players will only bet if they have it. that's a different case. as it also depends on how players play postflop and their betting standards. this hand, it's possible the new bettor hit his card. i dont think there's really enough info to fold here with a pot this big. id call, but i wouldnt like it.

b