45o in BB
 

Hi all,

Used to be a 2+2 regular, but due to new job and other time constraints, I haven't been playing much in the last 12 months and haven't checked out the site until recently. I like the new site format (shows you how long it's been since I last posted). Anyways, I have some time now and would like to discuss a hand that I played a while back. Total number of players invovled and the suit of my cards may not be 100% accurate, but it's close.

20-40 at Lucky Chances. I'm in the BB with 4 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] . UTG (a very solid player) limps. 3 MPs call. A great tricky player and 2+2 member is on the button (oh, let's call him Tommy Angelo...yeah, that was his name) raises. SB folds and I call with my garbage! Seriously though, I called because I expected everyone who limped to call and I have the discipline to muck if I don't flop big. I also felt that no one would expect me to play such small cards (I had a pretty solid table image) and I could "surprise" my opponents with a deceptive hand. Everyone else calls the raise and 6 players see the flop:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]

Looks like I hit pretty big! Everyone checks to Tommy who bets. I just call, UTG calls, and 2 of the MPs call. The turn:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] (A [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] )

I'm loving it! Someone's gotta have at least a big ace. Everyone checks and Tommy bets. I call, UTG calls, 1 MP calls. The river:

4 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img] 5 [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] A [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] (10 [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] )

Great! Someone made a flush! I bet out trying to represent the flush and hoping to get raised. UTG thinks for a long time. I know he must have something decent. He finally mucks. MP folds and Tommy's cards go into the muck instantly. I take a decent pot and no one knows what I had. UTG asked me if I had a flush or trips. He told me he and A10 for top two pair, but really respected my bet expecially being the first to act. I believe him (we're friends). I told him I flopped it and I'm sure he understood what that meant (either 45 or 44).

Now, did I play this hand correctly? Was my preflop call horrible? How about my postflop play? I checked the flop and turn because I was confident that someone would bet for me. I never raised on the flop or turn because I needed callers. I don't think UTG or the MPs would have called 2 bets cold. Of course, if UTG had bet the turn and everyone in between called, I certainly would have raised to trap everyone. How about the river bet? Or should I have waited for a possible checkraise?

Re: 45o in BB
 

Good players dont always need good cards to win $.They need to be involved with the rite type of players.Without going into detail YES you can defend your blind with a hand like 4/5o,BUT you MUST have the rite table image And be involved with Ether players that will release a hand,or players that miss bets,or call too often.You do not want both types in the hand.I think when the Ace came on the turn I think I would have led off with a bet hopeing I get 1 or 2 MIDs calling then the button raising with a big [A/K A/Q]ACE.Now If you reraise the M.P.may call 2-bets on a flush draw.IF the do AND the flush card comes you can try for A check raise on the river.I read your post rather quickly, and made this reply without alot of thinking so I hope that I havent missed something...HFPWC!

Re: 45o in BB
 

jace,

You have an easy call preflop with 5 opponents in the hand.

Postflop I think that you played it OK but I personally would have bet out on the turn. There are multiple potential draws on the board and you should get callers. With some luck the button may raise, allowing you to 3-bet if so inclined.

Given the way that you played the turn I think that betting the river is preferable to going for a check-raise. Since no one called your bet it probably would have been checked around anyway, giving the same net result.

-- Manzanita

Re: 45o in BB
 

You have an easy call preflop

I wouldn't say his preflop call is easy with 45. I'd say it borders on not so good. I don't know about the other players, but he's probably not going to outplay Tommy after the flop. I think I fold here most of the time, depending on game conditions.

Re: 45o in BB
 

Because of the way the turn was played I agree.You can't defend with 4/5o then get lucky and miss bets.this may have been the pot of the night,but if the button hadd't bet the turn, proubly there would be no bet/call on the river..HFPWC!

Re: 45o in BB
 

Bet the turn. The Ace is a great card for you and lots of hands (draws, Aces, other pairs) can call or raise you here.

Re: 45o in BB
 

Perhaps I used the term "easy" too loosely here. Let me rephrase it and say that folding would be an error given the number of opponents and the BB's hand.

Granted that the button may be a superior player (which jace seems to recognize from the context of his post). Does this mean that you scrupulously avoid getting into pots with him? Obviously not. What it means is that you play carefully against him.

I think that the BB has a good hand to play against the button. You play if you flop 2-pair (or better) or an open-ended straight draw. Everything else can be folded immediately. Further, when the BB gets a favorable flop, the board is generally going to look pretty ragged to his opponents. This should make it easier for the BB to play well post-flop.

-- Manzanita

Re: 45o in BB
 

I'm okay with defending 45o in the BB in that situation. But not if you are going to extract the minimum when you flop a monster that no one will put you on. You must raise somewhere.

Re: 45o in BB
 

I'd bet the flop, hope to get a lot of MP callers, and let Tommy raise.

Then I'd check the turn.

Some Final Thoughts/Reflections
 

Thanks for the comments and insights. I guess it's clear that I probably should have bet the turn when the ace hit. The problem that I'm having is trying to disguise the fact that I have at least trip 5's (not to mention the flopped boat). On the turn, I'm first to act and I didn't want to make it so obvious that I flopped big. I totally agree that the ace is a great card for me, but if you were my opponents and were aware of my table image and I bet out on the turn, would you put me on a big ace (AK/AQ), trip 5's, or maybe a made straight with 23? I was sure that someone would bet the ace for me. However, if the turn was a blank, then I think I would have bet and not checked.