PLO hand, manipulating pot size (poorly?)

Acesover8s · #1 07-30-2003, 03:04 AM

I've got $1500 in the $20 BB. Ok, ok, its the first hand of a pokerstars PLO tourney, but I figured this would get no responses over there.

It's folded to MP who makes it 70 to go. I make it 2-1 that he has aces. Button calls. SB folds. I am holding the REAL nuts 8c9sTcJs. I make it 120 to go to see where everyones at and build the pot for my triple up on the flop. MP makes it 170 to go, button calls and I call.

520 in the pot. Flop is 3s8h9h. I check. MP bets 180. LP raises the pot, and I raise the rest of my chips.

Thoughts?

Acesover8s · #2 07-30-2003, 03:05 AM

Here's my thinking. In a cash game I bet out at this flop 99% of the time. I don't mind winning uncontested pots, especially when they've been raised preflop. In a tournament my goal is to become chipleader quickly or lose quickly (rather than my usual bubbleboy status).

So, figuring that MP would commit his hand with a bare AA, and being a favorite over that hand, I thought a checkraise would be preferable, because I am a 2-1 favorite over that hand.

In the actual hand. MP folded, button called with KK24, no suits for 1 overpair, making me a 2-1 favorite still, and the board blanked out.

Guy McSucker · #3 07-30-2003, 04:20 AM

I hate mimimum raises, especially preflop. You're thinking MP has aces and you reopen the betting for him. If he goes all-in, will you call? If so, fair enough, but that's really gambling and losing chips, although not many, in the long run. Yours is a post-flop hand.

You outflop the likely aces and have a redraw too. Great! I like the check-raise since in a tournament a big pair will often bet at least once more and may commit.

Guy.

crockpot · #4 07-30-2003, 10:13 AM

the preflop play is definitely debatable. in a three-way pot, your hand is very likely to have the best of it unless the third hand has a bunch of your cards counterfeited. however, you're also giving the guy an opportunity to put in a big reraise if he does have aces. if your goal is actually to get an early chip lead or bust out, then i think your preflop play is fine. you did well not to raise again, as MP probably then pots it if he does have the aces.

on the flop, you're definitely playing strongly with this hand. i like the check raise here because it allows you to force him all in if he has aces and the nut flush draw when he's a big underdog, while he would likely smooth call a bet from you on the flop, giving him position on the key betting round.

Greg (FossilMan) · #5 07-30-2003, 12:50 PM

Your postflop play is fine. Happy to get it all in.

In reply to your results post, you're not, of course, a 2:1 favorite over aces with the flush draw. Having just run the matchup, you're a coin-flip-favorite (51:49). And, the dork who actually called you with KK24 and no flush outs is a 7:2 dog, which is great for you.

I don't like your minimum raise preflop. He could've gotten 1/3 of the money in preflop if he had reraised pot, and that's not what you want against AAxy. His pot-reraise should've also gotten rid of the third player. While I think that reduces your EV, I'm not sure, as it depends too much upon what hands he could have now, and which of those hands he'd fold to the re-reraise.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)