He's a Cinderella boy...tears in his eyes I guess...

[Ben]

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $0.5 BB (6 max, 5 handed)

BB ($61.21)
UTG ($5.57)
Hero ($40.65)
Button ($19.72)
SB ($24.4)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls $0.50, Hero calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($2.50) 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets $1</font>, BB folds, UTG calls $1, Hero calls $1, Button calls $1.

Turn: ($6.50) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets $2</font>, UTG folds, Hero calls $2, Button folds.

River: ($10.50) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">SB bets $3</font>, <font color="CC3333">Hero raises to $9</font>


I've been playing a lot of 6max lately, and have been working on loosening up in the appropriate places.

One area I've been focusing on is playing draws. Flop bets in 6max frequently don't mean a thing, so I've been loosening up there, and sometimes even on the turn. Players tend to be too loose and will pay off my hands even when it's pretty clear I'm on a draw. What do you guys think of the hand?

Thanks,
Ben

[amoeba]

I think you played it fine.

I typically don't like limping AXs that early but lots of 6max tables are passive preflop.

I actually like the call on the flop more than a raise as you are really hoping for lower flush draws to stay with you.

[buzzy_spears]

Don't mistake me for someone who knows what he's talking about, but ...

there's no money on the table. It is my understanding that to loosen up with the draws, you'd like position on some beefy stacks.

Other than that, it would've taken a better player than me to stop woo-hooing, and actually see the nuts.

--Buzz

[meow_meow]

Folding to those bets on the flop or turn would have been very, very bad. Calling preflop with A2s, you are hoping for a flush draw, as hitting the ace is going to cost you money in the long run, so when you get what you are hoping for, best not to fold it for a tiny bet.....
A raise on the flop would have been fine, and probably would have given you a free card. I don't buy this "getting smaller flushes to stay by flat calling" business. On these tables, any flush will stay for a pot-sized or lower bet on the flop.

[Ben]

I almost didn't call the turn bet.

I probably wouldn't have if not for my paired deuce. I figured I had enough outs with that.

Would it have been a bad play to fold the turn if I had no pair at that point?

[amoeba]

$2 in to $8.50 pot, you barely have odds to call.

[tdomeski]

Stack sizes Ben, stack sizes. .

Since you decided to play I like the flop call/turn call. You aren't giving up too much by just folding the turn though.

What is your plan if the river blanks?

[Ben]

[ QUOTE ]
Stack sizes Ben, stack sizes. .

[/ QUOTE ]

Crap. I know. That's one component of my game I find I frequently forget to think about. With this hand, I think SB still has enough behind to make it worth it though, no? Should I have waited to play this hand against a bigger stack or two?

[ QUOTE ]
What is your plan if the river blanks?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd check-fold.

-Ben

[meow_meow]

[ QUOTE ]
$2 in to $8.50 pot, you barely have odds to call.

[/ QUOTE ]

The pot is giving you 3.25:1
assuming 9 outs (might be more, might be less) you are 3.9:1 against having the best hand at showdown.
So, unless you don't think you can extract $2 more from him if the flush hits, folding would be bad.

What I don't get is this- why are you playing A2s if you would consider folding on the flush draw on the turn, no board pair, in a marginal situation?

[schwza]

i think i would have played this just about exactly the same.

pre-flop: easy limp.

flop: i like the call. keep it nice and cheap - you don't want to get reraised off your draw, and it's nice to keep people around in case your flush makes their two-pair.

turn: this would be a horrible fold, and it would still be a very bad fold if you didn't pair the 2. you're getting 8.5:2 on your call (4.25:1) and you're 37:9 (4.1:1) to hit your flush. that means it would be correct to call if his $2 bet was all-in (no implied odds) and you knew he held AJ (A no good). but you do have implied odds, especially since you have position, and you both have a lot of money left. and there's a good chance your A would be good if you hit it (even if we're still pretending you didn't hit your 2), and that he would make some small bet on the river which you could happily call. you also have some equity from the fact that the river could get checked through, and your A high would be good (against 78, T8, TQ, smaller flush draw, naked bluff). the fact that you hit your 2 amplifies some of these reasons - an A (or 2) is very likely good, and you have a little bit better chance of winning if the river is checked through. raising and calling the turn are both options (i like calling better), but folding is not.

river: i think this is a good bet size. the most likely hand for him to have here is Jx, and he won't want to call a big raise with an overcard on the board and the flush getting there. pray he was on T8 or a smaller flush draw and will reraise.