how to play with deep money, 5/5 PLH

ArtVandelay · #1 08-04-2003, 08:58 PM

The following is a hand I observed rather than played, but I think it could make for some pretty interesting discussion. The game is 5/5 PLH, and the two players in question have by far the biggest stacks. I've never played with either before, but I determined later that hero's opponent in the hand is a well-known big bet professional, while hero is a regular player but has a day job. Hero has about 2.5k and opponent has him covered when the following hand occurs.

UTG limps and hero limps from MP with 77, and blinds check. 20 in the pot.

The flop comes AQ7 with the bottom two cards suited, and the SB leads 20. BB and limper call, and hero raises 100 (exactly pot). SB now reraises pot making it another 300, and BB and limper fold. Hero now goes into a really long huddle and finally raises pot again for another 900. At this point he has a little of 1000 left in this stack, and there is 1800 in the pot counting his bet. What do you guys think?

Guy McSucker · #2 08-05-2003, 06:27 AM

I can't necessarily disagree with hero's actions here, but I do think that if he's called or reraised, he's stuffed.

His first raise against a bet and two calls says that he has something. The reraise from the SB is a clear statement that he too has something and can beat a raising hand. Two pair or better looks likely. So when hero reraises, he's making it clear to everybody that he has at least trips. If he gets further action he is buried, unless the SB is having a swing with a big draw.

Hmmm. Thinking further, that's a lot of action from the SB if he's on a draw. That means hero is either way behind or way in front. If he's way behind he should fold, obviously. If he's way in front, perhaps he should just call the bet and hope SB tries to blast further chips at the pot on the turn.

Guy.

ArtVandelay · #3 08-05-2003, 02:40 PM

I certainly agree that if SB now pushes hero should consider folding thinking he's drawing to 1 out. However, it is significant that the ace is not in the two-flush, so SB could be making a huge move with Axs, maybe with a runner-runner broadway draw as well. What I like about the raise is that SB might think the same thing about hero and commit with AQ or even a weaker two pair, but this is probably really really unlikely given how deep the money is. Basically I think that this spot really sucks for hero, because if he calls what does he do on the turn, and if he raises he probably wins if he's ahead and loses everything if it's set over set. I guess this is all really difficult since I don't know the history between hero and SB, but I had hoped talking about this would give me some insight into big stack play (I have played 2/4 NL with a 2k stack... however in the 5/5 PL I never have more than 1k, but I'm thinking about starting to play deeper).