Help with my play... Too aggressive or just bad play?

kong98 · #1 02-12-2005, 09:26 PM

I seem to lose a lot of money on hands like this where I'm the only one who shows aggression, and I end up losing the pot to better (and sometimes monster) hands. I'm hoping for some help on my play for all streets with this hand.

PokerStars 0.05/0.10 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
4 folds, MP3 calls, Hero raises, 1 fold, SB calls, BB calls, MP3 folds.

Flop: (7 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, SB calls, BB calls.

Turn: (5 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, SB folds, BB calls.

River: (7 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 11 BB

Results in white below: 
BB has As Th (three of a kind, aces).
Hero has Qh Kh (one pair, aces).
Outcome: BB wins 11 BB. 

Thanks in advance for your help!

milesdyson · #2 02-12-2005, 09:27 PM

Nice preflop raise and flop bet - the turn bet is fine I think (although I don't always bet the turn here).

You seriously need to check through on the river. You're getting called by better hands all the time, and as you can see here, you got raised by a better hand. The worst part of this hand is calling the river check raise followed closely by betting the river in the first place.

edit: I didn't look at the results before replying. And I want to elaborate on the river. You have to figure out why you're betting. When you bet the river, it's because you feel you have the best hand and will be called by a worse hand, OR because you feel you will fold better hands. Neither of these is the case here, as a low pocket pair that called the turn is surely calling for one more on the river, and a missed straight draw (98 or 54) is surely folding. There is only -EV in this bet.

guitarhero14 · #3 02-12-2005, 09:38 PM

why did you bet the turn and river?

kong98 · #4 02-12-2005, 09:42 PM

Thanks alot for your help. You're absolutely right... I wasn't really thinking about why I was betting. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

kong98 · #5 02-12-2005, 09:46 PM

They were a bit slow to call my flop bet, so I thought they might be weak.

When the second ace came out on the turn, I thought it was unlikely that anyone else had an ace. Since I'd represented the ace on the flop, I figured I could follow through and bet the turn and they'd fold right there.

For the river bet, I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I had a feeling that my hand was good at that point so I bet.

reubenf · #6 02-12-2005, 09:51 PM

Check the river. What in the world do you want him to call with? There's not really much. What do you think he's going to fold that beats you? Again, not much. If he's been calling down with bottom pair, he's not folding it now.

But you did bet it, and you got CR'd. You really think this is a stone-cold bluff with nothing at all? It isn't, fold.

reubenf · #7 02-12-2005, 09:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
They were a bit slow to call my flop bet, so I thought they might be weak.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't invest too much into that read. I use it sometimes, too, if the decision is really close. But it can mean many things. It could be a reverse tell. They could be playing many tables. They could have connection problems. Maybe their cats are fighting and they had to break it up. Etc etc etc.

davelin · #8 02-12-2005, 10:17 PM

Don't bet that river next time. I also think you can safely fold the check-raise....I was right!

Zoelef · #9 02-12-2005, 10:32 PM

KQs stares down a flop of Ace-rag-rag rainbow = HATE

*ahem*

I don't like the flop bet because it missed you and people will call (or even check/raise) with their Ace-rag anyway.

Check(/fold) through on the turn and Check/fold the river unimproved.

Spoilers in white:
Oh, the BB should be on your to-crush list indefinitely for failing to raise his turn.

kong98 · #10 02-13-2005, 02:16 AM

Thanks for everyone's help! It is much appreciated.