Party Poker - 5/10 Shorthanded

[Homer]

Here are a few hands from a shorthanded 5/10 session I just played at Party Poker. I rarely play shorthanded, so am far from an expert, but would like to improve. I've been playing very weakly in these games (lots of check-calling, not laying down decent hands to raises/checkraises) because my opponents are way too aggressive, even for shorthanded. However, I may have gone overboard in some of the following hands.

<font color="blue">Hand 1</font>

I raise from the CO with red AA after one limper. Loose, somewhat LAG BB calls, limper calls.

Flop - Kc 7d 9c

I bet, LAG calls.

Turn - Tc

I bet, LAG checkraises, I call.

River - Qd

LAG bets, I call.

Comments - I think I should have folded on the turn, even though this is SH and the check-raiser was a LAG. I definitely should have folded on the river after I didn't catch an A and the board didn't pair.

Showdown - My opponent showed T7o and took it down.


<font color="blue">Hand 2</font>

I'm dealt 77 on the button. CO limps, I limp, extremely LAG (has raised about 40% of his hands) raises from the SB, CO and I call.

Flop - 4d 5d Jc

LAG bets, I call.

Turn - 9s

LAG bets, I call.

River - 6s

LAG bets, I call.

Comments - I probably should have raised preflop, and definitely should have raised either the flop or turn. To tell you the truth, my reason for not doing so was because I feared that I would be three-bet and wouldn't know where I stood. Of course, if my opponent wants to three-bet me with a worse hand I should give him the chance. If he three-bets me, I can just call it down, no big deal.

Results - My opponent showed Ac 8s and I took it down.


<font color="blue">Hand 3</font>

I open-raise from the button with AJo and only the SB calls.

Flop - Qh 2h 3c

I bet, SB calls.

Turn - Ts

Checked around.

River - Ah

I bet, SB calls.

Comments - I think I played this one alright. Anybody bet the turn?

Results - My opponent showed a weakly played JJ and I took it down.


<font color="blue">Hand 4</font>

UTG+1 limps, UTG+2 raises, I three-bet from the CO with AA and both call.

Flop - 8d 6c 3h

I bet, both call.

Turn - 7d

I bet, both call.

River - Tc

Checked to me and I check it through.

Comments - I am absolutely disgusted with myself for not betting the river.

Results - I take it down against Q8o and AJo.


<font color="blue">Hand 5</font> (Would really like some comments on this one)

Two limpers, SB calls, I check from the BB with Tc 8s.

Flop - Qc Th Jc

I bet, UTG raises, two coldcalls and I call.

Turn - 6c

UTG bets, two calls and I call.

River - 5c

Checked to last player (LAG from hand 1) who bets, only I call.

Comments - On the flop, I don't think I like my bet. With Middle-pair, a backdoor flush draw, and a gutshot to the idiot end on a coordinated board I should probably check-fold, maybe check-call if my call closes the action. Once it's raised back to me, I'm fairly certain that calling getting 11:1 and closing the action is fine. On the turn, I think calling is easily correct, getting 15:1 and having picked up another card towards my flush draw. On the river, I thought about betting out, but decided to check-call again because I felt that I would have to call a river raise against this cast. Once it was bet by LAG, I think I made a bad mistake by not checkraising (whereas if UTG had bet I think calling is best). He likely would have raised preflop with Ax, so I have him beat unless he has the Kc. I know that he would bet when checked to with any flush and probably some other hands like two-pair, and that he would call a raise with all of these hands.

Results - My opponent showed Jh 3c and I took it down.


<font color="blue">Hand 6</font>

Two limpers, SB calls, I raise from the BB with Ac Kc and all call.

Flop - Jc 2s 6s

I bet and get two callers.

Turn - Ks

I bet and get two callers.

River - 3c

I bet and get two callers.

Comments - I think I played this hand well.

Results - My opponents showed 6c 4h and Kh Qh and I took it down.

-- Homer

[1800GAMBLER]

I think you have missed typed hand 5 or i am really tired. You say you have middle pair when you have bottom pair, then you take it down when the player has middle pair. T should be a J?

[GuyOnTilt]

He dragged the pot because he had a T-high flush in clubs. He did make a typo in his comments section...he had bottom pair.

[Homer]

Okay, so I made a typo. I guess I played these hands perfectly, ehh?

