Hand to Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

I sat in a $30-$60 game a little earlier tonight and this interesting hand came up.

Before the flop, it was passed to me and I held Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] two off the button. I raised and the two players behind me called as well as the big blind.

The flop came T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. The player in the blind checked. I bet. The player behind me raised. The player on the button called the two bets cold. The player in the blind folded, and I called.

Fourth street was the A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I checked. The on the flop raiser bet, but his bet put him all in for $40. The button called. I check raised making it $100 total, and the player on the button called.

The river was the T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I bet and the player on the button folded.

All comments welcome.

Best wishes,
Mason

[ike]

Seems right to me. I guess the play you're wondering about is the turn checkraise? Since the button didn't raise the all-in to protect his hand you can assume he's drawing (especially with the flop coldcall this seems likely), so the raise is pretty automatic. I don't think theres any point in this hand where you can fold. The button is pretty clearly drawing and the raiser may have you beat but players play so erratically when near allin that without a specific read a fold feels very wrong.

[Gotmilk]

nh mason :-) if the preflop raiser only had $29 left so the check raise would only be a completion , how do you play it ?

[DcifrThs]

[ QUOTE ]
nh mason :-) if the preflop raiser only had $29 left so the check raise would only be a completion , how do you play it ?

[/ QUOTE ]

first off, congrats on your earlier tourney finish....

second, i think mason bets out if a c-r would just be a completion. i may be wrong here but thats what id be thinking. without the 29 though its a clear c-r imo against an almost certain draw: his money is going in anyway so no brainer...

-Barron

[bobbyi]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think theres any point in this hand where you can fold.

[/ QUOTE ]
Preflop!

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Ike:

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think theres any point in this hand where you can fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

While you're absolutely correct, this is part of the reason I put this hand up. Based on some of the books I have read, you would fold when that ace hit. Of course this is completely wrong.

best wishes,
Mason

[nepenthe]

Mason,

What do you do if the Button raises the turn all-in bet? Reraise or call?

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi nepenthe:

Fold.

Best wishes,
Mason

[theriverwild]

i like the turn check raise to protect your hand, but if that ten didn't hit were u checking the river through or betting since his hand seems like an obvious draw anyways and would only call if he was drawing at the flush and made a pair of aces?

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi River:

Suppose the player on the button had KT. many weak players will make this call on the turn but then fold the river. If you think that your opponent is like this, you should bet again.

Also, some weak players will call with a hand that you can beat, such as JT, and then payoff on the river. Here again you should bet.

So while not necessarily the case, a river bet will often make sense.

best wishes,
Mason