KK, level 1

[Scuba Chuck]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter

MP2 (t990)
MP3 (t890)
CO (t1110)
Button (t685)
SB (t1205)
Hero (t955)
UTG (t1000)
UTG+1 (t1165)
UTG+2 (t1000)
MP1 (t1000)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, MP1 calls t15, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP3 raises to t45</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, Button calls t45, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to t125</font>, MP1 folds, MP3 calls t80, Button calls t80.

Flop: (t397.50) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
Hero .....

<font color="blue"> Man, I really hate being UTG here, or first to act. What's the right move? </font>

[spentrent]

Lead half the pot OR hope to check-raise?

That ace should scare villain more than it scares you.

[Scuba Chuck]

[ QUOTE ]
hope to check-raise?

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't like checking.

[ QUOTE ]
That ace should scare villain more than it scares you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very good point.

Out of curiosity, what type of hands do you put $55ers on who call a big raise like that?

[willperkins]

This is a tough position to be in.

I would normally bet 2/3 of the pot to give anyone the improper odds to hit the flush. However, with the amount of money you have left, if you are going to bet 2/3 of the pot, you may as well push because you are pot committed.

The problem is you are out of position to MP3 who raised 3 X BB and then called your reraise as well as the button who cold called a raise and a reraise.

Since you have KK, the odds are against one of them having AK. I do not think MP3 would raise and call a reraise with AQ (although I have seen players do so if suited) or a lower Ace.

Likewise, I don't think the button would cold call a raise and reraise with AQ or a lower Ace.


That leaves large PP like AA or QQ.

If they have AA, I'm dead in the water unless I get runner, runner diamond.

I'm not a great player and I could be very wrong, but this is my read and I would push (IMHO).

Please feel free to tell me where my thinking goes astray.

[valenzuela]

I check, I think betting is wrong.

[Scuba Chuck]

[ QUOTE ]
I check, I think betting is wrong.


[/ QUOTE ]

There is one reason not to check. It allows all the pocket pairs one more card to see.

[spentrent]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
hope to check-raise?

[/ QUOTE ]

I really don't like checking.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm right there with ya... but I pointed it out as an option only because if successful -- meaning, villain doesn't check behind or push all-in -- it would represent a lot of strength, a nice follow-up to the pre-flop reraise.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That ace should scare villain more than it scares you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very good point.

Out of curiosity, what type of hands do you put $55ers on who call a big raise like that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Disclaimer: my 11|22 to 55 ratio approaches infinity, so I can't answer that question given that condition.

However, my feeling is that there's a higher probability that the typical $55er is "more aware" of represented strength than the typical 11|22er (hence the check-raise option, something I'd almost NEVER do in 11|22 land in this situation, as I can imagine weakish Ax hands calling it anyway: "dur, I'm pot-committed since I bet first.")

If I'm you, I'm putting villain on 99-AA|AKs+o|AQs+o. But I might be giving more respect than I should.

If I'm the caller, I'm putting you on QQ-AA|AK. I'm not expecting you to be making a tricky play this early to pick up the blinds + my raise pre-flop.

I want my flop actions to make AK|AQ taste bile and fold. I also want 99-QQ (KK is just so unlikely) to fold without getting tricky; same deal for a four-flush. (Another plus for the check-raise, since we have to fold to a reraise if we lead.)

Leading out is probably the best option, since the ace is scary and the diamonds make it reasonable for your AK not to be in a milking mood. But I want to hear the opinions of other players at your level. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[adanthar]

[ QUOTE ]
There is one reason not to check. It allows all the pocket pairs one more card to see.

[/ QUOTE ]

If they both have pocket pairs, they're getting 2 free cards for a combined 8 outs as far as I'm concerned. This hand ended when an idiot (you can tell because he's already down 300) coldcalled two separate raises and an ace hit.

[spentrent]

I realize that I'm only taking one villain "seriously" here. I think Adanthar is correct with his analysis that implies that one of the villains is crack-addicted, and could have junk like Ax|22+.

TANGENT: Chuck, I ordered HOH after your dazzling recommendation (I think you said something like "best NLHE book ever") in reply to my question about it a month+ ago. From his constant ripping of online players it seems he's been screwed out of thousands by Ax players [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[Scuba Chuck]

[ QUOTE ]
This hand ended when an idiot (you can tell because he's already down 300) coldcalled two separate raises and an ace hit.


[/ QUOTE ]

This hand ended when I checked, and it checked through. Turn card was a low card. I pushed, and was called by a made set on the turn.