Complicated Hand

[brianmarc]

Game: Online 10/20 6-person ring.
The only players that count are me and UTG sitting immediately to my left. I was seeing him for the first time but had the perception that he was pretty good. Played very tight but when he bet was aggressive and generally successful, altho he showed some hands where he had been betting 2nd or 3rd pair, but, in all cases he won.

The hand in question had many possibilities that include made hands, a flush and a straight. Here it is:


UTG: Call
UTG+1: Fold
UTG+1: Call
Button: Fold
SB: Fold
BB (me)dealt K /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/spade.gif Check

Flop: 2 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif 6 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif 4 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif
I bet
UTG calls
UTG+1 calls

Turn: 5 /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif
I bet
UTG raises
UTG+1 folds
What should I do? Remember, I have but 15 seconds for this decision.

I have all the cards for the the remainder of this hand and will post later, but am interested to see how you analyze it.

[rtrombone]

Even 6-handed, this looks like a pretty clear fold. That's why you bet, right? Because you could safely fold to a raise? You're representing either a straight or a flush and UTG still raises you. You're most likely beat.

What kind of hands would UTG play from that position? It looks like he has something like Q /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif J /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif . The only semi-bluffing hand he could have is something with the A /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif or K /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif , and if he's good he would have raised pre-flop with most holdings containing one of these cards.

The other possibility is that he's running a stone bluff. I doubt it, though. You're in the big blind; he has to respect that you could have a 3 for the straight.

[brianmarc]

"Even 6-handed, this looks like a pretty clear fold." and
"You're representing either a straight or a flush and UTG still raises you. You're most likely beat."

I have top pair. Why fold? Why so sure I'm beat?

The other possibility is that he's running a stone bluff. I doubt it, though. You're in the big blind; he has to respect that you could have a 3 for the straight."

Yes, he was running a stone bluff! He had pair of 5's. He showed his hand after I folded: A /forums/images/icons/club.gif 5 /forums/images/icons/heart.gif


So looks like he psyched you out as well as me!

[rtrombone]

All you can say is nice hand. I hope you changed your evaluation of this player afterward, though. Limping with A5 offsuit UTG, even 6-handed, cannot be a winning play.

And then calling instead of raising the flop? For him to win this hand, you had to have exactly one pair, bet the turn and then be willing to lay down your hand. Either he has such a good read on you that you're his b*tch, or he got real lucky here.

I stopped trying stunts like this when I would continually either get 3-bet by a flush or get called down by something like J6 offsuit (by someone who hadn't been in the blind, mind you), even after the 4th diamond fell at the river.

[brianmarc]

Yeah, i did change my opinion. I should have immediately picked that up when he showboated with the successful bluff. I expect to see him around again and will be much better prepared. Tx 4 ur input.
Brian

[bruce]

Firstly that's not a bluff in my book. He has second pair
top kicker. From his perspective he might feel like he has
the best hand. You are in the blind so as likely you are to have a three for a straight you could have been betting
bottom or middle pair on the flop. If he is going to call
your turn bet his best play is to raise the turn and then
check the river. So I think from his perspective he played
the hand well. I think your best play on the turn is to
either reraise him and fold if he raises again or to check
and call on the turn and river. Checking and calling is probably the best play because you now can't be outplayed.
If he is an observant player and not a certifiable nut he
must have seen you make some laydowns in similar spots which motivated him to raise you to begin with. Sometimes
passivity is the best play especially when out of position
against an aggressive opponent.

Bruce

[brianmarc]

Bruce:

Interesting, tought-provoking insights. Thanks.

BTW: Why do you think he showed his hand? Bragging, taunting, advertising for the future, psychological warfare?

Brian

[rtrombone]

You make some good points, but this has to be a bluff, right? He was representing a hand a lot stronger than a pair of 5s. Would he have shown his cards if it wasn't a bluff? Did he really show his cards here to say, "See, I had a hand?"

I agree that he was at least partly playing the player and not his cards, banking on brianmarc folding.