Hand vs. Phil Gordon at Palms Summer Series Tourney

AACardPlayer · #1 06-09-2005, 03:29 PM

Hey,

I played this hand against Phil Gordon at last Saturday's $200+30, with one optional $200 rebuy tourney, that the Palms is having daily over the summer. (I think he played in it because his girlfriend was playing in it and i guess she's somewhat of a beginner. However, TJ Cloutier was in this tourney too, which I thought was weird because I figured it was kind of below his standard buy-in tournaments. Maybe he had got knocked out of the WSOP event that day and was looking to blow of steam.)

Anyhow I'd like some comments on my play. I'll post my thoughts of each streets play too so you can see what I was thinking and critize it..to the hand:

I'm UTG with 4200, Phil in SB w/ about the same. BB has about 2000.

Blinds are 100-200 w/ 25 ante.

Preflop-
I limp with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. My though- Didn't want to commit alot of chips preflop with this hand as I would have to fold if re-raised, and I was planning to fold if it was raised behind me. However, the whole table was playing tight and I knew a limp in early position would get some respect. It folds around to Phil, he completes the SB blind and the BB checks. So I'm thinking I got the best hand going into the flop since either blind probably would've raised w/ a stronger holding.

Flop- Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
Phil checks, BB checks, I check.

Should I take a stab at it or check behind here? I thought that flop could've hit one of the blinds so I decided to check behind.

Turn- A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Phil bets 600, BB folds, I call.

When Phil bet I wasn't sure what to make of it. He had played pretty aggresively and I thought he could bet there with a draw or a weak ace. So I decide to call and and see what develops on the river.

River- 4 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Phil checks, I check.

That 4th club on board certainly didn't help my hand but Phil's check screams weakness and I don't think he liked it either. However, I felt if my hand was good on the turn, it was still probably good now and if I bet I'd only get called if I was beat, so I decided to check beind.

I know my play looks weak-passive, which is not how I usually play, however, I felt that getting to agressive against a tricky pro like Phil Gordon can get you into alot of trouble so I that's why I changed it up a little.

Comments? (I'll post the result soon)

schwza · #2 06-09-2005, 03:36 PM

is it 10-handed? i'd probably raise pre-flop. i like folding better than limping.

checking the flop is fine. i'd raise the turn. checking the river is right.

People_Mover · #3 06-09-2005, 03:38 PM

Part of me likes the check behind because you haven't committed a whole lot of chips in the pot.

durron597 · #4 06-09-2005, 03:47 PM

He definitely only calls with hands that beat yours, but he might fold a lot of hands that beat yours (namely small flushes, A9 and A7). The problem is that the proper amount to bet here if you decide to do so is 1500, which is a lot of your stack and basically pot commits you if he check-raises.

Honestly, beyond the above I'm not sure what the right play is. I think you have to go with your read and bet to get him to fold tiny flushes.

fnord_too · #5 06-09-2005, 04:01 PM

I think post flop is fine. No way should you fire a shot at the coordinated board on the flop. The turn call is ok, and there is no way I am putting another chip in on the river.

Pre flop I greatly prefer a raise. The table is tight, so you have a good chance of taking down the blinds and antes. I don't like inviting overlimpers here, and a good player may raise a few limpers with air pre flop. Just raise and be done with it if you get any resistance. (I think AJs is a bit much to fold here.) Also, I would not be so sure my hand was best pre flop. If either blind has AK/AQ a call is not at all bad for them.

AACardPlayer · #6 06-09-2005, 04:56 PM

Yeah it was still 10-handed

98romaine · #7 06-09-2005, 06:46 PM

How was the structure? starting chip count, amount of time per level, etc....

AACardPlayer · #8 06-09-2005, 06:53 PM

Phil shows Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] for two-pair, and I muck my hand. I asked him during the next break if he would've called a river bet and he said it depended on how I bet, how much I bet, etc.

My thoughts after the hand was that I made a mistake not raising pre-flop, since that most likely would've have won me the blinds and antes.

On the river I probably would have been able to steal it if I bet, but since I had a good amount chips left I didn't want to throw away half my stack here in case he was trapping me. As it turned out, I made it into the money (26th out of 237), while Phil busted out when some guy called his all-in preflop with 87s. He wasn't to happy about that to say the least.

AACardPlayer · #9 06-09-2005, 06:58 PM

The struture is actually pretty good. 1000 in starting chips, with an optional rebuy for another 1000 at any time before the 1st break. Levels are 30 min., and blinds start at 10-15, and then move up to 15-25, 25-50, 50-100, 100-200, 100-200 plus 25 ante, and so on..In the one I played it paid top 27 out of 237 and I played for about 5 1/2 hrs before busting out in 26th place.