2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand #1: Blinds are 25-50, you have about a 9k stack.

UTG raises to 300, I decided to call in the button with JJ; BB also calls.

Flop: T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

UTG bets 300 again, I call and BB raises to 1500. UTG folds.

Your action?

_____________________________


Hand #2: Blinds 200-400 with 50 ante. You have a 10k stack and KQ in the BB.

EP raises to 1k (which is very small for the standard raise up to this point), LB calls and you call.

Flop is K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks, I check; and EP goes AI for about 13k. SB folds. Your move?

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

First one: get rid of it. Waay too early to be moving with hands like that.

Second one is tough but I'd say fold as well. His bet makes no sense and you just really have to assume hes got a better hand. In a situation like this I might go all in but I almost never call all in. The only hand I could see someone doin this with that you can beat is QQ (which even then doesnt make a whole lot of sense) and you have one of the queens which makes it unlikely. Might be holding AK or even AA.

Was this EP player a fish or a skilled player?

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Barf on hand 1: You've played it well but BB can have any number of reasonable hands ranging from AT to a set to QJ. I might lay it down here. The pot is getting expensive and it's hard to quantify what a blank is on this board.
(My gut read is that he has AT...but i dunno if i have the balls to repop it)

Hand 2: Gah what a strange raise on both levels. Pushing 11k for a 3k pot? I'd call, but would be upset if he showed AA.
(Gut instinct, he has KQ)

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

I like repopping the first one. I don't think he plays an overpair like this in a multiway pot out of position and he doesn't play a set this fast against a pfr AND a coldcaller.

The second hand, he has AA a ton of times here. A small raise preflop combined with an overbet on the flop means AA so much. Any reads on the guy?

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand 1 - I think UTGs bet size dictates my action somewhat. He bet 300 into a 900 pot, I like a raise to 1200-1500 (I'm assuming UTG and BB have similar stack sizes as you?). I think a raise defines your hand much better. If BB or UTG goes allin after your raise, it is easier to fold, IMO.

If UTG bet 600 to 1000 on the flop, then I like just calling with jacks. I don't think many players will be check raising a strong bet and a strong call without a damn good hand, so if BB moves allin on this sequence, I think a fold is in order most of the time.

BTW, I would probably fold to BBs allin with the betting action you describe. He may only have a T in his hand, but I think other holdings that beat you are at least as likely.

It sounds like it was early in the tournament, so no line on BBs play yet? If I were in the BB w/AT (or JT for that matter) with that flop and 2 players to act behind me, I would be betting into the raiser most of the time. AT is just too vulnerable to a free card.

Augie

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand 1: This is tough, but since it's the BB, I think it's a fold. I mean the only hands you are ahead of are like AT KT, and against QJ, you are a small favorite. Everything else the BB could possibly have (33,99,TT,T9, slowplayed QQ-AA), have you crushed. I think not reraising preflop put you in a bad position. The only problem I see with calling the flop is that if he bets big, you are going to be forced to play for all your chips. If you feel your hand is good here, by all means.

Hand 2 - call, I think. Your hand is just strong enough to get you in trouble if your beat. This is an instance where if you are ahead, you have him murdered, but if you are behind, you are dead.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand 1: I like raising to 1K-ish the first time. Since you didn't, you've got to decide if you're playing for your stack or at least half of it. I think his range is [AT, QJ, T9, random ten, set, AA, crap] in roughly that order, and vs. that range, I want his chips in.

I'm gonna take a small risk here and just call since a reraise will fold all of his weaker hands and most of the time, big cards scare him as much as me (ie, he will not 'bluff' the turn when an ace hits). The intention is to raise any turn that looks remotely favorable. If I get bet/3 bet there it's a much easier muck.

Hand 2: Blah. I barf and reluctantly fold.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand 1: I fold. If you call and he has AT, hes probably gonna fire another bet which you'll have to fold to. It's fairly likely that you are beat by a set or two pair, and if you raise, you are comitting way too many chips to find out.

Hand 2: Looks a lot like aces to me. I fold and am not to worried about it. If he makes this play with a hand worse than KQ, then you would have seen some horrible plays before the 200/400 level and known who you were up against.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 2: Looks a lot like aces to me. I fold and am not to worried about it. If he makes this play with a hand worse than KQ, then you would have seen some horrible plays before the 200/400 level and known who you were up against.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree completely, but what if you know he is going to move AI no matter what? I think his range is wider here, although folding is probably the right play. Being at the table would probably be helpful in regards to this hand.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

hand 1) i really dislike that flop call... you need to raise there. that 300 bet is too stupid... obviously u have him beat, and i think you should make sure the flop gets bet (4real) here.
as played, BB could have a huge range of hands which include quite of bit of air if he is any good. still, i would shrug and fold.
even if you are a fav to have the best hand you have huge reverse implied odds vs set/top2 and calling this bet to fold for 2500 on 4th seems ugggggly.

hand 2) thats a tough spot. seems silly to call in this spot PF and now you fold. how long have you been playing w/ this guy? would he shove in with A5 here?
id prob fold since he opened EP and AK has you drawing so slim here.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]

Hand 2: Looks a lot like aces to me. I fold and am not to worried about it. If he makes this play with a hand worse than KQ, then you would have seen some horrible plays before the 200/400 level and known who you were up against.