[chenyi]

I play a lot of short handed game before I found myself way too loose in big games and try to forget totally what I used to do. So I barely remember how to play short handed games now.
For example, like you open bet any top, middle, or sometimes botton pair and calling with any pair as well. Always slow play two pair or better. Bluff quite ofen, etc... [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
I find myself hard to adjust two styles. I guess that's because I am still not playing well here. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[slavic]

You know homer I probably should play more short handed to get in the exp. As it is when a table becomes short handed at the local card room, I turn into what everyone else sees as a LAG, capture an unfare share of pots and the table breaks down. I've always treated it like I would heads up play, raise to isolate, anything worth playing is worth a raise, if you hit the board play it hard. Slow play heads up monsters, get your raise in at the end.

It's likely all wrong but it works for me.

Interestingly it also seems to work at the 2+2 table on party. Of course thoseguys will 3 bet with 72o

[ajizzle]

The bet on the flop is perfect in my opinion. You have several outs(weak as they may be), and the bet gets ideally gets the Jx to fold (though it didn't work out that way). It looks like UTG was trying to help himself and you out by raising. Once again, this is ideally to get the other two to fold, thus getting it heads-up, and 2ndly, it buys a free card on the turn (assuming he is drawing to something or, has Tx or Qx. My guess is T5s). THe turn play is perfect on your part, and the good thing is that you have 4 players. This is because if you hit your flush or two-pr, you'll get paid off.

YOur inclination to check-raise on the river is wrong, because it is still very unclear if you are ahead at this point (Ac, Kc). IF you check raise, you are succeptable to reraises by three players. Check call is the best, and as it worked out, you weren't going to get any more money from anyone with a check-raise anyway (since everyone would have folded to you).

AllnAll, good play on this hand.

[Homer]

Your inclination to check-raise on the river is wrong, because it is still very unclear if you are ahead at this point (Ac, Kc).

Well, I'm not 100% sure that I'm ahead, but there is a very strong chance, considering the LAG who bet the river would do so with any club and any two pair hand. Also, there is a very strong possibility that this player would have raised preflop with Acx as he raised with basically any Ace preflop. So, the only hand I'm behind is Kcx, while I am ahead of many other hands with which he will bet and will pay off a raise with. As for the other players, their check indicated that they either had a weak flush or did not have a flush. These players were not tricky enough to go for a checkraise on the river with a big flush. Lastly, there's not much chance of getting overcalls from the players who checked, so that is another reason I should raise rather than call.

Check call is the best, and as it worked out, you weren't going to get any more money from anyone with a check-raise anyway (since everyone would have folded to you).

Believe it or not, the LAG would have paid me off with the 3c.

Thanks very much for your response.

-- Homer

[CrackerZack]

I've done well shorthanded, but I think its more due to the fact that I play with bad players than the fact that I'm good. Shorthanded I tend to be hyperaggressive too which may be somewhat helpful. Think LarryJoe after a 8-ball... ok without further adieu...

Hand 1: I'd play the same. no way i'm folding. I'd actually consider 3-betting the turn but with flush getting there, I wouldn't.

Hand 2: I'd raise PF, after that I like the play.

Hand 3: I'd bet the turn also in this hand, its shorthanded heads up.

Hand 4: bet the river and call a raise.

Hand 5: I don't know if I'd bet the flop here, but might. After that, I'd probably play the same out of confusion more than knowing what I'm doing.

Hand 6: wp

[Homer]

I've done well shorthanded, but I think its more due to the fact that I play with bad players than the fact that I'm good.

Me too and me too.

Shorthanded I tend to be hyperaggressive too which may be somewhat helpful.

I'm actually the opposite, as I think I mentioned in my initial post. But, I'm still winning, so I must not be doing too bad.

Hand 3: I'd bet the turn also in this hand, its shorthanded heads up.

I'm still going back and forth on this one.

Hand 4: bet the river and call a raise.

I'd probably fold to a check-raise against these players. Their play was very straightforward. Against more tricky, aggressive players, however, I can understand why calling a check-raise would be best.

Hand 5: I don't know if I'd bet the flop here, but might. After that, I'd probably play the same out of confusion more than knowing what I'm doing.

What do you think about my comment that I should have checkraised the river? Sound thought? I'm still not good enough to change my plan on the fly when something unexpected happens (like LAG betting the river as opposed to UTG).

Thanks for the comments.

-- Homer