Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

On the AQ vs A6 hand I think it all depends on where you put him. If you think he's on diamonds, get it in on the turn. If you don't put him on diamonds I certainly would check the river, unless you know he'd make two big calls with one pair mediocre kicker. Although some players can make big reads and value bets here (and I do put you in this category), there are certainly some players who are unreadable due to playing so poorly.

Excellent fold on the first hand, its easy to 'change your read' when you catch a perfect flop.

Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

If you were certain that he didn't have AA,KK,AK then your play is more justified. He got a lucky flop. Most players believe in making something near a pot sized bet with all of their stronger hands. I take a more varied approach depending on the hand.

If I bet $10 on the flop and he calls, I am going to feel happy about that and bet out $10 again on the turn. I'm just betting the strength of a hand that I can beat, like a small ace whose kicker didn't pair. He may not feel that $10 is enough for his two pair and raise me out, or he may call me down. Either way I'm better off. It is -EV to bet more than the value of your hand, unless you have reasonable certainty that he will fold.

To answer your other question, yes I would let him draw to the flush, if that is what he had. Between the odds of him not even having the flush, and the odds of the flush not coming, it seems better to get some value out of my AQ if it is in fact the best hand.

Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

The rake was the blinds

Wow. That's crazy. The whole point of poker is that pots develop as people try to win the money that is already in the middle. If they're raking the blinds, there is no money in the middle to begin with. Why would you play?

I know the no-flop-no-drop policy changes this somewhat, but still. Oh my.

Guy.

Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

I think your reasoning pre-flop makes perfect sense. He wants to gamble, so you make him pay to do so.

The flop was very good for you (apparently). With 2 diamonds, IMO you should make any diamond flushes pay, so bet the pot. A small bet gives the diamond flush draws the right price to call.

Given the relatively small stack sizes, I don't see how you can get away from losing all you chips here. He just got a very lucky flop, but if you consider all the possible hands he could have given the circumstances you described, I don't see how your pre-flop raise followed by a pot sized bet can be bad.

Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

I agree. If i didn't think the game was so good, i wouldn't play.
I probably raised the limpers to $8-$12 about 12 times. 11 times somebody stayed in.

I really never limped, because too much of the pot was put into the rake. If I was going to play, I made sure money was in there.

They are making bank though.

Re: a couple of $1-$2 hands at a B&M
 

[ QUOTE ]
I really never limped, because too much of the pot was put into the rake. If I was going to play, I made sure money was in there.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a brilliant point that hadn't occurred to me. But now that you say it, it makes perfect sense.

I\'ve played in this game before
 

I've played at this game before. I was at the $1-$2 table right after the tourny one night (2 weeks ago?) and went on a disgusting rush of cards. I was up about 4+ racks in an hour or so, I was the younger guy with black hair (my friend with redhair sat next to me for about 20 minutes before I took his roll and we left :-) ) Were you at the table?

The table was so loose everytime I had a big hand there was a $5-$10 raise in front of me and I just pushed in each time, each time getting called. I played all pocket pairs and only played AXs & 78s+ on the button for no raise or very very small raise. I pushed all my big hands. People still thought I was a maniac. God I need to be there tomorrow night.

Re: I\'ve played in this game before
 

No, the only time i've played there was last saturday.
I was the main one doing the raising as I got AK and AQ a ton (i know AQ ain't that great). KK once, bet $10..two callers. A high, so I was done (winner showed his A).

Glad you agree how easy it is.
I'll probably play not this saturday but the next.

You said one night..do you mean sycuan? Viejas is a 10am tourney.

Re: I\'ve played in this game before
 

yeah the days kinda blend together now... morning game, I find they usually hold the game right after the NL tourny most of the time with 1-2 and 2-4. Despite the rake the game is worth it without question. I made very little raises in the game except with AK, KK, AA. Everything else I just tried to hit a flop or I was gone (never bluffed which is hard for me). I saw a 5 way all-in each for 50 bucks with an ace high flop and two rags. Winner showed pocket Queen's and it was good.