[-Oz-]

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HAND I
Blinds are 200/400/a50. I have 24K and am the chip leader, approximately 18 players remain. The stacks at my table range from 2K to 21K. The table has been generally tight, and I have played aggressively to take advantage. I just suffered a 6K hit a few hands back.

I get K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in the CO and it's folded to me. I raise to 800 and the BB calls.

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I guess my first question is: why min raise from the CO with what is basically a blind steal? Have min raises been working before?

The main problem with the min raise is that the BB is getting 3.5:1 on the call, and you really get no information about his holding when he calls.

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BB has the 21K stack. Flop comes K96 with one club. The BB checks, and here is my first decision point. I decide that the flop is pretty harmless and slowplaying headsup is the best way to get lots of chips here, and so I check. Agree/disagree?

Turn is the 7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. BB checks, and I am not willing to check again, if he has nothing so be it. I bet 2500. BB check/raises to 6000. I have 3 options here, fold, call, push. Folding seems awful, especially given the club draw. Calling and pushing are close to me. I think that the check behind on the flop is going to induce this type of betting from several hands that I beat. If I am beat right now, I should have 7-9 outs at minimum, and as many as 13. Thoughts? If you advocate a call, what is your line on a blank river and he checks? He pushes? Obviously on a K, 9 or club, I'm getting the $$ in the middle.


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What is your goal in slowplaying? To get your opponent to commit lots of chips when he is behind. You succeed beautifully and then question whether you should pull the trigger. Since your opponent now seems committed to the pot, go ahead and jam. If you're beat you have lots of outs. I'd be surprised if you don't have the best hand here.

Personally, I would not slowplay this flop for multiple reasons: 1) since I was the preflop aggressor and I'm betting most flops when it's checked to me, I definately want to bet when I flop good to protect the more common occurances when I miss. 2) 2 pair is usually not strong enough to slow play, especially when there are a lot of possible str8 type cards that can come on the turn.

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HAND II

I pick up TT UTG and raise to 10K. UTG+1 (the other big stack) calls. Everyone else folds. Flop is 776 rainbow. Here was my thought process, feel free to deconstruct as needed. I almost surely have the best hand. JJ-AA would likely reraise, esp vs the other big stack with 5 players yet to act. The hands I'm beat by right now are 77, 66, and maybe A7, but I think this player would fold here 75% of the time with A7 suited.

Here were my options as I saw them. 1) Bet 10-15K. If I do this, what is my reaction to a coldcall? A push? 2) Check, with the intention of raising. This seemed to be the best way to get money in the pot with what almost surely is the best hand right now. If he pushes, this just clarifies that I have the best hand, and I should call, yes? 3) Open push. This has the detriment of getting no more $$ from hands like AK or AQ, but may possibly induce a fold from JJ and maybe (but probably not) QQ. Slight chance of call from 88 or 99.

I ultimately decided to checkraise. I check, he bets 10K, I push. Thoughts?

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With a big stack, I play cautiously against other big stacks, especially on the bubble. While he can hurt you, you can keep him from getting a payday too. Even though you have a better understanding of your opponents than I do, I don't think you can be so sure you have the best hand here.

The main problem is that you really don't know for sure where you are (you could be anywhere from a huge favorite to a huge dog). I like to bet in these situations to help define them a little. I'd bet around 15K and let that be the last money I put in the pot without a T on the turn or river. After betting, a raise by him says he's prepared to go broke on the bubble, which is a pretty strong signal that we are probably beat.

After the fact, the easiest way to find the correct play here is to give him a range and run the numbers in pokerstove. That should clarify things greatly.

-Oz-