100/200 Pokerstars hand

[Demokritos]

Hello,

I played this hand at Pokerstars in their 100/200 game. Normally I only play shorthanded, but the game filled up to 8 players and I intended to play till the blinds came to me when this hand came up.

It's folded to me in late MP and I raise with KK. Only the BB calls. BB just sat down. He seems to only play this game when it fills up, so I havent played much with him.

The flop is AQJ rainbow.

He check-calls my bet.

The turn is 4 (still rainbow) and we both check.

The river pairs the A and I call his bet.

I have to admit that my 10-handed game is quite rusty, so flame away.

Thanks

[Coilean]

Looks fine to me, considering you know nothing of the opponent. A case could be made for raising the river, but I would hate to be 3-bet here by an unknown player, and am unsure how often your average 100 pokerstars player might call the flop bet or river raise without an A.

[Demokritos]

[ QUOTE ]
and am unsure how often your average 100 pokerstars player might call the flop bet or river raise without an A.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think they will quite often. Most of the players are very loose when it comes to heads up blind play and will often continue so on the flop.

On this kind of flop I would often expect to play back at though, because of its coordinated nature. When he just called I feared quite a strong hand, like two pair, but not a monster like KT, because that hand will often play back on the flop, hoping for excessive action (which is not uncommon in this game with fairly weak hands that need protection).

So on the turn I mainly expected a two pair hand or a weak pair (maybe with a gutshot draw, like QT, JT etc). I would feel that an ace would likely want to take initiative on the flop by check-raising, because I would easily be able to check lots of hands on the turn (like a gutshot or a weak pair).

Given the extremely aggressive nature of a lot of these 100/200 players, I would not feel comfortable laying down on the turn in this case to a turnraise. Also, because I hold two kings a ten has only two gutshot outs, and a gutshotdraw with a king is less likely. Further I have outs myself and if my opponent holds a pair with a T I've his two pair outs covered. So, IMO, I could be quite a bit behind on the turn and if I'm ahead my opponent holds not to many outs against me. So I checked.

On the river I really thought about raising. My main read was QJ, QT, KQ. Less likely are IMO KT or trips aces. I think he would have paid of with these given my turncheck.
I'm not sure if I could lay down to a river 3-bet (I really really hate folding for one bet on the river HU).

I think I should indeed have raised the river.

Results: Opponent has T7o

Thanks for your comment.

[elysium]

hi demo
it's close on the turn. either way, the ev loss isn't a lot. if it's a nickle a month, i'd be surprised. there's nothing you can do here. he shows down QT and you take it down, i know; but just as likely is the weak ace or a hand that completes on the river. i would get a bet in on the turn, but while doing so, i'm strongly considering checking it down.

usually, when an unknown check-calls in this situation, you get a little ev by betting when he checks on the turn. close.

[Paluka]

I like the way you played this hand. I think you make more money off snapping off induced bluffs here than you do off value bets, or at least it is close enough where the money you save when you are beat makes up for it. If you bet the turn an opponent who has you beat probably pulls the call the turn, bet the river trick.

[Big Dave D]

I was actually railbirding the game when this hand came down...a fairly amazing coincidence as I only watched a dozen or so hands :-)

I think that the play was fine, considering the strange nature of Stars play in the big game. Several players also wait for the turn to spring the trap, so not betting there was no big error. In actually fact, it gained you a bet because it made him try and steal on the river. There is some merit to a river raise, but I'm not sure you are getting the right price because of the chance you may face a 3 bet, coupled with the chance he is tight passive and just calls with a weak ace.

A quick question for you...there seems to be a lot of strange cold calling going on, far more than I would have thought for a game which I thought would be more about focused aggression. A while back I saw Erik cold call a MP raise with J9s on the button...just prior to your hand I saw theprofess cold call a late raise with Qto on the button. Any ideas as to why this is the case?

[Demokritos]

[ QUOTE ]
A quick question for you...there seems to be a lot of strange cold calling going on, far more than I would have thought for a game which I thought would be more about focused aggression. A while back I saw Erik cold call a MP raise with J9s on the button...just prior to your hand I saw theprofess cold call a late raise with Qto on the button. Any ideas as to why this is the case?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I have an idea, or maybe only a little theory. Don't want to go into that deeper though. Let me just state that I think the 10-handed sharks can have a huge profit in this game. The same applies to shorthanded. But sometimes it gets mixed up. And, for clarity, I don't think Erik123 is a fish ;-) He's very good.

Am I making any sense ;-)

[Demokritos]

[ QUOTE ]
If you bet the turn an opponent who has you beat probably pulls the call the turn, bet the river trick.


[/ QUOTE ]

Although this is less common in this game IMO, it's certainly a factor.

Good post.

[J_V]

I've played a little in this game and they would just call with an Ace here a lot and not have it a lot also.

[J_V]

I would like to play big short games like this but its seems like its always guys like thecount, erik123, piejay, you and other sharks making it like four sushi chefs with only one tuna to make maki. Are you able to find decent games on a regular basis this high? I've played some at 30/60 and they seem good enough, but not at 100-200 (well not for me).

[Demokritos]

[ QUOTE ]
its always guys like thecount, erik123, piejay, you and other sharks making it like four sushi chefs with only one tuna to make maki.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!

I wouldnt play in a 3-handed game with piejay and Erik. Don't know about thecount...havent played much against him. But make it 5 handed with 2 mediocre players and the edge is enough to play with Erik and piejay (at least I think). So far, I've always managed to find a good game when it got short. Especially when the game is about to break and people keep playing to keep it alive who are not shorthanded specialists (that's the time to make the really good sushi).

I really think that the 100/200 game can even be better than the 30/60 games at times. But you certainly should be game selective. Maybe you should play some short 30/60 when there's no 100/200. That way you'll play against a lot of people who normally play the 100/200 as well. And you'll find that a lot of these regulars have leaks. Maybe that would make it easier for you to spot good short games. Sometimes it only seems tough and are people just amazed by the limits instead of the level of play.

I don't know how good your shorthanded game is, but I sure would advice you to give it a try. I think you might really like it and become a chef yourself.