Party 3/6, it ain't been no Party

[JohnShaft]

I've just started playing Party again after a very brief spell there before.
It's been pretty tough going there so far. Partly because of some of the crazy play(ers), partly the fall of the cards, and partly because they are both leaving my head feeling like a pinada.
I just don't feel like I'm thinking straight, or have that much of a plan, lately.

Party 3/6 Typical

Two EP limpers, the Button, the SB, and I raise from the BB with A /images/graemlins/spade.gif K /images/graemlins/club.gif.
I decide I'm Checking the Flop no matter what. To Checkraise if it's Ace/King High, to Call a bet otherwise.

Flop comes 7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif K /images/graemlins/heart.gif 4 /images/graemlins/spade.gif
SB checks, I check, it's checked around to the Button who bets, SB calls, I raise, EP's fold, Button 3-bets, SB calls, I cap.

Turn 9 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif
I bet, Button raises, SB cold calls, I call.

River A /images/graemlins/heart.gif
SB checks, I bet, Button raises, I call


Played like an eedjit?
How many bets did I lose?
Could I/Should I have played it differently?

[crockpot]

it's generally my policy not to cap on the flop in these situations. you've represented top pair and your opponent is telling you he has it beat. while there is a good chance he doesn't, i prefer letting him bet my hand for me when it is good and cutting my losses when it isn't. also note that the extra bet here will not get anyone out.

on the turn i consider betting into the button, hoping to get the SB to fold, or checking and calling.

the river play looks good to me. if the button is an ultra-aggressive type i might three bet, but a call is correct against reasonable players.

[lil']

I think I would lean towards check-calling the river. He certainly going to bet it given the action so far.

On Party, there are some tables where capping the flop is correct, and some where you know you are drawing as soon as the flop is 3-bet.

[tiltboy]

Let me guess, the button had trip 7s? Not only that I'm going to guess you had to listen to him try and coach you and the rest of the table. Am I psychic or what?

[JohnShaft]

Hahah. Wow that's spooky TB. Where you there? /images/graemlins/cool.gif

See this was my problem, he did have exactly the hand he 'should' have in that spot, a set of 7's. Which sums up my problem at Party. Playing this hand at somewhere saner like UB against more predictable opponents I could have saved myself probably 1.5 BB's.
Not knowing which are the good and bad players at Party has been the real killer for me, as the difference between them is so huge.

[lil']

Assume normalness until you see wildness. That's what I try to do.

[JohnShaft]

I think you're right Lil, and it's what I usually do.
There's just so many crazy players at Party I've started to take the "assume nutjob unless proven otherwise" and it's starting to hurt me.

In a couple of days I've seen some plays there that I've not seen anywhere else.
One game yesterday, I raise in SB with KK. I bet and 3-bet the flop.
I bet the Turn, get raised by the BB, UTG 3-bet semi-bluffs with his Turned flush draw (54s) and I actually almost fold my overpair. BB just plain folds for one more bet.
I check call the river to be shown 5 hi, and I take it down, and still can't figure out what's going on, and if I actually *should* have made a "strong fold".

Thanks for the tip though Lil, I really am going to have to follow it.

[lil']

"assume nutjob unless proven otherwise"
I get this way sometimes. I usually end up losing when I do.

[chesspain]

I would have played this exactly the same way. Can you really put the button on the only logical hand that beats you? If so, then how do you account for the SB's play? I have seen plenty of Party players who could have been on the button playing KQs. He could have also had AK but decided not to raise PF.

I don't think there was any way you could have gotten away from this hand.

[lefty rosen]

The players there play such atrocious crap in any position, that it's hard to put anybody on anything, also they don't give up if you check the turn or river they still put in with 5 high if their flush draw or straight draw didnt hit. It's tough the best advice I can give is to watch the players closely and make notes.

[davidross]

John, what an amazing coincidence. I am playing 1,000 hands a day at Party and have found very few crazies lately, and then last night I find two at the same table, and you are there too with 2 other 2+2'ers that I know of. Normally I would leave a table with 4 2+2'ers but with those 2 capping evrey hand I was just waiting for AA, which never came...sigh.

On the hand you posted I would just check call the river, but play it the same way up until then.

[JTrout]

If you can keep from letting the crazy play on Party frustrate you, the rewards will come. It will just be a bit of a roller coaster.
.
And like crocksucker, I often let the fish bet if for me..

[tiltboy]

[ QUOTE ]
Hahah. Wow that's spooky TB. Where you there?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I commented to you that I liked your movies. That might trigger your memory of my usernick. There were a couple of really awful players at our table who I've played with before and who I've singled out in Pokertracker but they were hitting their wild draws and I couldn't make any money off them either.