NL $2 - Two Hands That Made Me Scratch My Head
 

I just played two hands that I was unsure about. Any help is appreciated.

Hand #1:
Just sat down. No reads on Villian.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 max) converter

Hero ($2)
SB ($0.96)
BB ($1.54)
UTG ($2)
MP ($5.49)
CO ($1.30)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $0.02, CO calls $0.02, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises to $0.1</font>, SB calls $0.09, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, MP calls $0.08, CO folds.

Flop: ($0.34) Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, MP checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets $0.34</font>, SB folds, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to $0.68</font>, Hero calls $0.34.

Turn: ($1.70) 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
MP checks, Hero checks.

River: ($1.70) J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">MP bets $0.32</font>, Hero calls $0.32.

Final Pot: $2.34


Hand #2:
No real reads on Villian. Only 11 hands on him, he looks willing to play 2 cards (72/0/0).

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 max) converter

Hero ($1.97)
UTG ($1.34)
MP ($2.28)
Button ($3.40)
SB ($1.63)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls $0.02, MP calls $0.02, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($0.08) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets $0.06</font>, Hero calls $0.06, UTG calls $0.06, <font color="#CC3333">MP raises to $0.26</font>, SB folds, Hero folds, UTG folds.

Final Pot: $0.52

I didn't like Villian's possible range of hands. 77, QJ, Q7 [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] , J7 [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] came to mind. I didn't know if Villian was capable of semi-bluffing. I didn't want to build the pot OOP, either. Maybe seeing monsters. A PFR would have made this hand easier to play, but I did not like my position.

Thanks for the help.

Re: NL $2 - Two Hands That Made Me Scratch My Head
 

First hand looks ok. I'm not giving him too much credit.

Second hand raise the flop and the hand will be easier to play.

Re: NL $2 - Two Hands That Made Me Scratch My Head
 

both look pretty good to me. I like the size of your raise and bet in hand 1, and your ability to get away from top pair in hand 2. What are you doing playing 0.01/0.02 NL!

Re: NL $2 - Two Hands That Made Me Scratch My Head
 

Both hands you played very oddly.

Hand 1: Push flop after he raises you or push turn. If he has two pair then good for him. Calling on the river when the jack hits is strange, if you were going to call the river why didnt you bet the turn?

Hand 2: This is a typical mistake at the smaller stakes, calling when you have a decent hand. Instead of calling raise it up and find out where the hell you are at, ESPECIALLY with people behind you. If SB leads for 6 cents then make it 20 and see what happens. If there is a ton of raising action by the time it gets around then dump it. By calling you are putting yourself in a strange position.

Re: NL $2 - Two Hands That Made Me Scratch My Head
 

[ QUOTE ]
if you were going to call the river why didnt you bet the turn?

[/ QUOTE ]

A push on the turn looks like the best play in retrospect. I was hoping for a cheap showdown, and his river bet looked like a blocker by KQ.

Hand #2, I played very weakly. I definitely see now that I should have raised the flop.

[ QUOTE ]
What are you doing playing 0.01/0.02 NL!

[/ QUOTE ]

Calling and folding with top pair too often. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks for the advice.