15-30 hand

I am an aspiring recreational player who has recently moved up to 10-20 and 15-30. I have never posted hands from these games before and would appreciate all comments. I am posting this particular hand because it illustrates a difficult situation for me: i.e. playing without position in a short-handed reraised pot.


The game is 15-30, somewhat loose. My only opponent for the hand is a self-proclaimed professional but I don't rate his play very highly. He routinely calls raises with QJo and JTo as well as raises UTG with ATo. He plays reasonably after the flop.


The Hand: UTG folds. I am next (UTG+1) and raise with KhQh. Three players fold, opponent ("professional") makes it 3 bets. Everyone folds, I call, pot is heads up.


Flop: 3h 7s Ah


I checked, my opponent bet and I called.


Turn: 6h Board 3h 6h 7s Ah


I checked (plannig to check-raise), my opponent checked.


River 9c Board: 3h 6h 7s 9c Ah


I bet and my opponent folded after thinking for 10 seconds.


All comments and criticism welcomed,

Azad

Keep in mind that your opponent's bet on the flop means nothing: after you check it to him, his bet is automatic regardless of what he holds. Since he really hasn't told you anything about his hand by betting the flop, and you have something worth playing, I would go ahead and raise. In my experience, these aggressive preflop "professionals" would often hold pairs down to 77 when they make an isolation reraise before the flop, so put the screws to him and give him a chance to lay down the best hand when he might think he is drawing very thin. You should also consider betting out on the flop, if you think there is a reasonable chance he will fold without an ace.


I think you should bet the turn after the flop checks around. Now your bet looks like a steal, and he might call both turn and river with any pair (which is drawing dead). Since you would like to steal in this exact situation when you have nothing, you should bet those times you do have something as well. Also notice that the free card you give can't make him a flush which will give you any action (since you have the top 2 hearts), which eliminates one reason you might slowplay here.


On the river, you might as well check and hope to induce a bluff. After checking the turn, he has to have absolutely nothing, so this is the only way you might gain a bet.


So, I guess I disagree with every decision you made this hand. If you are looking for general criticism of your shorthanded play, I would say it looks like you play much too passively if this hand is typical.

I am guessing he had K high as well, but no flush. He was probably thinking how likely you would bluff at the pot with a lesser hand. He probably would call with any pocket pair at the end. You were in a tough spot to make much money on this hand. This just shows the importance of position. If you acted last, you know to bet the turn and not miss a bet.


I doubt you get called if you bet the turn in your example.

Well, what happened here is somewhat typical actually. You may want to consider varying your play in heads-up situations. Particularly, betting out on this flop can help you steal on the river i.e. he raises you on the flop, the turn is a blank and it goes check/check, the river is a blank, you bluff and win.


I mean, there's all kinds of variations here as to how to play this hand and the way you chose is one such variation which is not all that bad. In fact, I would say that no one way to play this hand is that much better than any other way. The key is to know there are different ways of playing the hand and knowing the river implications of the flop play that you decide to employ. It's like chess. You have to think a couple of moves in advance.

i would have checkraised the flop about 75% of the time, the other 25% of the time i would lead out and reraise about 30% of the time when raised.


on the turn i would bet out 100% of the time (considering we're heads up). you cant get someone to make a bad call if you dont bet, and checkraising here is way too scary for anyone to call with less than a set.


on the river i would bet out 100% of the time.

"My only opponent for the hand is a self-proclaimed professional but I don't rate his play very highly. ... I checked [the turn](planning to check-raise), my opponent checked. ... I bet [the river] and my opponent folded ..."


I don't think it much matters in the long run how you play your hand compared to how your opponent plays the hand. For whatever reason(s), he played the turn and river perfectly. Maybe he had a read. Maybe he got lucky and guessed right. Bottom line is, your implied odds preflop were shot to poop because you had a guy behind you who was going to win the pot if you flopped nothing, and who was able to put on the brakes on the turn when it was right. It's a case of being "outplayed" without making a "mistake."


Tommy

I would lead or checkraise on the flop. By putting a little pressure on the pot you can often take it down when he doesn't have an ace. this will be of value when you don't make your flush. semi-bluffs are very important in heads up play since you don't hit that often.


I agree with coliean that you should check the river since he will bet a lot more hands than he would call with. with this in mind, it is clear that you should bet the river after the turn goes check-check when you've missed your draw.


Rob

Before you start criticizing peoples post I suggest you actually read them /images/wink.gif


skeller