Heads Up for the Enchilada

[Abagadro]

Interested in comments on this hand. Only background is that my opponant had gone all-in on every hand of the last 5 hands either on the flop or turn, taking out third place 2 hands earlier.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t40000 (2 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Hero (t382983)
BB (t601017)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 8/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
Hero calls t20000, BB checks.

Flop: (t80000) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif, 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks.

Turn: (t80000) 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks.

River: (t80000) 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">BB bets t561017 (All-In)</font>, Hero calls t342983 (All-In).

Final Pot: t984000
<font color="green">Main Pot: t765966 (t765966), between Hero and BB.</font> &gt; <font color="white">Pot won by BB (t765966).</font>
<font color="green">Pot 2: t218034 (t218034), returned to BB.</font>

Results in white below: <font color="white">
Hero shows 9d 8h (straight, nine high).
BB shows 3h 3c (full house, threes full of sevens).
Outcome: BB wins t984000. </font>

[cferejohn]

I haven't looked at the results yet, but easy, easy call. No way I can give him credit for a full house here.

OK. I looked now. As I suspected (given that you posted it), a full house. The only way I think I would get away from it is by bluffing at it earlier and getting raised off the hand.

[Abagadro]

Thanks for your comments.

You put the finger right on my main question: Whether I should have made, I don't know what to call it, a "probe" bet on the turn to see if he came back at me strong. On the one hand, it seems like I am begging to get bluffed because of his aggression which I cannot call, thereby basically giving him chips. On the other, I may be able to feel better about getting away from a hand that is a long shot to hit anyway begin with (although I might still feel it is good if one of the overcards hits) and has some danger when the board pairs.

Also, what do you think of the pre-flop complete?

[cferejohn]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, what do you think of the pre-flop complete?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I would have either completed or raised this hand preflop. Heads up with high blinds is pretty much the one situation where almost the biggest mistake you can make is to fold too much.

It was pretty much a dream situation for him. He'd gone all-in several times before (presumably on bluffs at least a couple of times), and suddenly he hits an absolute monster in a situation where I'd probably by pretty happy with top pair, much less a straight.

I can probably count on one hand the number of heads up hands I play where I allow both the flop and turn to be checked. I'm bluffing somewhere here, even if I have nothing. It might not help, as if he just flat calls and once again pushes on the river, I'm still beating him into the pot with my straight. Maybe you would get "lucky" though and he would play back enough to make you lay down.

[Abagadro]

Thanks for you comments. Much appreciated.

[Squirrel]

Yup, I go busted here too.

The fact that this hand is almost impossible to get away from, especially on the internet, is exactly the reason I love the BB's huge overbet.

Preflop, sometimes I call, sometimes I raise, but I am playing.

Again, sometimes I semi bluff, sometimes I take the free cards.

Sorry to sound vague, but I have no problem with how you played it. I think you were just a victim of a tailor-made situation for the BB.

[tripdad]

this is definitely a raising hand preflop imo. quite frankly, there is too great a possibility of stealing the blinds here. if you had done that, the rest of the hand would have played itself out allowing you to avoid going bust, possibly even avoid seeing a flop (assuming BB comes over the top, not folding).

cheers!

[cferejohn]

[ QUOTE ]
this is definitely a raising hand preflop imo. quite frankly, there is too great a possibility of stealing the blinds here. if you had done that, the rest of the hand would have played itself out allowing you to avoid going bust, possibly even avoid seeing a flop (assuming BB comes over the top, not folding).


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure you can avoid going bust here if you raise. He might well call preflop with a small pair if you raise. Then he would probably call a flop bet to trap. Unless he pushes you off on the turn, he's still going to push on the river, and you're still going to have to call given his previous behavior. Unless he got aggressive earlier in the hand, I still don't see how you avoid it.

[fnurt]

Well, if we're playing results, I don't see why the guy would come over the top of the reraise with 33, considering he only checked preflop in the actual hand. More likely is that it would play out as Chris describes.

I personally think whether to raise or complete preflop is more a question of style. But I think the flop is a good fit for 98 (2 overcards with an inside straight draw) and I would definitely bet the flop. It's silly to wait around to see if you hit your draw, when you don't know if you even need to hit it to win.

Assuming you get called on the flop, it seems obvious to check behind on the turn, even if you put him on overcards. Don't fire that second bullet when a check-raise could rob you of the chance to hit the nuts on the river. Of course I guess it wasn't the nuts after all, but who knew?