The Good, The Bad....The Ugly? (special blind defense edition!)

Harv72b · #1 09-04-2005, 07:30 AM

Another ugly night, filled with bad beats on the appropriately named Bad Beat Jackpot tables (hey, the jackpot was up over $200k, and the donks were out in full force). I caught a nice little run at the end of the session to "only" finish down about 35 BBs. But that doesn't matter...what matters is, how did I play these hands? Because to be honest, the way things have been going for me lately I'm starting to question if I ever really knew what I was doing to start with. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Hand 1

Reads: First hand of the night. I don't really have reads on anyone, except that the table in general was piling up some nice pots before I got there.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is BB with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
2 folds, UTG+2 calls, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (4 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB bets, Hero calls, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 calls, MP3 calls, SB calls.

River: (8 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets, UTG+2 folds, MP3 raises, SB calls, Hero 3-bets, MP3 calls, SB folds.

Final Pot: 16 BB
Main Pot: 16 BB, between MP3 and Hero.

__________________________________________________ ________

Hand 2

No read on villian.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
5 folds, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (4.50 SB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero raises, CO 3-bets, Hero calls.

River: (11.25 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, intending to call a raise?

__________________________________________________ _________

Hand 3

Reads: Down to HU vs. a pretty mediocre player. Even when the table was full he played way too many hands, and had real trouble getting away from a big unimproved ace or pocket pair. I believe that I've gotten into his head since we got heads up by varying my play pretty much constantly, and putting a lot of pressure on him preflop.

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (2 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Preflop: Hero is Button with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Hero posts a blind of $2.
BB raises, Hero (poster) 3-bets, BB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB bets, Hero raises, intending to win the pot before he can suck out on the river.

As always, any and all comments or critiques are very much welcome. Usually I post 1 hand that I think I played well and 1 hand that I think I played poorly; tonight there's 1 that I think is good, 1 that I think is sorta bad, and 1 that I really can't decide about.

toss · #2 09-04-2005, 08:09 AM

Hand 1 looks fine.

Hand 2 you need to cap that turn unless you want to checkraise the river.

Hand 3 depends on how often you think he'll fold.

oreogod · #3 09-04-2005, 08:16 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 1 looks fine.

Hand 2 you need to cap that turn unless you want to checkraise the river.

Hand 3 depends on how often you think he'll fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur. Hand 2 cap unless u want to CR. I like capping and leading better.

brazilio · #4 09-04-2005, 08:19 AM

Hand 1 I raise that flop and expect coldcallers aplenty at most 2/4 tables. I do that mostly because when you raise the turn to SB's continuation bet, even donks realize you've got something good.

Hand 2 maybe I'm weak or something, but I just check/call the river and I usually don't cap the turn.

Hand 3 I don't think he's the right opponent to do this against.

oreogod · #5 09-04-2005, 08:32 AM

Whenver u get finished w/ this thread Id be curious to know what Hand 2 had (I was thinking KJ which u probably split with or maybe KT. Unless he filled up to a boat on the river there isnt much else out there I can see.

Did a quick count on that: looks close doing a count. Hand beating u 99,TT,QQ,KK,KQ,AJ = 28. Hands u are beating AK,KJ,KT,AA =36 probably discount that to 29-30ish............so its close on that river to what u want to do...whether its c/c or lead after capping the turn.

Redd · #6 09-04-2005, 10:46 AM

Hand 1: I think is ok; there's a few decent cards that will let a typical player improve to a second best hand/draw. Pot is small.

Hand 2: I'd also cap the turn.

Hand 3: Did you read your read? [ QUOTE ]
he played way too many hands, and had real trouble getting away from a big unimproved ace or pocket pair

[/ QUOTE ]
This is really read-dependent but even if you're in his head this doesn't seem like the ideal opponent to semibluff.

SmileyEH · #7 09-04-2005, 01:37 PM

Hand 1 is fine. I dont like hands 2 or 3. You are over thinking and fps is very real. Second hand just cap the flop while you have the pseodo nuts.

Hand 3 dont 3bet preflop. [ QUOTE ]
Down to HU vs. a pretty mediocre player. Even when the table was full he played way too many hands, and had real trouble getting away from a big unimproved ace or pocket pair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are you semibluffing this player? The pot is small so he needs to fold a very high percentage of the time for raising to be better than calling.

-SmileyEH

shant · #8 09-04-2005, 01:50 PM

Hand 1: Cool.

Hand 2: I would just cap the flop and lead. I don't like the river plan at all.

Hand 3: I don't like the preflop 3-bet.

jstewsmole · #9 09-04-2005, 02:05 PM

1. good

2. given the way u got to the river and the board pairing, i probably just check/call the river

3. given ur read, i dont like the semi bluff C/R here.

Dagger78 · #10 09-04-2005, 02:24 PM

Hand 1 nice pot, good play.

Hand 2: I would have capped the turn and yes I'd bet-call the river. The CO could be stubborn and 3 betting without the J. If he has AJ well that happens, but every other hand you're eather spliting or are a huge favorite.

Hands 3: Do you think he's folding a pair here? And do you plan on continuing with a river bet to get him to fold an Ace or Q high? If you think there is even a small chance he'll fold I like the raise.