[/ QUOTE ]

But doesn't that overbet scream "don't call me"? If he has AA then wouldn't he try to extract more from someone w/ a K? Or is he playing so scared that he doesn't want to give someone the chance to hit 2 pair? I mean if you have AA, could you pick a better flop than that? Why push?
And again, the same arguments could be made for AK.

Although, I must admit. . . I'm having a hard time figuring out the type of hand he did push with here.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hand #1: Blinds are 25-50, you have about a 9k stack.

UTG raises to 300, I decided to call in the button with JJ; BB also calls.

Flop: T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

UTG bets 300 again, I call and BB raises to 1500. UTG folds.

Your action?

_____________________________


Hand #2: Blinds 200-400 with 50 ante. You have a 10k stack and KQ in the BB.

EP raises to 1k (which is very small for the standard raise up to this point), LB calls and you call.

Flop is K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks, I check; and EP goes AI for about 13k. SB folds. Your move?

[/ QUOTE ]


Hand 1, I think that raise and action is a little strong for a set to take. Seems like he's intentionally killing your odds, though theres some chance hes just aggressive or is fishing for an overpair (reads help here...). I think you see ATs-JTs a lot more often though. I call and probably get more money in on the turn.

Hand 2, he can have this pot (4:3 odds? Juicy). I'm surprised you don't list any read on a guy who makes this bet, but in any case this is almost never a bluff.

Everett

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand 1. Definitely not folding here. I'll raise here and try to finish the hand. I don't think BB has a set, or T9, too big of a raise on the flop. Looks like QT, KT. I think you're ahead with your Jacks right now.



Hand 2. That small raise preflop is suspicious. I'll muck this. If EP is a donk, you can bust him later.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hehehe

Call call but im a fish

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

I fold both.

In hand one, I would've raised UTG's 300 bet.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

hey david,

i'm posting without checking out other posts. these hands are difficult and there are probably many ways to play them, but i will tell you what i feel with my instinct here...

hand 1. obviously i know the postflop play so it influences my preflop feelings, but i feel with our position we can reraise here. having no read on an utg raiser scares me, but instead of dealing with an undercard flop w/ JJ and no knowledge of the UTG I want to reraise JJ here and take control. I play JJ very conservative with low blinds but I love position enough.. to mix it up a little here. How it was played... I am comfortable folding the flop. Then again, BB has no reason to put you on an overpair. BB could be pumping an OESD or top pair here if he is aggressive.

hand 2. ick. the overbet all in. i feel at best you are chopping. this is probably a top pair a player doesn't know how to play with deep stacks. with no read, this is a tough fold, but i think AK is more likely here than KQ/KJ by far.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

i take almost the same line. hand 1: call. gut feeling is hes got OESD, or AT, maybe set. Big pair, prob wouldve reraised before the flop, altho QQ is possible. Call, and if board didnt come Q or 8 or T on the turn, i would think im good and lead in for about 2500. May get AT to hang himself.

hand 2: fold, after "staring into his soul."

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

No one considers popping the flop on hand one up to 1500 themselves before it gets back to BB? If he reraises there it is an easy fold I would think, if he calls...oh well. At least then you will have shown strength and he wont lead the turn with a random T. You have an overpair and have shown no strength at all, why wouldn't BB think his Tx and specially AT is worth a raise?

Second one is a fold to me, unless I have a read he is a nutcase.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
No one considers popping the flop on hand one up to 1500 themselves before it gets back to BB?

[/ QUOTE ]
interesting that you say this considering the majority of posts in this thread recommend exactly this.

nice analysis!

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No one considers popping the flop on hand one up to 1500 themselves before it gets back to BB?

[/ QUOTE ]
interesting that you say this considering the majority of posts in this thread recommend exactly this.

nice analysis!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, rereading all replies I see a 3 person majority suggested this. I guess I'm guilty of skimming some posts.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

Hand # 1: I folded. It's the first level and I don't think BB is raising 2 players without a set.

Some people suggested raising preflop to 1000, EP raised 6 times the BB !!; and I don't want to play a pretty big pot with JJ, besides I have position.


Hand #2: As ZJ said, this looked like AA a lot to me, still, I took my time and talked a little to the guy and he looked confident. So I decided to fold.

Re: 2 tough decisions from Foxwoods
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hand # 1: I folded. It's the first level and I don't think BB is raising 2 players without a set.

Some people suggested raising preflop to 1000, EP raised 6 times the BB !!; and I don't want to play a pretty big pot with JJ, besides I have position.


Hand #2: As ZJ said, this looked like AA a lot to me, still, I took my time and talked a little to the guy and he looked confident. So I decided to fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

u gotta either raise that flop in hand 1, or call bb's c/r. You have runners. Hand 2 i insta-muck.