Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

Villain and I had played before, but never for an extended period of time HU. He's kind of bluffy, meaning he calls my value bets and makes marginal value bets with mid-pair when he thinks I can't call. He's followed his big semi and pure bluffs through to the river. I view him as a sort of tricky, good player, who makes questionable calls. The questionable calls are why I'm continuing to play with him.

We both have about 4.5k in front, and the only reason I want to keep playing so deep is because I set him up to take his stack with a bunch of semi-bluff all-ins earlier where he called with top pair (one I hit, one I did not). My image is tricky LAG - very aggro preflop and potting many flops, tightening up by the turn.

He has changed up his play - earlier in the session he would just complete from the SB with strong holdings and wait for me to raise; after about an hour he started raising them himself.

So this hand comes up about 2 hours into our session. I'm in the SB with 9h10c. I raise to 60 (standard for me), Villain, on button reraises to 150. He hasn't done the reraise from anywhere preflop much during the session. I call, putting him on JJ-AA, AK or AQsuited.

Flop ($300): 2c7h10h. I check/call 225, hoping to pick up something on the turn or that he'll slow down with a missed hand.

Turn ($750): 8h. I check/call $450. At this point I have him on overpair with a heart, so KK with a heart or AA with a heart, or AQh, or AKh, or he's on a pure bluff. And part of me thinks he could have a set. I'm very confused as to what he'd continue to bet the turn with. Before I call I look up, pray to the gods that he has the ace of hearts and I complete my straight flush, and take his silly little stack.

River ($1650). 10s. I check/call 1100, cursing the gods and hoping my hand holds up.

This was ugly - I need help somewhere.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

You seem to be representing on the flop and the turn exactly the hand that you have -- a weak top pair that sure does wish his opponent would quit betting. It doesn't look like you have a plan at all.

I think that the turn is the decision point in this hand and that you played it as badly as possible. If my opponent is capable of laying down an overpair, I occasionally CR all-in on the turn. I occasionally lead the turn for $600 or so (hoping that opponent will fold big cards) and give up if called or raised. I sometimes check-fold if Villain is the type of player that can't lay down overpairs. Check calling seems like the worst option. OOP you are not likely to make a lot of money on the river if you make your straight or spike a T. I think that you were very fortunate if Villain showed you KK or something on the river because he will check that behind a lot of the time when the T falls.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

You check/raise all-in with stacks this deep? That's real bad, IMO.

And my thinking was if I check/raise pot-sized and get called (possibly by KK/AA with a heart), I have to commit another big bet on the river if I don't catch anything to try to make him lay his hand down. And by c/r or betting the turn, I lose any money I would make if this is a bluff. I also assumed with overs/JJ-AA he would check behind, because it's such a scary board and I could get to a cheap showdown.

But you're right, I had absolutely no plan and ended up just calling down, which can't at all be good. But stacks are way too deep, IMO, to be f'ng around here either.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

Stacks aren't that deep. Think about how much you would have left behind if you make a pot-sized CR on the turn and you will see why it might as well be all-in. That being said, I don't make that move every day of the week or w/o a specific read.

Given the preflop action, you won't see a double-barreled bluff on the turn very often, but if that's why you checked it to him on the turn (i.e. you knew your hand was good and wanted him to bet), then god bless. That being said, I seriously doubt that you checked it to him hoping he would bet. You checked it to him for pot control (which is hard to accomplish OOP against a good opponent). Even if he checks behind on the turn with a hand like AA, he is betting a non-heart, non-T river if you check it to him again. Then what? Call, fold, who knows?

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

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That being said, I seriously doubt that you checked it to him hoping he would bet. You checked it to him for pot control (which is hard to accomplish OOP against a good opponent).

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Right, I wanted to keep this pot small if possible and thought that my hand had too much value to fold (but I was worried I could be crushed). I checked hoping, and assuming (since the turn was so scary) he would check behind.

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Even if he checks behind on the turn with a hand like AA, he is betting a non-heart, non-T river if you check it to him again. Then what? Call, fold, who knows?

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If he checks behind, I was going to lead any river that helps me for about 2/3 pot, and check/call any normal sized bet on a non-dangerous river (i.e. non q, k or a). Keep in mind I've got that straight draw, too. If he comes over the top, I would probably fold unless I made the straight flush.

My main problem with that check/raise all-in is that he could very well have the nut flush, or be holding AA with the ace of hearts and decide that I was making a move and call. As mentioned earlier, he did call two of my semi-bluff c/r all-ins (albeit with 2k stacks) with top pair (not even overpair), so if he did have an overpair, especially with a heart, I thought that he'd probably call here. And the heart possibility eliminates half my outs.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

fold pre?

T9o is not a good hand to have out of position vs. a tough opponent.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

I'm not advocating a CR all-in as some sort of default line. If you don't feel that you have a meaningful amount of fold equity, you are right not to do it. The bottom line is that I just hate check-calling big draws HU. Maybe leading the turn for 2/3 pot is best. If he raises, you know exactly where you are -- he has a set, a made flush or an overpair with a heart (most likely JJ or AA).

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

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fold pre?

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yeah - if you cant get away from TP on the flop when not really getting odds to improve and you are crediting him with the narrow range you listed, then just dump this.

this hand hurt to read. im sure we've all been in similar spots.

oh yeah, and on the end, since you got there, bet what you are willing to call.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

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He hasn't done the reraise from anywhere preflop much during the session. I call, putting him on JJ-AA, AK or AQsuited.

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I think it's a mistake to limit his hand range so much pre-flop based on a raise that is out of the ordinary.
HU with deep stacks it doesn't make sence for him to give away the stregth of his hand.

Re: Feels ugly, hand from 10/20 HU session
 

I agree fold preflop but if not and play is as stated why check on the turn looks like a huge bet to me.