Comments Wanted On WSOP Hand

[alta_chuttes]

[ QUOTE ]
The goal with a good hand against an opponent willing to call smaller bets, is to extract money out of him with smaller bets.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's cool, but what about _this_ hand against an opponenet willing to call *larger* bets?

[Mike Minetti]

Thanks for the responses. My decision on the river was the ONLY tough one I faced in the entire tournament. In the end my choices were to fold and hang in there with 30,000 or call & put my tourney on the line with a chance to double up to 125,000. I thought this player would move in with a busted flush draw, overcards, a 4, a 5, or even a medium pair. I also considered the fact that with a 4 or 5 he might just bet 15-20K hoping to get a call without putting me out of the tourney. I decided that there was a better than 50/50 chance that I had the best hand & I was getting over 3/1 pot odds so I called. He flipped up 44 and it's wait until next year!

[Michael O'Malley]

Mike raises in middle position to $4,600, a standard opening raise. He is called by one opponent that Mike has pegged as a player who is willing to mix it up, call larger than normal bets, has been active in hands and has a large stack.
The flop: 5h5c3h
Most players that fall into the above description will lead into a pot in this situation if they have any part of the flop. The reason being that a tighter player (like Mike) that doesn’t have an above average stack is not usually going to make a move without a big hand. This allows the loose player to find out exactly where he is in the hand. The other option for the loose player is to check raise, which forces the tighter player to either fold or move all-in.
Mike bet $5,500 into a pot of $12,600. I love this bet and I would make the same play. This allows the loose player to think Mike might be putting in a small bet with AK to test the waters, and at the same time not commit too much of his stack with a no pair hand. Many times the loose player will make a move on that bet with a complete junk hand.
When the loose player only calls the bet, this means something very specific. He does not have a big hand, he knows he is probably behind, but he is getting the right price to call with a very mediocre hand (possible even drawing almost dead with something like AQ).
On the turn comes a 6d. The loose player checks, which again is a sign that he is not intending to make a move on the hand. Many of the loose big stack players will take a ½ pot sized stab on the turn to again get the tight player to lay down a hand like AK.
At this point the pot is $23,600. Mike makes a bet of $20,000. Perfect. In order for the loose player to call, he has to think he has the best hand. He is not getting the right price to call with almost all drawing hands. But the bet is small enough for him to call with a hand that he can talk himself into believing is the best. All-in bet at this point would result in one of two outcomes: Loose player folds, and Mike cant pick up that large $20k bet, or loose player calls and has Mike beat. There is no hand that the loose player can call with (and not have AA beat) and be getting the right price.

The river is a tough call, and the only question Mike had about the hand. I would have folded, knowing that in this tournament, and at that level, $30k was still enough to build back up. At the $2,000/$4,000 level I had $16k and built it back up to $90k.

[MushashiAce]

Thank you very much mike for this interesting hand history. Mike M's (not you) breakdown of the hand I think was terrific, and I totally agree with how you played it. Though i presented an opinion of betting more on the flop or turn, i think it came down to just having a loose opponent draw out on you. Sorry bout the bad beat, but best of luck in the future. Again, a great read, i certainly gained some insight. Thanks.