Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

Just moved up to $50NL 6max for the 3rd time this year, and stil feel like there are huge holes in my game, heres a couple hands.

This one involves my pocket pair and a continuation bet by the original raiser.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (6 max, 5 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

BB ($52.85)
Hero ($69.15)
MP ($114.04)
Button ($47.80)
SB ($21.25)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.25.
Hero calls $0.50, MP calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">BB raises to $2.5</font>, Hero calls $2.50, MP folds, Button folds.

Flop: ($7.25) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets $4</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $8</font>, BB calls $4.
Made a min-raise to scare him, usually people hate min-raises. He thinks for a while then calls.

Turn: ($23.25) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $10</font>, BB calls $41.85 (All-In), Hero folds.
Only bet half the pot, should I have bet more?

Final Pot: $75.10

It seems like the original raiser must have had AQ or overpair. I folded in part because there were two flush draws on the board.

Next hand...
Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (6 max, 6 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

Hero ($50.15)
UTG ($48.95)
MP ($64.15)
CO ($101.95)
Button ($88.85)
SB ($45.45)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. SB posts a blind of $0.25.
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $0.50, CO calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, SB (poster) completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($2.50) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(5 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $1.5</font>, MP folds, CO folds, Button calls $1.50, SB folds.

Turn: ($5.50) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $3</font>, Button calls $3.

River: ($11.50) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $5</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises to $50</font>, Hero folds.
I did not represent a flush, since I had semibluffed on the flop. Was this just too weak a fold?

Final Pot: $66.50

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

The first hand you need to check/fold. You can't bluff every hand and you need to pick your spots more carefully.

Second hand I think you were looking at a boat.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

For hand 1 I think that once the min raise didn't work its time to give it up.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

For hand 1 I think that once the min raise didn't work its time to give it up.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

Hand 1, I agree w/ the previous posts. That turn bet was pretty much a donation, as he wasn't buying your bluff and you're almost certainly behind. No reason to pour more money into the hand.

Hand 2. It's hard to make the call w/out a read of the player. His bet on the river represents a boat. But, does he have it, or is he the type of player who would bet 3 queens or Queens up into a possible flush board? Conversely, is he the type of player who would make a delayed bet on a flush of his own, in the face of that scary queen?

Against a LAG, I call; Tight, passive, fold

It's like Phil Ivey says "It all comes down to whether your opponent has the hand he's representing."

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

First hand= Fancy Play Syndrome. That minraise = Yuck. Its spewing at these stakes, unless you have a very good read which I don't think you had. Just go away after you whiffed on the flop.

Second hand= read dependant. I call against an idiot(aka LAG at these stakes [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]), I fold against a nit/rock. I think given the way you played it, many players at this level will read you for an ace here and make that move with the queens, but it is still pretty read dependant.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

Hand 1: Check fold the flop. I hate to min raise, what do you hope to achive by minraising? Too many ways to loose here. You might already be behind, he might bet you out of the hand even if you are ahead and he might draw out on you if you are ahead. My default line for small pocket pair is to fold when i don't hit them(especially when you are up against a preflop raiser). So unless i have a very strong read i will fold 55 here almost all the time.

Hand 2: Fine you cannot call this, unless you have very clear indications that your opponent is very donkish.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Made a min-raise to scare him, usually people call min-raises. He thinks for a while then calls.



[/ QUOTE ]

FYP...

Hand #1, if you want to do something other than fold, just call and see what develops. If he was CB'ing, you can take it on the turn. Plus, by calling there's a whole bunch of spades out there that will help convince him that he is beat if he has something that beats you like TT/99. As played, check behind the turn, and try to make the nuts for free.

Hand #2, bet $4 on the flop, and lead the river for 3/4 pot or so. Now if he overbet raises you, you can fold. As played, you have to fold it, even though you might be folding the best hand.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

1. There is no reason for that play. At these stakes take only clear +EV situations. I still can't do it and that's why I lose. Lousy 3 PTBB/100 for 16k.

2. I'd fold. Looks like a boat/nut flush. A previous poster said that against TPA he'd fold against LAG, he'd call. Calling someone just because he's "LAG" is poor play IMO. Never, EVER call a good LAG on this board! Calling an overbet like this is the reason why good players make tons of money.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

Thanks for the comments. I agree hand #1 i was suffering from FPS and was going too far [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

hand 1 is soooooo bad on so many levels.

Headsup your hand might be good and I realize that. If I am in a similar hand against a villain that is decent and i suspect he is on whiffed overs and just making a continuation bet, I'll smooth call the flop. Then he will almost always check the turn, you can bet it and take down the pot. You didn't elect to do that, you made a crappy minraise. Repeat after me, "fish make min-raises, we don't." If you make a raise, make it a real one that is difficult to call. That way, when you make a reraise with a set he'll think you have a little pocket pair and you'll get paid off with it.

Once you made the min-raise and got called....for god's sakes, CHECK BEHIND WITH THE OESD. You have a pair of fives, which are almost certainly behind after he called the raise. You've now picked up a very strong draw and you have a chance to see the river for free.....take the free shot at making the straight. It is criminally bad to make a bet when you've picked up a strong draw that will give you a win but a raise will force you out....you did exactly that.

hand 2 - pot the turn, you've gotta fold that river, you are behind. Villain probably slowplayed a set on the flop, got burned on the turn, then filled up on the river and thinks you'll call the massive overbet.

Re: Moved up to $50NL 6max, got a couple of \"iffy\" hands...
 

Hand 1: No one's mentioned this so far, but I'd give serious consideration to folding this to the preflop raise. The raise to you is 5% of villain's stack, so it is on the borderline between "clear call" and "use your judgment". You have the 4th worst pp, which makes it that little bit more likely that a set will get cracked if you hit, and more importantly there are two players yet to act. A squeeze play is unlikely at this level but someone slowplaying a big pair isn't. This is doubly true if you can't let it go if you don't hit your set on the flop. Villain raised from EP into 3 players so probably has a decent hand - you have to fold the flop.

Hand 2: I'd bet $5 on the turn - like you said you semi-bluffed the flop, and part of the reason for this is to get paid when the flush hits. Bear in mind another club will kill your action. Good laydown on the river.