Hand To Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Here's an interesting hand I played this evening in a $60-$120 game at The Bellagio.

I'm on the button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. It's passed to me, I raise, and both blinds call. Now to understand the hand, the player in the big blind is someone who plays too loose and aggressive, thinks he a great player, and thinks he plays much better than I do.

The flop comes K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. It's checked to me, I bet, the small blind folds, the player in the big blind check raises, and I call.

The turn is the 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. The player in the big blind bets and I call.

The river is the 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. The player in the big blind bets, I raise, and he folds.

All comments welcome.

Best wishes,
Mason

[mike l.]

now that's an interesting hand! why didnt you raise the flop or the turn mason? (i wouldve raised the turn in case he was on a draw).

[doggin]

Mason, the player in the big blind would have surely called
your raise on the river had he had a K or a T, not sure
on the 8. I would have put him on the flush draw which you
both missed, or he very much could have been on a straight
draw which the river card was THE perfect card for you.
With his after flop check raise, my brain would have
automatically started screaming Kings or Tens. What was
your thinking when he check raised you?
I don't mean to turn this around, but would you please
comment on my thinking here?
Thanks, pd

[mike l.]

"With his after flop check raise, my brain would have
automatically started screaming Kings or Tens. What was
your thinking when he check raised you?"

at most mid limits games out west a lot of players checkraise the flop heads up against possible steal raise w/ any sort of draw, and sometimes nothing at all as well as with all sorts of pairs. it's just the aggressive way it's done. steal/resteal.

[doggin]

Thanks Mike

[JohnShaft]

Mason, you raised the River.

I'm interested in:
1. What worse hands are going to call you?
2. What better hands are going to fold?

[johnd]

I dont understand the river raise...unless u r setting him up for later, or you think he will call with bottom pair or ten smaller kicker. There are some 8-16 players i would make that play with, but only because they are likly to reraise with bottom pair and call me down with A high. If u could explain it would be helpful.

[Mike Gallo]

Mason,

I think the key to understanding how you played the hand comes from this statement... Now to understand the hand, the player in the big blind is someone who plays too loose and aggressive, thinks he a great player, and thinks he plays much better than I do.

The big blind most likely thinks that you have made a play for the blinds. He will defend and attempt to outplay you on the later streets.

It's checked to me, I bet, the small blind folds, the player in the big blind check raises, and I call.

Since he knows you play well, and he thinks he plays better than you, he thinks if you didnt have a hand, he can pick up the pot with a check raise. You called, ok he must think, Mason might have something. I will fire another bullet on the river. If Mason raises, I have to fold.

The turn is the 7. The player in the big blind bets and I call.

Now he must think, Ok, Mason never calls I might play better than him, but Masons calls scare me more than his bets or raises.

The river is the 7. The player in the big blind bets, I raise, and he folds.

Dang it, he thought, why couldnt I have hit my Queen as he tosses his AJ away in disgust.

I like the river raise. I put your opponent on a baby pair or AJ off suit with the Aces of diamonds. If he had AJ diamonds he most likely would have reraised preflop.

[Mike Gallo]

why didnt you raise the flop or the turn mason? (i wouldve raised the turn in case he was on a draw).

Because then his opponent would put Mason on the flush draw and not a hand.

Remember, this player thinks that he plays better than Mason.

[lil']

This seems like one of those situations where you know a check raise is coming, so you have to decide ahead of time how you will respond to it.

I would usually raise before the river. I think you are ahead on the flop most of the time, so the turn and river being total bricks means nothing has changed, and you can pretty much be sure you are winning when you raise the river. The reason I would raise earlier is because I want to charge a draw, and a pair of tens isn't a hand I just want to sit on.