Old Man Tricked Me
 

$6-$12 at Commerce. Eighthanded and three limpers to me in SB. I see A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]and complete. BB knuckles and five to the flop.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

I bet without hesitation on purpose, hoping that any king out there would think I was bluffing. BB folds. Old Man in EP calls. I've had a good read on him. Chronic chaser but will play aggressive if he has a whopper. He was up a rack from his loose play, but an hour later is really shortstacked from it. Only one LP caller. Three to the turn.

Turn: 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

It didn't change a thing to me. I bet, again waiting for some fireworks from LP. I put Old Man on one of his quests for flush. At this table, Old Man has rivered two flushes playing 34s twice. This time, Old Man pauses for a few and says, "I need a spade!" and chucks six chips into the pot. LP folds. I pray for a red card, preferably a four.

River: Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Something told me in my gut that something was wrong. I thought about how I just told a friend to bet for value on the river, because money left out is money lost. I figured the queen would give us a chop if he had an ace. So I bet against my instinct anyway. Old Man raises me.

I know he would have raised preflop with AK or AQ, which he often would. I called time and realized to myself that he didn't have those two hands, but perhaps he didn't believe that I had an ace. I call his raise.

Anyone do different?

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

He calls out for a card, doesn't get it, and raises anyway. Sounds like he was lying and I would proceed with caution, and just call.

Results
 

The Old Man turns over A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]3 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Of course, after the fact it all made sense. He smiled really big as he raked it the pot and the table actually gave small applause for him, including myself.

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

You have to at least call. Nothing you can do about that. You don't split with 33 something he might just call the flop with. He might just call the flop with AQo. I'm a little nervous when an OM makes what seems like an angleshot. Call me weak tight I call.

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

There may be merit in check-calling here, since you chop with most aces and the old man is unlikely to call with a missed spade draw, but may bluff. So when you bet, it is unlikely a worse hand calls (a K maybe) and I would feel uncomfortable calling a raise. There is something about my extreme doubt of the veracity of people who call for a card, so I would certainly not expect him to have spades here. His turn call is consistent with a hand that is not afraid of spades (assuming his comment indicates he does not have a spade draw).

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

This time, Old Man pauses for a few and says, "I need a spade!"

What the hell? One time when I was playing at Foxwoods a nearly identical situation took place (JTG was at the table with me). Basically, the flop came monotone and the old guy was saying "Deuce of hearts, deuce hearts." Turns out he flopped a flush (I think it was the nut flush) and wanted blanks to come off on the turn and river. I think this ploy must be discussed in Hold'em Poker for Senior Citizens, a book that is only given to poker players when they reach a certain age.

So anyhoo, when he calls the turn and says he wants a spade, I put him on A3 or AK.

-- Homer

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

BTW, I'd love to have enough confidence in a read like this to fold my hand face up on the river after not catching a 4. Yeah, yeah, I know, don't fold your hands face up, don't make big laydowns, blah blah blah, but come on, it would be fun.

-- Homer

p.s. - Sorry about using so many commas.

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

Basically, the flop came monotone and the old guy was saying "Deuce of hearts, deuce hearts."

That guy was pretty funny. Unfortunately, I haven't seen him since. If I remember correctly he did the same routine several times after that and you put him pretty much on his exact hand ever time.

I'm going to have to try to get my hands on a copy of HPFSC to try and round out my play.

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

Your play was fine except that betting the river is a clear mistake. In virtually every case, only a hand that can beat yours or tie yours will call. If your opponent was drawing and he missed then he will not call your river bet. If he was calling all along without being on a draw, then he most assuredly has an ace which means the best you can do is tie. Of course, you have to call when raised but I woould not have bet the river to begin with.

Apparently your opponent was hoping you were on a flush-draw that would get there.

Re: Old Man Tricked Me
 

Jim, nice to see you posting again.

-- Homer