Reading Hands: The Sequel

[ArchAngel71857]

same table as before, 3/6 B&M. on the button and get A /forums/images/icons/spade.gif K /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif . UTG limps, UTG+1 limps, folded to CO who limps, I raise, BB calls, UTG raises. called to me, I call, so does BB (there was only one 3 dollar blind here).

Flop comes 7 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 2 /forums/images/icons/club.gif . UTG bets. folded to me, i call, BB folds.

Turn J /forums/images/icons/heart.gif. UTG bets, I fold.

Was this the right play? This was the first hand this lady played, and I wanted bad to see what she had, plus i was bewildered by her limp raise UTG. What really angered me was 15 minutes later, she busted out. I am guessing she at least 2-pair, only because I can think of nothing that justified her raise PF, and i folded because if she made 2-pair, i am drawing dead. However, the only hands she could have made two pair with would be 76,72, 62, J7,J2,J6. Should I have called her turn?

To put her on trips, she can have 77, 66, 22, JJ. JJ would probably have raised outright, but she busted out so soon (with a large buy-in) that i don't really think she knew what she was doing. i can maybe see her having 77, but her PF play has me confused.

By now, everyone respected my raises on the flop since the times I had done it I showed down AK, the AQ hand from earlier, TT (button), AJs, and KQs.

-AA (in this case AK with a terrible flop)

[Homer]

If you are truly intent on getting to showdown, just call it down. Either that or raise the flop, check behind on the turn, and call a river bet. Of course, getting to showdown shouldn't be your primary consideration.

I'm not sure why you think your opponent is likely to have two-pair or a set. Most limp-reraises mean one of three hands - AA/KK/AK, and with some opponents it means only AA/KK. When you whiff on the flop I think you should consider folding immediately. At best, you're drawing super-thin (runner-runner) 6/15 of the time (when against AA/KK) and are tied 9/15 of the time (when against another AK). If you decide to continue with the hand, raise the flop. If your opponent reraises, fold. If your opponent calls your raise and checks to you on the turn, bet planning to check behind on the river (either that or check with the intention of calling a river bet). Betting the turn as opposed to checking and calling a bet on the river gives you a better chance of getting another AK to fold, but gives you less of a chance to get to showdown, as you may be checkraised. But as I said, getting to showdown isn't important, in my opinion.

I think calling the flop and folding to a turn bet is fine against predictable opponents, who won't keep pushing AK when called on the flop. The problem is, there aren't many players like this. So, if I'm going to put a bet in on the flop I'm going to raise and gauge my opponent's reaction.

-- Homer