Two Hands from the Weekend

[Lost Wages]

LL online

Hand #1
I open call from EMP with 5 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif , MP calls, button calls, SB calls, BB checks.

*** FLOP *** : [ 4 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ]

Checked to me, I bet. MP calls, button folds, SB folds, BB calls.

*** TURN *** : [ 4 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ] [ 3 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif ]

BB checks, I bet, MP calls, BB folds.

*** RIVER *** : [ 4 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif ] [ 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ]

I check, MP bets, I call.


Hand #2
Folded to a loose LP who limps. Folded to me, I raise with A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif J /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif on the button. SB calls. BB calls.

*** FLOP *** : [ 5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif K /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ]

Checked to me, I take the free card.

*** TURN *** : [ 5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif K /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ] [ J /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ]

BB checks, LP bets, I call, BB calls.

*** RIVER *** : [ 5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif K /forums/images/icons/heart.gif J /forums/images/icons/heart.gif ] [ 8 /forums/images/icons/club.gif ]

Checked to me, I check.

All comments welcome,
Lost Wages

[Homer]

Hand 1

Preflop - Fold unless the game is loose and you expect multiple callers behind you.

Flop - Betting is okay depending on the texture of the game. In a loose game I would check-fold because your bet doesn't give you a chance to get it heads-up or to win immediately. Everyone will call with overcards and gutshots and your hand doesn't stand much of a chance of holding up.

Turn - I would either check-call of bet depending on who the remaining players were. If they tended to take one off on the flop with pretty much any overcards then I would bet. But if they are sane they must be calling on the flop with either a 7, 4, medium pocket pair (>=77), or 56 (which just got there), in which case you should definitely just check-call. If you bet and are raised you must call since you have a bunch of outs, so it is better to just check-call.

River - Again, it depends on the opponent. If he is weak-tight, you may be able to get him to fold an overpair or even a straight, by betting. If he is loose-passive you should bet since he will call with a bare ace, but won't bet it himself. If he is loose-aggressive, you should check and call a bet. If he is tight-aggressive, you should check-fold.

Sorry that the comments aren't more straight-forward but I think much of the play in this hand is opponent dependent.

Hand 2

Preflop - Very nice.

Flop - Good check. Heads-up, bet and try to take it down, but with four other players check it through since you whiffed.

Turn - I don't like this call at all. Your plan is to go call, call and put two more bets into the pot. You could put the same amount of bets in by raising the turn as your last bets in the pot, which I feel is far superior for a couple reasons:

1) You don't give the blinds a cheap chance to call with a bare heart
2) You might get LP to fold a better hand, since he might think you have the flush yourself
3) If you are reraised on the turn or are bet into on the river you have an easy fold

Another option is to fold to LP's turn bet, depending on the type of player he is.

River - I would bet the river. A King would have bet the flop due to the two flush cards on board. When LP wakes up and bets the turn he either has a made flush (if he is a straightforward player), a four-flush, or a four-flush and a pair. When he checks the river he definitely doesn't have a flush. He either has nothing or has a pair (which isn't Kings for the reason I already stated). There is no reason to believe the BB has a hand better than yours either. I don't think I would have made this bet a few months ago, but it seems fairly clear now.

-- Homer

[Lost Wages]

Homer,

Wow, thanks for the detailed response. I enjoy reading your posts as they are always top-notch.

Hand 1)
MP shows down the dreaded 7 /forums/images/icons/club.gif 2 /forums/images/icons/club.gif . This is probably where I'm having the most trouble: classifying opponents quickly and then selecting the correct play.

Hand 2)
BB has T /forums/images/icons/club.gif 7 /forums/images/icons/club.gif , LP has J /forums/images/icons/spade.gif T /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif so my hand is good. The turn call didn't "feel" right at the time and I think that you are correct that raising is best. On the river I was afraid the BB was setting up a checkraise or check-calling with a Kx. It turns out I would have picked up at least 1BB had I bet the river.

Lost Wages

[Louie Landale]

[1] Besides your pre-flop call, looks pretty routine. Don't forget to announce "7sUp" before you see his cards.

[2] Besides your lack of raise on the turn, and if not the lack of bet for value on the end, looks pretty routine. The key to this hand is that loose aggressive types who do NOT raise pre-flop and who do not bet ON the flop, are unlikely to have top-pair Ks nor a flush draw.

- Louie