Head-up with Zippy

The 15-30 game was 6-handed with one maniac when one of the relatively solid players was replaced by an unknown (to me) player whom we shall call Zippy. The maniac was playing every hand and raising most of them...often blind. Well, Zippy was an affable fellow who seemed eager to get into the spirit of things. So when the maniac briefly left the table, Zippy decided to pick up where Irving left off by posting a straddle (i.e., raising UTG before the cards are dealt). This play is particularly bad at this casino since straddles are not live.


I was in the small blind at the time with AdTd. With Irving taking a leak, all folded to me. I three-bet, the BB folded, and Zippy made it four bets. I called and the flop came 9d7d4c. I checked and called. The turn card was 6c. I checked and so did Zippy. The river card was 4c, making the board 9d-7d-4c-6c-4h. I checked and called.


Fire away.

Why didn't you semibluff bet or raise when the two diamonds fell and bet out to force Zippy to make a tough call?


D

I would go to war on this flop and bet the turn. The only likely hands which have you in bad shape are pocket aces (you have 9 outs) or a set (you have 7 outs). You are even money versus a better ace or a pocket pair larger than T's (with 12 outs), and a money favorite if he flopped a single pair or has a pocket pair smaller than T's (with 15 outs). Given the 4 bet preflop, I'm going to assume he didn't flop 2 pair. You might even be winning already if this guy is really gambling.


Check calling the flop here is just too weak for my tastes, especially when its heads up and your draw is strong enough to be a money favorite against some of the hands he might bet (i.e. he flopped a single pair). Given that all you do after the flop is check and call, you really have no idea what Zippy has, which leads to a difficult situation on the river when he bets. If you had been betting and raising on the flop when you had a strong hand, you would have an easier fold on the river after you bust out.


Once the turn checks around, I call reluctantly on the river with 6.5 big bets in the pot only if I know Zippy would sometimes bluff or if I don't have a good idea of how he plays. You can't really tell much about his hand from the play so far: he might have lucked into a real hand on his straddle, or he may just be gambling with something like KTs. This lack of information is your fault, because you just check call after the flop. If he is sensible (maybe giving too much credit to a guy who straddles), Zippy has a bigger ace, a small to medium pocket pair, or a flopped pair -- none of which you can beat.


By the way, did I mention that you played this hand like a wuss? /images/wink.gif

Thank you for responding. I agree that I played this hand poorly. At the time, my perception of Zippy's carefree looseness dissuaded me from taking aggressive action on the flop. I think this was a big mistake. I thought about check-raising the turn but Zippy surprised me by checking (I would have bet the turn if I had bet the flop). Immediately after the hand, I felt I had wussed out, to borrow your term.


I would only take slight issue with your suggestion that "if he is sensible" Zippy's river bet could represent a bigger ace (or better). I think it would be more sensible for Zippy to check with a big ace and bet lesser hands on the river.


When you "go to war" on the flop, would you be more inclined to check-raise or bet-reraise?


-Mike

I would go for the CR on the flop, since it seems certain Zippy will bet (as he should, if his hand is good enough to 4 bet preflop) if you check it to him.


As far as Zippy's river bet, I agree it makes sense for him to check an ace less than AK, but betting AK or any pair for value on the end is not that bad a play. It seems reasonable for Zippy to put you on overcards (maybe a tiny pair at best) given your action and the board, and he should know that you will suspect he is stealing, hence you might call with just an ace.


I remember wondering if you were going for a CR on the turn when I first read the post. After you miss your chance, wouldn't it feel better to make a weak bluff on the river rather than a weak call (given that you call anyway when he bets)? Zippy was scared enough that you might CR the turn to check behind you, so he might fold AK-AT or even a small pocket pair. Well, it's probably too optimistic to think he'll fold a pair, but at least you get rid of that "wuss" feeling if you bet.

On the river, I didn't think there was much chance Zippy would muck a superior hand if I bet; I also felt he might bet a hand like KQ. I think the river decision was a close one.