What your play?

[kiemo]

I am not a good NL player, the betting sizes really mess me up, but in home tourneys guys wont play limit.

Hero - 1100
SB - 2000
Button - 1000
UTG - 2500

Blinds are 100/200, moving up to 200/400 in about 5 minutes

Hero is BB and dealt K /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 3 /images/graemlins/club.gif

UTG folds, Button calls, SB folds, Hero checks

Flop 10 /images/graemlins/heart.gif 7/images/graemlins/club.gif 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif

Hero checks, Button checks

Turn K /images/graemlins/club.gif

Hero checks, Button bets 200

What does hero do?

[BradleyT]

I would fold your hand. Alot of times you're beat, alot of times you split, not many times you actuall win.

[Sundevils21]

I would def call a min bet here. I would think he's trying to steal.If he's not he'll probably let you know on the river anyway. You can call this bet then fold if he comes out huge on the river.

[kiemo]

Here was my thinking.

I know he didnt have a T or 7 as he wouldve raised on the flop. So if he has a King chances are its lower then a Ten and he is playing it becuase its suited. I figured if he had KA,KQ, or KJ he wouldve raised preflop.

So I pushed all-in, really hoping he would fold thinking I had a 7 (he almost did fold actually becuase he thought I had a seven, but being that he was my father he admitted he couldnt just let me have the pot.) He had KJs. River wasnt a Q,K or A. I am all but out.


As I said, NL betting confuses me.

[BradleyT]

I don't think he has KXs (below KT) here unless he's a total moron. That hand is worthless garbage unless you raise to steal the blinds...even then if you get called you can't be thrilled.

Suprisingly he played this pretty weak pre-flop. I would have raised PF and bet all in on the flop if anyone came along and checked to me.

The flop is more likely to miss both of us than to hit either of us (but most opponents don't think like this - they only play their hand and don't consider what I might have).

[kyro]

I'll tell you what your play is. Nursing home for Pops /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm not a star at NL either, but I'd probably raise him the minimum to see what he does. If he calls, he probably has you beat, and you can check and fold on the river.

Better yet, ignore that. You're reading a post from a kid who has a hard time beating players who consistently play 83o. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[Jason Strasser]

Pushing is a bad move if you think he has a K. You are drawing to half the pot a portion of the time, which is not good. You dont have a lot committed to this hand. If you are unsure as to what he has, call.

[kiemo]

Calling his bet puts 25% of my stack into the pot and most likely will put me in the same situation on the river.

His bet on the turn is so weak I think he is telling me he isnt real confident about his hand and it definately is possible he will fold to a strong push.

I do realize if he has a K I simply cannot win this hand and best I can hope for is to chop the blind money, but it seems the best move, considering blinds are going to kill me in about 7 hands (less if I am calling his bets here) and he hasnt played this hand like he has a J or better kicker, is too push and hope he folds.

With that in mind can someone explain why this is not a fold or all-in situation? thanks

[Copenhaver]

You should either raise a good amount or fold. Calling could get you into a world of trouble, especially if the betting, as you said, "gets you messed up."

If your table image is tight, then a raise might scare off the other guy. I play with a guy like that, and when he raises or re-raises, we know to cut our hand loose unless we have the absolute nuts.

If you raise, and the other guy re-raises, you know where you stand, and you can cut it loose. But just calling is probably the worst--and most expensive--way to test your opponent.

[Slacker13]

I would Call, Raise or Fold. It really depends on your opponent and without that information it is very difficult to give proper advice on this situation. You have a K with a small kicker and with any pressure this should be an easy laydown. If he makes it cheap to call, then call. If I know my opponent well I may raise in this situation to find out exactly where he is at.