Limit TT Check Up

#1 10-25-2005, 07:05 PM

I've been playing NL lately, and after taking a beating over the past few days I decided to switch back to limit. Just wondering what you guys think of how I played this hand, kinda just wanting to know if I'm getting back on track on limit.

Villian (mp1) is unknown. He just sat down a few hands ago, and hadn't played anything except when he posted. He is a mouthy little kid, so it'd be real nice to win a huge pot off him.

PokerStars 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed) hand converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
3 folds, MP1 calls, Hero raises, 2 folds, Button calls, SB calls, 1 fold, MP1 calls.

Flop: (9 SB) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, Hero bets, Button folds, SB folds, MP1 calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 raises, Hero 3-bets, MP1 calls.

River: (11.50 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets, MP1 calls.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB

I thought the turn card was somewhat bad for me, because I thought he caught 2 pair or a flush draw and a straight draw, either a J or Q. My plan on the river was to call a reraise, as one of the hands I put him on was A2, but thankfully I didn't have to.

Brice · #2 10-25-2005, 07:21 PM

I am tempted to check that flop if I knew there was an aggressive player behind me. That board had to hit someone and it is likely I am huge favorite. I can then trap the other players for two more bets and build a big pot.

Remember that situations like this are gold in limit hold em. Focus on all the players in the pot at that time. You may even trick an aggressive player into a bluff. Your way ahead and you collect your money on the flop.

hizo1 · #3 10-25-2005, 07:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I am tempted to check that flop if I knew there was an aggressive player behind me. That board had to hit someone and it is likely I am huge favorite. I can then trap the other players for two more bets and build a big pot.

Remember that situations like this are gold in limit hold em. Focus on all the players in the pot at that time. You may even trick an aggressive player into a bluff. Your way ahead and you collect your money on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I amiably disagree with checking the flop. You have to protect your hand with a raised (big) pot. Only one player acts behind you and giving a free card here would be the worst.

Brice · #4 10-25-2005, 07:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am tempted to check that flop if I knew there was an aggressive player behind me. That board had to hit someone and it is likely I am huge favorite. I can then trap the other players for two more bets and build a big pot.

Remember that situations like this are gold in limit hold em. Focus on all the players in the pot at that time. You may even trick an aggressive player into a bluff. Your way ahead and you collect your money on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I amiably disagree with checking the flop. You have to protect your hand with a raised (big) pot. Only one player acts behind you and giving a free card here would be the worst.

[/ QUOTE ]

How could giving a free card be the worst result for you? There is much worse things you can do in poker. The big question here is how aggressive was the player left to act behind the OP.

The only hand ahead of you at this point is QJ. That could be out there but I am not playing this passive. I even have live outs against that hand.

Also, to the poster who feared the second ace coming out, why?

shant · #5 10-25-2005, 07:44 PM

Just bet the flop. You don't want to give infinte odds to a gutshot or let someone check and catch a free backdoor draw because you were getting tricky. Bet the flop. You want to bet this flop with AJ or KQ too right? So, don't check this time.

Brice · #6 10-25-2005, 08:01 PM

It just depends on the players at my table. With AJ, I am betting to protect my hand even if there is an aggressive player behind me. With KQ, if the players are passive, I am betting in hopes for a free card on the turn. It also defines my hand. If I do not make my draw, that does not mean I am going away. It is a decent size pot and is worth sticking around for when I have second pair with a good kicker.

The big thing, for me, is just knowing what can I get away with. To do that, you have to know the players at your table which sometimes occurs in online poker. I have found that passive players will fold when an ace is out there and just call down when they have an ace on the board like this.

I am sort of deviating away from the topic, so I will let the thread get back to that.

cold_cash · #7 10-25-2005, 07:47 PM

I don't want to sound like a dickhead, but checking this flop sucks.

If you bet, the guy behind you might raise, putting gut-shots in a crappy spot, and then you can 3-bet making their lives pretty much miserable.

If you check and he checks it through and a Q or J comes off, that sucks, even though you have a redraw.

Also, other worse hands hands, (besides gutshot draws), hands that are drawing very slim, will call.

Brice · #8 10-25-2005, 07:52 PM

Different strokes for different players. That is what makes poker a fascinating game. If they player behind me has a high aggression frequency, I am checking this. If he is passive I am betting. An aggressive player, who is checked to, will take a stab at the pot with that board.

hizo1 · #9 10-25-2005, 07:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am tempted to check that flop if I knew there was an aggressive player behind me. That board had to hit someone and it is likely I am huge favorite. I can then trap the other players for two more bets and build a big pot.

Remember that situations like this are gold in limit hold em. Focus on all the players in the pot at that time. You may even trick an aggressive player into a bluff. Your way ahead and you collect your money on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I amiably disagree with checking the flop. You have to protect your hand with a raised (big) pot. Only one player acts behind you and giving a free card here would be the worst.

[/ QUOTE ]

How could giving a free card be the worst result for you? There is much worse things you can do in poker. The big question here is how aggressive was the player left to act behind the OP.

The only hand ahead of you at this point is QJ. That could be out there but I am not playing this passive. I even have live outs against that hand.

Also, to the poster who feared the second ace coming out, why?

[/ QUOTE ]

The pot is already big, you should focus on winning it rather than building it (says Ed Miller).

You have to bet because you're giving infinite odds to your opponents with 3 broadway cards on the board. You want to fold any Q5s or whatever else may be out there.

#10 10-25-2005, 08:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I am tempted to check that flop if I knew there was an aggressive player behind me. That board had to hit someone and it is likely I am huge favorite. I can then trap the other players for two more bets and build a big pot.

Remember that situations like this are gold in limit hold em. Focus on all the players in the pot at that time. You may even trick an aggressive player into a bluff. Your way ahead and you collect your money on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I amiably disagree with checking the flop. You have to protect your hand with a raised (big) pot. Only one player acts behind you and giving a free card here would be the worst.

[/ QUOTE ]

...and a check-raise in the wrong spot will give odds to call, vs. a bet doesn't, right?