2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

I was at the Winstar casino 1 mile north of the Texas border on Friday and sat in 1 of 4 2/5 NL games (buyin of $500). About 2 orbits in, I had played basically 0 hands. I wouldn't normally be that tight in a passive game like it was, but I was getting hands like J3o, so I didn't even have anything worth limping in position.

I usually raise 50% or so of hands that I would play when I'm on the button, and I raised a couple limpers to $25 with AQd. Only the big blind called. He was about my age (around 25 or so) and wearing sunglasses. I didn't know if he was good or not, but he certainly at least thought he was good, judging from the way he was talking to the guy next to him. When he called, I was pretty sure it was with the intention to outplay my "obvious" overpair.

The flop came T96 with 1 diamond. He bet $30 into a $60 pot, and I raised to 100. He called. The turn was a 7 and we both checked. The river was a Q and he moved in (I had $350 left, and he had me covered by $100 or so). I tanked for 3 minutes and called.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

i like how you played it. it's hard to see him pushing a straight like that when he puts you on an overpair.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

One time bump. Is this a standard call for you guys? I play very little NL in cash games (mostly tournaments), and almost never play live, so up until the other day I had never made a call like this.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

[ QUOTE ]
One time bump. Is this a standard call for you guys? I play very little NL in cash games (mostly tournaments), and almost never play live, so up until the other day I had never made a call like this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Standard? No way. It is VERY read dependent. Against some players this is a insta call, against others it is a insta muck.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

Seems odd that he would push with a 4-card straight on the board, so I don't put him there, but you should be able to find better spots to call a push in a live game. I don't see a lot of hands you beat here. I guess you had a read that he was bluffing, but I don't like calling here.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

I think he's trying to sucker you by overbetting and I'm guessing you were behind. AQ should be a very plausible hand for you given the action and he doesn't seem to care.

Ryan

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

He would push with the straight if he thought the over-pair was QQ that made a set on the river. Like others have said, this is very read-dependent, but I think he will show you a straight a large enough percentage of the time that this is generally not a good call. Hope it worked out.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

Unless I had a really good read, I would fold this river and feel fine about it.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

I think in general this is a horrible call, but if you had a read you have to go with it.

Re: 2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair
 

I don't have a huge problem with the call...but you can probably only get away with it once at the table...after which point smart opponents are going to be making big overbets with their good hands.

From his perspective...it doesn't look like you have much. He made a probe type bet, and then you raised...followed by a check behind on the turn. After the check behind, he probably doesn't put you on an overpair anymore.

I think there is little chance he puts you on exactly QQ, which is the only sensible hand for him to think you have (assuming he's looking for huge value from his big hand), given his huge bet on the river.

I generally try to stay away from calling river overbets in NL, as it often means a smart player with a huge hand...but in the case above, it's not too much more than a pot bet.

I don't see what he could legitimately put you on that he thinks you are calling his better hand with...so I make the tough call here too.

You only need to win 40% of the time to break even.

How long did he think before betting the river? Did he possibly have AT or JJ and hope to push you off just in case the Q hit you?

Like I said, make the call, but lean towards folding when a similar situation comes up later on in the night.