A Couple of Small-Pot Hands From My Session Last Night

[coltrane]

I've decided to try to make an effort to post some more small-pot hands....I'm starting to realize that it's not really always the no-brainer all-in hands that make a winning session.....a lot of the small pot hands not only a lot of times involve more decision-making and skill, but also add up significantly at the end of the night's profit depending on how well I played them......

table is live 1/2 NL but VERY deep - I have ~$1100 and cover the table.....


hand one:

UTG (~$500) opens for $9.....this is much more of a pot-builder-type bump as opposed to a true preflop "raise" for this table.....one caller in MP and I call in SB with 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].....

flop ($29) comes A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I lead out for $25, villain min-raises to $50, MP folds, action is on me....I raise $75 more (total of $125) and he folds A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] face-up.....

comments:
I don't know what to say, because these types of hands happen often when stacks are deep against somewhat decent players (which villain was).....by leading into the raiser I made more than if I would've checkraised, but once I 3-bet it he's not gonna play for his stack with one pair....I thought about flat-calling his raise because I was 90% positive that he had a big ace and would bet the turn....but then he still would've folded the turn to a big checkraise....and also the problem with that is that in the 10% chance he has something like K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I let him off too easily, and if he has something like A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] I waste a great opportunity.....am I always trying to aim for a big pot with a set, period?......out of position, is that third flop bet a no-brainer?......


hand two:

UTG straddles for $6, one limper in MP, I limp in the CO with K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]....button and SB fold, BB completes, straddler checks....

flop ($25) comes K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

checked to me and I bet $25....folded to MP (~$400) who calls.....villain is a loose gambling-type who often calls too much but is NOT an idiot....I put him almost 100% on a flush draw......

turn ($75) comes K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

MP checks, I bet $25 again, he insta-calls....

river ($125) comes 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

MP checks, I think for a second and bet $75....he thinks for half a second and calls....I show my boat and he frustratedly mucks.....

comments:
I think I should've bet slightly more on the turn.....I was afraid of losing him so I didn't want to blow him out, but he would've definitely called $40 or $45.....on the river, he was smart to check/call, but I think my bet was too in-between.....I should've either underbet again - thereby showing weakness and having him come over the top (allowing me to re-pop it) OR I should've bet more - something like $125.......

comments on any of this?.....