Where do you slow down here?

[The_Eye]

I've been trying to work on my aggressiveness as I generally in the past have played too passively. Then I run into situations like this:

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
UTG calls, UTG+1 folds, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB folds, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 4/images/graemlins/club.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(4 players) </font>
BB checks, <font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO calls, BB folds, UTG calls.

Turn: (7.25 BB) T/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, CO folds, UTG calls.

River: (11.25 BB) 9/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">UTG 3-bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 17.25 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 17.25 BB, between UTG and Hero.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by UTG (17.25 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
UTG shows Kc Ac (flush, ace high).
Hero shows Ks As (one pair, aces).
Outcome: UTG wins 17.25 BB. </font>

When do I back off? I had him figured for a lower A, until the river raise. Or is this just the disadvantage of being out of position?

[Shalara]

I think you played just fine, though I would just call the river. Weak ace is a good guess based on the way it's played, though the 3-bet on the river makes me wonder if he has A9. It looks like he made his hand here though... the bet/call on the flop and turn indicates to me that he has something, but he doesn't know whether it will hold up. I'd expect such a person to check the river unless the river makes it for them.

Must admit to a little surprise on seeing the results. I wouldn't call it a positional disadvantage, but I would say the guy's weak play made for built-in deception!

[sin808]

I don't like your raise on the river, though I guess in a way it told you that he had a flush. Other than that I would've played it the same way.

[bakku]

I play the flop/turn the same way against an unknown, but when he bets into me on the river I'm just calling

[sublime]

call the river

[The_Eye]

Yeah, I can see now the river raise was a little foolish. These are the kind of things I need to learn. Thanks guys.

[DoctorDrew]

I think all agree the river raise was a bad idea.

Let me ask you, what were you thinking? (no sarcastic tone). I think it would help you and us to know what your thoughts were.

He had bet into your raise twice, a third club falls and he bets into you again.

Now if you were raising to see if he hit the flush, he answered you and you have lost. I have seen very rare players do this, and then fold to the 3 bet. I am nowhere neared skilled enough to do this.

So, in all seriousness, what were the thought processes behind a river raise here?

[AJo Go All In]

[ QUOTE ]
Or is this just the disadvantage of being out of position?

[/ QUOTE ]

you are in position.

[The_Eye]

[ QUOTE ]
So, in all seriousness, what were the thought processes behind a river raise here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll be honest, I was a bit guilty of mis-reading the board here - I did not really think of the flush on the river, I was still figuring it was an A w/lower kicker I was up against. The re-raise of course finally woke me up. After the fact, I see I should have considered the willingness to keep calling raises as a sign that he thought he could beat TP. As noted, my problem has often been lack of aggression, so I was trying to work on that - chose the wrong time to do so here, but oh well.

[The_Eye]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Or is this just the disadvantage of being out of position?

[/ QUOTE ]

you are in position.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whoops, you're right. /images/graemlins/blush.gif Now I feel a little worse about the hand. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[sublime]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I can see now the river raise was a little foolish. These are the kind of things I need to learn. Thanks guys.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dont sweat is bro, no really not even a little. There are a million mistakes to make and each time you do and REALIZE it you are getting just a tad bit better.

[afk]

Well played. Obviously just call the river down. But the rest of it is great. Can't do a whole lot when they catch the runner-runner flush - a similar situation left me severely short-stacked at a friendly home tournament last night.

[DoctorDrew]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So, in all seriousness, what were the thought processes behind a river raise here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll be honest, I was a bit guilty of mis-reading the board here - I did not really think of the flush on the river, I was still figuring it was an A w/lower kicker I was up against. The re-raise of course finally woke me up. After the fact, I see I should have considered the willingness to keep calling raises as a sign that he thought he could beat TP. As noted, my problem has often been lack of aggression, so I was trying to work on that - chose the wrong time to do so here, but oh well.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, really I think it is fine. I could fill up this board everyday with mistakes I know about. And that is probably only a small fraction of the mistakes I actually make. So, I always find it helpful to go through what I was thinking. Because if my thinking is flawed, that will take a lot more work.

A good lesson here is when you are trying to focus on one aspect of your game, make sure the fundamentals don't get shortchanged. A careful reading of the board is essential. Otherwise, I think it was a nicely played hand.