rate my play

[ripdog]

Two hands, UB $1/$2 PLO high:

1) I call from the small blind with a hand that contains 44. I'm thinking to myself 'be very cautious here!'. Flop comes K 4 6. UTG maniac bets the pot, UTG+1 calls, I call. Pot is now ~$40. Turn is a J and puts two spades on board (no spade draw for me). Maniac bets pot (just like I knew he would), UTG+1 calls, I pause for a second and raise to $160. Maniac folds immediately, UTG+1 thinks long and hard, then folds. Claims to have had KK, which I seriously doubt. The player seemed to be pretty good--not one to fold the nuts on the turn.

2) Against same maniac, I pick up 8 8 10 Q and call the maniac's standard pre-flop raise. Three of us see a flop of K 9 7 rainbow. Maniac bets pot, fold, I call. The turn is a J. Maniac bets pot, I raise pot, maniac immediately folds. I take down ~$80. Should I have risked just calling and seeing the river? Maniac would have certianly bet the pot again on the river, plus I knew that it was likely that he would dump his hand quickly if I raised the max. My thought at that moment was that I would really kick myself if the board paired because he would apply pressure no matter what he had in his hand. Does anybody risk it here?

[beernutz]

[ QUOTE ]
Two hands, UB $1/$2 PLO high:

1) I call from the small blind with a hand that contains 44. I'm thinking to myself 'be very cautious here!'. Flop comes K 4 6. UTG maniac bets the pot, UTG+1 calls, I call. Pot is now ~$40. Turn is a J and puts two spades on board (no spade draw for me). Maniac bets pot (just like I knew he would), UTG+1 calls, I pause for a second and raise to $160. Maniac folds immediately, UTG+1 thinks long and hard, then folds. Claims to have had KK, which I seriously doubt. The player seemed to be pretty good--not one to fold the nuts on the turn.

2) Against same maniac, I pick up 8 8 10 Q and call the maniac's standard pre-flop raise. Three of us see a flop of K 9 7 rainbow. Maniac bets pot, fold, I call. The turn is a J. Maniac bets pot, I raise pot, maniac immediately folds. I take down ~$80. Should I have risked just calling and seeing the river? Maniac would have certianly bet the pot again on the river, plus I knew that it was likely that he would dump his hand quickly if I raised the max. My thought at that moment was that I would really kick myself if the board paired because he would apply pressure no matter what he had in his hand. Does anybody risk it here?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm confused. In hand one is your opponent claiming to have laid down the nuts on the turn?

[Cleveland Guy]

Hand 1 - I assume you checked the flop.

With bottom set I want to know where I stand while it is still cheap. If I am checking the flop, it's for a flop check raise. But more often than not I think I am leading out.

I also highly doubt that someone laid down KK there. Yes there is a spade draw and straight draw out there, but nothing has made it yet, he also truly butchered top set by just calling behind 2 times and then folding to a raise.

Hand 2 - I think you played this fine. Yes this guy is a maniac, and seems to be auto betting, but he could still hold 2 pair, or an AT, or AQ. You have the nuts on the turn, but no real redraws to a better hand. He could get a higher straight or full boat against you. Why risk it? And if he is going to risk it, make him pay for it.

[rickofcampbell]

1. Against a maniac bottom set goes way up in value. Your raise is fine. If he folded KK he is an idiot, not a maniac.

2. A straight is not strong enough to slowplay. Raise because you have the best hand, and to make him pay if he is trying to outdraw you.

[Beavis68]

I dont think I would be playing the 44 hand, but the second one seems text book.

Why would he possibly laydown KK on the turn? No way he could be a dog with only one card to come.