I suck at playing overcards.
 

I feel like this happens all too often.



Party Poker (6 max, 5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">2 folds</font>.

Flop: 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
.

Turn: 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB folds.

River: 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB


Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, Button calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls, UTG calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls, BB folds, UTG folds.

Turn: (5.25 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls.

River: (7.25 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">Button bets</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 8.25 BB

I hate it. I am completely lost when I don't catch a pair and/or can't push Villain off their hand. I know betting the river is unprofitable, but I feel like check/folding when OOP is so weak, and that others take notice, and bet weaker hands against me when I raise PF, bet flop, bet turn, and check the river.

These hands have been killing me lately, so any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Re: I suck at playing overcards.
 

I guess the converter screwed up the betting in Hand 1, but I am interested in what some more experienced posters have to say about Hand 2, though. This is a situation that comes up time and time again in 6-max, and I really don't have any idea about how to play it. One of the reasons I don't dabble in 6-max is because I do not have a strong grasp about how to play unimproved overs.

For what it's worth, I'd play the second hand pretty much the same as you did, in the absence of reads. Perhaps if Villain has shown the ability to lay hands down, you take a stab on the river when the fourth heart comes out? But if he can't be bluffed off a hand, I agree with the check/fold. I don't know what you're ahead of here.

Are there any instances where it would be correct to call that bet on the end? Maybe if the guy's a maniac, or to discourage future bluffs against you?

Re: I suck at playing overcards.
 

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (6 max, 5 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, BB calls, MP calls.

Flop: (6 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB calls, MP calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, MP calls.

River: (6.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="#CC3333">MP bets</font>, Hero folds.

Final Pot: 7.50 BB


There's the first hand.

For the second hand I didn't realize there were 4 hearts out there(I did when I was playing, but not looking through PT)

In most of the situations, the river will be a blank, but I feel like I can't keep betting at the pot. So, I check, Villain almost invariably bets, and I am forced to fold.

Re: I suck at playing overcards.
 

Hand 2 seems alright to me.

Betting or not betting that flop against 3 opponents can be a delicate decision, but since your bet might buy the button and that flop isn't super draw-heavy, (not to mention the fact that you could actually be winning), I think it's good.

Now if you were on the Button and the flop was K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I would take a free look.

The interesting part to me is how you'd play the river if the 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] came off.

Re: I suck at playing overcards.
 

I would have bet the flop and c/f the turn. I don't usually make full bets with nothing but overcards.

Re: I suck at playing overcards.
 

I have an idea you can try. When you make your continuation bet on the flop and get called by 1 player who has position on you, try this: If you have a hand, often check-raise or check-call the turn. If you have no hand, often check-fold instead of betting again.

For instance, if you have AQ and the flop comes KQ2 and you bet the flop and get one caller who has position on you, sometimes just check-call the turn. You can check-call the river too (or just bet if you hit). A cool thing that this sets up is that sometimes you check the turn and he checks it back. Now you can bet the river with your mediocre hand and he won't believe you have anything, so you get paid off by weak A-high pretty often. And since it's heads-up and you often have a pair, you're not too worried about giving the free card since only one person can draw out on you and he won't often take the free card you give anyways.

If you have top pair with a reasonable kicker in the same situation, check-raise the turn instead.

Give this a try.