A7s hand

I played this hand this week-end, please comment.


I am in middle position with Ah7h. There is one limper to me, I limp as I can usually expect 1 or 2 callers after me. (bad play?)


Sadly, it is folded to the BB who checks. BTW, I have been playing for about 15 minutes so I don't have any read on most of the players.


FLOP:


A K 8 rainbow with 1 heart.


BB bets out and the limper folds. I call. I opted to call instead of raising because I was varying my play (I usually would raise here)and if a heart was to fall on the turn, I could raise the turn and maybe force another ace against whom I would split the pot to fold (or maybe a better ace).


TURN:


8 offsuit


The BB bets again. Now, in my mind, I am only beaten by an 8 or by AK. Against other aces, I will split the pot. I raise to put pressure on another ace. BB thinks and calls.


RIVER is another king.


BB checks. I bet again as I figure another ace will have a tough call here and I think most typical opponents would bet out with a king. BB calls and shows 89o. Oops!


Comments?


Nicolas Fradet (ThePrince)

Why would you call to "vary your play" when you are unknown to all the players and have only been at the table for 15 minutes? No reason to get fancy here. Raise the flop.

mmmmhhh, good question.


What I meant is that I like to flat call here since I will raise heads-up with a lot of hands on the turn, especially if a heart comes, coupled with the fact that another high card might split the pot for me. Should this happen and if the hand gets shown down, it builds my image and I should get paid more on my turn raises in the future.


Nic

I like the call preflop. I believe raising the flop is your best play. by not raising you effectively give the bettor a free card if you have a better hand. Also, you have a better chance of unerstanding where you are in the hand by raising. I am smiling Prince. You have been playing for fifteen minutes and you are "varying" your play? That's a new one on me.


There is merit in waiting to raise until the turn. That merit is reduced to zero if you do not know your opponent very well. Varying play is a valuable tactic to use but it is only valuable against aware opponents. So make sure that you are playing against competent oponnents before you bother with varying your play. BTW by waiting to raise on the turn vs raising the flop is not a method of varying your play. The reason(s) for waiting until the turen to raise should be based on the situation with which you find yourself and usually not for easons of confusing your opponents about your play. An example of varying your play is raising preflop up front with medium suited connectors or a even a small pair to keep your opponents on their toes.


Your river bet is a total mistake. Callers will either have you beat or at best tied.


Vince