Hand To Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

Here's an interesting hand I played Friday night in the $30-$60 game at The Bellagio.

I was in the big blind with 5[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]4[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]. Two players limped in, and then a late position player who had been playing somewhat conservatively raised. I called and the limpers called.

The flop was Q[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img]2[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img] giving me an open end straight draw. I bet, the two limpers folded, the preflop raiser raised, and I called.

The turn was the 4[img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img]. I checked, my opponent bet, I raised, and he called.

The river was the K[img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]. I bet and my opponent folded.

All comments welcome.

Best wishes,
Mason

[PokerPrince]

Call me a snaredrum but I don't think I'de even see the flop with this hand. Pissy position, conservative raiser, not closing the betting, and an OK at best hand would lead me to muck here preflop. But that's just me.

PokerPrince

[Rick Nebiolo]

Getting almost 8 to 1 (as long as their isn't a limp reraise) suited unblocked connectors are a call here. That being said, I think you are only giving up a little by folding. With one less limper I do think it is a fold (but would call getting 7 to 1 in an unraised small blind in a 20/40 pot.

~ Rick

[PokerPrince]

I'm not saying what I would do is correct. I am, and have always been, extremely tight. Perhaps this is a leak in my overall game and I should loosen up a hair under circumstances like this. Some solid points are being made in regards to this being a call and not a fold, and they are duely noted. Holdem' is an incredibly positional game and this situation just seems like the epidomy of horrible position. It would be one thing if I closed the betting with my call, such as 'raise, call, call, I call', but this isn't the case. I think the decision is closer than most think, and if folding isn't correct, I don't think it's catastrophic by any means.

PokerPrince

[glen]

When I'm in the BB and there is a late position raiser after a few limpers, I've always considered that to be closing the action, since 99.9% of the time, the limpers go call, call, call. . . Are limp-reraises that frequent in your games that you factor them in as a possibility in instances like this?

[PokerPrince]

Unfortunately yes, limp reraises happen quite often in the games I play in. The games are usually quite loose/aggressive and the players often like to 'build a pot' by pumping it up preflop. Perhaps playing in these wild games has made me the way I am today and I need to try more passive games.

PokerPrince

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Glen:

I agree. The possibility of a limp reraise is way over rated by many players. It only rarely happens in my games.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi again Prince:

Notice that in this hand my having the lead position actually helped me.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Prince:

From HPFAP:

We generally do not recommend that you call raises in the big blind with a hand like 5[img]/forums/images/icons/club.gif[/img]4[img]/forums/images/icons/heart.gif[/img]. If this hand was suited then the call would be okay. But for these calls to be profitable, you usually need at least two ways to win. When the above hand is suited you have the two ways — a straight and a flush. But when it is not suited, there are not enough ways to come out on top. If your cards were higher, usually nine-eight or better, then you might be able to win if you flop a draw, miss it, but make a pair after the flop. Thus a call would now be correct since it is much easier to win the pot with something like a pair of nines than a pair of fives. To call with a small unsuited connecting hand you need to be against weak players who will not extract the maximum from you when you flop a draw, but who will frequently pay off if you make something.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Mason

[mikelow]

Ni bluff sur.

I think you opponent wimped out. Did he have A [img]/forums/images/icons/spade.gif[/img] J [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img] ? Did he have a pocket pair?

You should have been raised on the river. You would have folded, wouldn't you?