Operation Annihilate Leaks #1

[MaxPower]

I've been looking back at some hand histories that I played about a year ago. I think my play has improved in many ways. I'm a lot more aggressive and a little tighter pre-flop. I'm less scared of "monsters under the bed."

At the same time, my results in the last month have been bad. It is the first losing month I've had all year, so I'm not too concerned. I think I have played pretty well throughout the last month, but I have noticed some problems.

I'm thinking of posting every significant hand that I played in the last month in the hopes of plugging leaks and/or confirming my sanity.

Here goes:

Hand 1

Party Poker 5/10 (10 handed)
MaxPower has 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif and is UTG

MaxPower limps, EP2 limps, Button limps, SB folds, BB checks

Flop(4 2/5 SB): 3/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif

BB bets, MaxPower raises, EP2 calls, Button folds, BB calls

Turn(5 1/5 BB): 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

BB checks, MaxPower bets, EP2 calls, BB calls

River(8 1/5 BB): A/images/graemlins/club.gif

BB checks, MaxPower checks, EP2 bets, BB folds, MaxPower calls

Hand 2

Party Poker 5/10 (10 handed)
MaxPower has Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif and is MP1

Hero raises, CO calls, Button 3-bets, Hero caps, CO calls, Button calls

Flop(13.4 SB): 2/images/graemlins/club.gif, 5/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif

MaxPower bets, CO calls, Button calls

Turn(8.2 BB): T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

MaxPower bets, CO folds, Button calls

River(10.2 BB): 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif

MaxPower bets, Button calls

[chesspain]

Hand 1:

Your play seems O.K. here. While your river check looked weak on the surface, and I think you may well be beat, checkcalling is probably correct, since no hand that beats you is going to fold to a river bet. And an 8 or an A could certainly reraise you. So for the same one bet you get to see his cards, and you possibly also may be able to induce a bluff from someone who would have folded to your bet.


Hand 2:

The more I look at this, the more I think you should checkcall the river for the same reasons above. You and the button dueled PF, so unless he's really tricky or really dumb, his likely hands are TT, JJ, KK, AA, AQ, or AK. The fact that he never reraised you post-flop lessons the chances of his having AA, although I guess a really weak-tight player might have been scared by the deuces on the flop.

If you bet and...

...he has TT, KK, (or AA), you'll lose at least one river bet
...he has JJ, you'll win his river bet
...he has AQ or AK, I assume he'ld fold to your bet, unless he's an idiot or assumes that you are betting with the same hand.

Consequently, I think that checkcalling the river might be best.

[Clarkmeister]

Hand 1

"BB bets, MaxPower raises, EP2 calls, "

Right about when EP2 calls you should be done with the hand.

Hand 2:

The problem with betting is that while it may be -EV, it is still higher EV than check-calling. Make sense?

[Mike Gallo]

The problem with betting is that while it may be -EV, it is still higher EV than check-calling. Make sense

I think it does, please tell me if I have it close.

If you bet you have given the opportunity to make a better hand fold or to make a worse hand call. When you call, you have not taken any of the iniative and usually only a better hand will bet.

[MaxPower]

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 1

"BB bets, MaxPower raises, EP2 calls, "

Right about when EP2 calls you should be done with the hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think so.
[ QUOTE ]

Hand 2:

The problem with betting is that while it may be -EV, it is still higher EV than check-calling. Make sense?

[/ QUOTE ]

The pot is large enough that folding is out of the question. You are saying I should bet because when I am called I am a slight underdog, but when I check and call I am a large underdog. Is that correct?

Thanks Clarkmeister.

In hand 1 EP2 had QQ, in hand 2 the button had KK.

[Clarkmeister]

You got it.