Infact, this is what happened. I called the 1200 raise and raised 2500 more, leaving myself with 3400. I think that the reason that I just re-raised rather than pushed all in was to see he reaction and get a read. This is because he was someone that I have played with many times before. I believed that if it was a blind steal with a marginal hand in LP then he would simply fold and my re-raise would 'get the job done'. However, if he quickly moved all in then I think that I may have been able to lay it down. From the advice so far I think that this was the mistake, I should have moved all in; but these were my reasons for not doing so.


Anyway, he thought for quite a time and I could tell that he was struggling with a decision. He then pushed all in. So my last 3400 to call. The pot now contained 12300, so I was getting odds of 3.6 : 1. From my read on him I felt that my re-raise had given him a hard decision so I didn't think that he had aces / kings. The table was tough and I didnt feel as though I'd have a great chance to reach the money with 3400 chips.

I called - he showed AK, which I was happy enough to see.
Flop came 4h 10s Qh

Turn Jh - giving me trips but him a straight. I needed the board to pair on the river.

River Kh - giving him a flush.

Exciting and interesting hand. I wasn't too upset because I went with my read and felt that I made a good decision based on the pot odds offered. I spoke to the opponent afterwards during a break as he is someone that I play with often. We talked through the hand and how differently it could have been played:


1) Smooth called his pre-flop raise - I would have likely checked the flop as I wouild think that AQ would be a very possible holding for him. I would have then folded to a bluff bet by himself on the flop.

I don't believe that this would be the correct move as too often an overcard will hit the flop. I've calculated the probability of an overcard hitting with no jack (assuming he holds two overcards): (10C1 x 38C2) / 48C3 = 40.6%. I think that this is correct but am new to this kind of maths so may be mistaken.

If we'd both checked the flop then the turn gave a J for a straight for him but me trips. With the flush now possible I'd have pushed and he'd have callled so I'd have lost.

2) Re-raised all in pre-flop. He said that he'd very likely have called, but was not 100% given that he knows me as a tight player and would have to put me on a pair. Given the pot odds he says he'd probably have called. Again I'd have lost.

3) Folded, this would have been far to weak I believe. If I can't defend my BB to a standard raise with jacks then I'm there to be bullied.


So, I feel as though it was a difficult hand not to go out on. I was pleased that he was the person that knocked me out, and was really pleased that he went on to win the tournament.