getting myself in trouble

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Tom McEvoy writes that some of the easiest places to get into trouble come when you get a free play in the big blind.

Limit HE tournament ($25 + $10, one $20 rebuy) at Foxwoods last Saturday. 200 start, about 60 left. Limits are 800/1600 and we're about 1/3 of the way through the 20 minute round. I've just been moved to this table. I have 7600 before posting (about average) and am in the BB
with 8 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 3 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif

UTG limps, MP limps, I check my option.

Flop: J /forums/images/icons/club.gif 8 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/club.gif

Hmm, I think, maybe I can steal it. I bet, UTG folds, MP raises. Thinking he might be trying to chase me off with a draw, I call.

Turn: 3 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif

OK, this is absolutely the best card I could hope for. I check, planning to check raise. MP now stews for a minute or two. On two occaisions he moves his hand as if to check behind, but finally he bets. *Now* I don't believe he's on a draw any more. i start thinking, he raised me on the flop with A high trying to pick off a bluff and is just firing another barrel. So instead of raising as I intended, I flat call, hoping to extract another 1,600 from him on the river.

River: A /forums/images/icons/club.gif

Since I don't believe he's on the flush draw anymore, now I think he'll call me with ace high, so I bet. He raises. Uh-oh. I think about it some more, am still convinced he doesn't have the flush, and call.

Flame away. How many mistakes? Was my 2 pair good?

[cferejohn]

A8, A5, and AJ all seem very possible (as well as the flush, but you don't seem to think he has it, so lets discount that). The flop bet was aggressive, but if you felt these players were tight enough for this to work a reasonable amount of the time, it is justifiable. I don't think I would call the raise, since I am drawing to 5 outs if I am lucky (and A8 seems like a possibility).

Actually, the long delay before betting the turn might make me think he *is* on a flush draw and is deciding whether to bet or take a free card.

I think you need to check-call the river. If he does have just a pair of aces, he will probably bet the river when you check, so you'd get a bet either way. However, if he just hit a flush or 2 pair, you have now cost yourself another bet.

I think you lost to A8.

[ohkanada]

On the flop I might play it like you or I might check/fold.

On the turn I would have followed through with the check-raise. You hope he is on a flush draw or overcards and will call another bet.

The river ace is ugly. Not only 2 better pair is possible but a flush is also possible. I check/call.

Hopefully your 2 pair was good but since your opponent showed strength 3 times I would be surprised.

Ken Poklitar