playing A/10

i was playing in a 3/6 holdem game at Canterbury Park yesterday. Very passive table with very little preflop raising unless KK AA QQ. I am in late position at decide to raise with A 10 offsuit. The flop contains A 7 9 rainbow. The flop is seen by three players. The small blind checks the mp checks and I bet. The turn is a jack. Again the small blind checks the middle position checks and I bet. No raise from the small blind. The river is a rag. Again the small blind checks. I look at him and put him on an Ace but cannot imagine he has AJ since he never raised or check raised me as is typically done in high limit games. I checked the river thank goodness. He wins with two pair. Did i play this hand poorly or is this just the inevitable part of playing the game.


Thanks


for your help

Since you had the lead on the turn then some random card is unlikely to have helped, presuming he'll call the raise with any Ace.


Heads-up with the better hand and the river is non-threatening, you need a specific reason to be conserned before you check. Well, unless you think he'll fold the inferior hand he's been calling with.


- Louie

I am assuming you OPEN-raised with ATo.


I don't think you played poorly here at all. You undoubtedly had the best hand all the way, and you charged your opponents to try and beat you. That's all you can do. You even saved a bet on the river. I say you played fine.


Dave in Cali

thanks for your comments

When heads up with top pair good kicker, I would bet for value until they show me otherwise. Because you have the position and you want to punish the blinds or limpers with inferior kickers every chance you have.

You played the hand well. Losing when you've got the best starting hand is something we all must except.


Yesterday, in a 6/12 hand, I raised pre-flop with Kings to make in $9 to go. Someone else raised 2 more all-in. A late position player cold-called $11 with nothing by 75o, a complete garbage hand. And, of course, the flop came 4,6,7 with an 8 on the turn to give him the straight and a $100+ pot. There are millions of stories like these.

Dave, he did not open raise, because he was in late position and he mentions that there was a middle position player in the hand. It seems that he raised after one middle limper and was called by the small blind and the limper, so they took the flop three handed.


In late position (the cutoff or button), I don't think raising a middle position limper with ATo is a bad play. Do you disagree?