New to Shorthanded, Big Slick

Argus · #1 01-25-2005, 09:54 AM

I'm new to shorthanded play, but I'm really enjoying it. Like many folks here I'm finding it more profitable than full rings games, but I am less confident about a lot of my decisions. This hand displeased me a great deal because I wasn't sure how to play it. Villain represented a lot of strength and I didn't know how to respond since I was either way ahead or way behind.

As you can tell, I'm lost on all streets. I'm just determined to see a showdown because I cannot figure out what villain is doing. I have no read since this is villain's first orbit. I don't even know what questions to ask, correct my play and comment please. I've had other situations like this as well and I want to know how to deal with them.

PokerRoom 1/2 Hold'em (6 handed) converter

Preflop: Son of a Gun is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Son of a Gun raises, 1 fold, CO 3-bets, 3 folds, Son of a Gun caps, CO calls.

Flop: (9.50 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Son of a Gun checks, CO bets, Son of a Gun calls.
The flop play tells me nothing really. He could have any A, or a pocket pair. Should I have done something different to find out? (eg, a checkraise)

Turn: (5.75 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Son of a Gun checks, CO bets, Son of a Gun raises, CO 3-bets Son of a Gun calls.
This card is where I get confused. The 3-bet says to me he made his set or we're splitting, but the pot is too large to give up now. Or is it?

River: (11.75 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Son of a Gun checks, CO bets, Son of a Gun calls.
Blank. I just want a showdown.

Final Pot: 13.75 BB

TwoShedsJackson · #2 01-25-2005, 10:05 AM

Bet the flop, bet the turn, bet the river.

[ QUOTE ]
The flop play tells me nothing really.

[/ QUOTE ]

So why check?

AaronFB · #3 01-25-2005, 10:09 AM

I am new at this, but I would have bet on the flop, bet on the turn and bet on the river too. By checking/calling you turn the control of the game over to your opponent - and he hasn't given you any reason why he should control it.

srw5n · #4 01-25-2005, 10:21 AM

I agree with all the posts thus far, for SH to be profitable you need to tick up your aggression level. I would wager both than you won the hand and that you left a number of bets on the table.

1. Flop - I don't mind the check, but if you check why not check raise? If you're going to call the reason would be to check raise the turn.
2. Turn - the only reason I don't cap is if I'm going to check-raise the river and don't want him to drop. If you are even thinking about folding at the turn with top 2 shorthanded I'd recommend not playing shorthanded.
3. River - Unless he has 66 or 88 (aa or KK being highly unlikely because of your holdings) why check call? Check-raise or lead out.

Did he show down A-Q or AJ? Or was it a split pot? As for being lost, you're lost because you didn't locate yourself on the flop - that's a decision you make whether to extract more money at the turn.

Argus · #5 01-25-2005, 10:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with all the posts thus far, for SH to be profitable you need to tick up your aggression level. I would wager both than you won the hand and that you left a number of bets on the table.

1. Flop - I don't mind the check, but if you check why not check raise? If you're going to call the reason would be to check raise the turn.
2. Turn - the only reason I don't cap is if I'm going to check-raise the river and don't want him to drop. If you are even thinking about folding at the turn with top 2 shorthanded I'd recommend not playing shorthanded.
3. River - Unless he has 66 or 88 (aa or KK being highly unlikely because of your holdings) why check call? Check-raise or lead out.

Did he show down A-Q or AJ? Or was it a split pot? As for being lost, you're lost because you didn't locate yourself on the flop - that's a decision you make whether to extract more money at the turn.

[/ QUOTE ]
It seems a bit swift to give results, but all the comments say the same thing: Don't see monsters under the bed, and be more aggressive. I thought it was unlikely that he might be on AQ/AJ after the 3-bet turn. If I'm ever in villain's position with AJ this is a clear 3-bet then?
To find out what villain was holding here are the results in white:
villain shows As, 8s; two pair
Son of a Gun wins with aces and kings.

Thanks for your insight, I'm going to kick up the betting a notch. This wasn't the only hand this session where I left a few dollars behind. I would never have folded this hand (I'm bad, but not that bad), but I certainly didn't have consistent play. You're right the only excuse for a flop call is for a turn checkraise. Since it seems he's eager to fill the pot I should be collecting rather than scared.

srw5n · #6 01-25-2005, 10:46 AM

Seems like you know what you're doing. Good luck in SH, you'll do well if you stay aggressive and deal with the swings.

djoyce003 · #7 01-25-2005, 11:13 AM

Right this lag's name down and follow him around like a cash machine. Surprised he threebet with A-8, then showed aggression given your cap.

How could you not cap the turn with top two?
How could you not checkraise the river with blank hitting

Argus · #8 01-25-2005, 12:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Right this lag's name down and follow him around like a cash machine. Surprised he threebet with A-8, then showed aggression given your cap.

How could you not cap the turn with top two?
How could you not checkraise the river with blank hitting

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm a sissy.

I guess I'm just used to full rings, where a 3-bet is a sign of trouble and I feared a set. I know better now, and I've resolved to bet more aggressively with TPTK and two pairs. In fact, I just 3-bet a two pair into a 3 flush and took it home. In the past I probably would have called it instead.

sethypooh21 · #9 01-25-2005, 02:16 PM

Bet the flop.

Bet the flop.

If he raises you either call with the intention of checkraising, or 3-bet, being prepared to slow down to a flop cap. Cap the turn, against most opponents cap the river and expect to see AQ/AJ or K8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] much more often then 66, 88 or even a8/a6.

Oh yeah, bet the flop.