Pourage was too cold, now it's too hot

[Non_Comformist]

I recently discovered that I was playing weak tight and have started working on being more aggressive with flops such as middle pair which I would always check fold. I know I played this hand poorly but at which point?


Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

A week ago this was an auto fold for me, the problem was too many hands were also auto fold. Should I let this go and look for hands like 97s or 57s instead?

Flop: (5 SB) A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 4/images/graemlins/heart.gif, 9/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(5 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, MP3 calls, CO calls, Button calls.

I have middle pair and I want to get away from always giving up here. Is betting out wrong? Should have checked and saw what action there is? Maybe check raise a bet from the button and bet out the turn?

Turn: (4.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="blue">(4 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, MP3 folds, CO calls, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, Hero calls, CO folds.

Well I think my call is some what loose here. I have 6 outs (4 twos and 2 nines) and there are 8 BB's at the time of the raise so it's not a huge error.

River: (9.50 BB) 4/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players) </font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

River bet seems retarded in retrospect but I guess he only has to fold 15% of the time. Wasted BB? Anyways at what point this go wrong? Was there one street played correctly? Make all insults funny.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB
<font color="#990066">Main Pot: 11.50 BB, between Button and Hero.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by Button (11.50 BB).</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows 5h 9h (two pair, nines and fours).
Button shows 3c Ah (two pair, aces and fours).
Outcome: Button wins 11.50 BB. </font>

[Brian462]

Preflop I think this can go either way. If you are going to call though, you should be confident that you play well postflop.

On the flop, I think this is an easy check-fold regardless of who bets out. The pot is small, an ace is the most commonly played card, you have a terrible kicker, and will will be in the worst possible position for the rest of the hand.

After you bet out and 3 people called I think you'd be best off with check-folding at the turn. It's very unlikely that all 3 are on draws and the pot is still small so you don't really have odds to draw.

I think the river was a wasted bet.

[Bob T.]

Preflop. I complete with any two suited cards, with a couple of exceptions. This wouldn't be one.

Flop. The flop is Ace high, two-tone, not yours, and you have middle pair-no kicker, back door flush, in an unraised pot, with four opponents. You might win this on the flop 17% of the time, because there are a lot of reasons for your opponents to fold if they didn't get part of this. I like the flop bet. However, if you get called, you are in deep water, and you don't know which direction it is to shore. What kind of hands do your opponents play? Did they call with a bad ace? Did they call with a flush draw? Did they call because that is what they do?

With three callers on the flop, I am convinced that I am behind.

Turn, hmmm, now I might have as many as 9 outs, I would love to get this checked through and draw cheaply. I think I check, and call one bet.

River, actually improved your hand, you now chop with other nines, headsup, I might call a bet, just incase your opponent was betting his spade draw. I think betting out, will fold a busted draw, but not a hand that beats you. On the other hand, if you bet, you might be called by a pocket pair lower than 9s, that might check behind you. Once again, it is all about knowing your opponents.

Good luck,
play well,

Bob T.

[Louie Landale]

The first step up from "weak-tight" is "aggressive-tight". Going to "aggressive-loose" is disaster since you'll be in all sorts of situations you've never seen before and are sure to make lots of mistakes.

So go ahead and fold whatever crap you were folding before, even if "crap" to you is "cheese" to someone else. When you DO flop something be sure to fire aggressively; certainly one more bet/raise than you are used to. Whe THAT becomes more comfortable THEN start looking for a FEW more hands to play.

- Louie

[sfer]

I don't like betting second pair into a field with that board. It's fine with a J94 rainbow board, but I think it's too likely that flush draws or Aces are out there. I also think you can fold to the turn raise without hesitation.