POT LIMIT HOLD'EM ...NEW GAME NEW PLAYERS,

[schmidts31]

THIS IS A HAND THAT I ENCOUNTERED IN A POT LIMIT HOLDEM GAME IN WHICH I PLAYED IN LAST WEEK. THE GAME IS 2-2 BLINDS, AND WE ARE PLAYING 9 HANDED. 6 OF THE 9 PLAYERS ARE NEW TO HOLD EM PERIOD, NOT TO MENTION POT LIMIT.
I TAKE A GENERAL STRATEGY OF BETTING HALF OF THE POT OR A LITTLE MORE ON THE FLOP TO REDUCE POT ODDS AGAINST A DRAW.
I HAD A HAND THAT I PLAYED HEADS UP AGAINST A FRIEND OF MINE THAT I AM BOTHERED A BIT BY THE PLAY I MADE, MAINLY BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO GO BROKE ON THE HAND.
IT WAS FOLDED TO ME IN MIDDLE POSITION, AND I RAISED IT 4 DOLLARS, I THINK... IT WAS A SMALL RAISE WITH 4C, 4H. FOLDED TO THE BIG BLIND, WHO IS MY FRIEND. HE IS A FAIRLY SOLID PLAYER, AND AGGRESSIVE AS WELL. HE RESPECTS MY TIGHT SOLID GAME AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE LEVEL I PLAY AT...HE KNOWS I AM ABLE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, FOLDS, RAISES, ECT.
THE BIG BLIND RAISES ME...I THINK IT WAS A POT RAISE. I FIGURED I WAS BEHIND, AND TOOK THE CHANCE ON HITTING THE FLOP AND CALLED, KNOWING THERE WAS GOING TO BE NO OTHER ACTION BEHIND.
THE FLOP:
Js 10d 4s
I FLOPPED BOTTOM SET
HE BET 15 DOLLARS INTO THE POT, AND I CALLED WANTING TO TRAP HIM AND MAKE SOME MONEY WITH THIS HAND.
TURN: 2s 70 DOLLARS IN THE POT, HE CHECKS AND I TAKE THAT AS A WEAK HAND TO THE BOARD NOW. I BET 35 INTO THE POT WHICH IS HALF THE POT BET. HE SITS AND STUDIES FOR A MINUTE OR SO AND DECIDES TO RAISE ME!!!!HE RAISES TO 105!!!
I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 175 LEFT ON ME AND IT IS ALL IN THE GAME. SOMEHOW I AM STUCK IN THIS WEAK GAME, AND I KNOW THAT I CAN BORRROW SOME MONEY FROM ANOTHER ONE OF THE BETTER PLAYERS IF I GO BUST. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I LIKE TO DO.
ANYWAY, I CHANGE MY READ THROUGHOUT THIS HAND AND THINK FOR A LITTLE WHILE ABOUT MY SITUATION. I WAS THINKING FIRST, THAT A MADE FLUSH ON THE TURN WOULD CERTAINLY BET THE TURN IF HE HIT. HE CHECKED. I THOUGHT HE WAS WEAK. I THOUGHT I HAD THE BEST HAND. WHEN HE RAISED ME THE POT, I CHANGED MY READ TO A FLUSH OR A SET OF 10'S OR JACKS.
NOW I HAVE 70 TO CALL AND THERE IS 210 IN THE POT. IT IS LAYING ME 3-1 ON THE CALL AND MY CHANCES OF FILLING UP ARE 4-1+ HE HAD BEEN TURNING OVER PREMIUM HANDS ALL NIGHT, AND NOT RAISING ON ANY DRAWING HANDS, EVEN AKs AND SUCH. I CHANGED MY MIND TO HIM HAVING A SET, AND NOT WANTING TO CALL OFF MY CHIPS AND GOING BROKE I FOLDED!
AS I SAID, I HAD 175 LEFT IN FRONT OF ME. I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM IT WOULD CAUSE HIM IF I JUST CALLED. IF HE DOES NOT HAVE A FLUSH AND DOES NOT IMPROVE ON THE RIVER HE WILL PROBABLY CHECK THE RIVER TO ME, NOT WANTING TO BET A WORSE HAND THAT WILL GET CALLED. I WAS NOT POSOTIVE WHERE I WAS AT AND FOLDED. WE HAD SEVERAL HOURS LEFT TO PLAY AND I WAS CONFIDENT I COULD COME BACK. AND I DID.
HOWEVER, I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD SHOW HIS HAND TO ME, AND HE DID...9h 9c....I HAD HIM ON TWO OUTS WITH ONE CARD TO COME AND NO SPADES!!!! I HAD THE BEST HAND...
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?? WRONG DECISION OR NOT??
EVEN IF HE HAS AN OVERPAIR WITH A BIG SPADE, I DON'T THINK IT IS THAT BAD OF A FOLD. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT HE HAD.
MY ONLY REAL REASON TO FOLD WAS NOT TO GO BROKE, AND I DID NOT DO THAT...I TOOK A CHANCE TO HIT THE FLOP, DID THAT, TRAPPED HIM, AND HAD HIM MAKE A GOOD PLAY AGAINST ME.

WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS HAVE DONE?? [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]??

[cruiser]

first - i would have turned off caps lock [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I would have had a tough time laying this one down myself, although considering your main concern was not going bust - it seems you accomplished a goal. Although, admittedly, sometimes I'm a bit stubborn. Even if he had a flush, you have outs. The chance he could have a bigger set is there -but i'd prob roll the dice on that one...if he's got it - Nice Hand.

[schmidts31]

cruiser,
thanks, yes i have had those same thoughts...next time however, when he raises and i have the nuts, he will pay me...that i did not mention to him!
thanks. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[drewjustdrew]

I would have folded here too. Not because I was afraid of losing all my money, but because I put myself behind in the hand and the odds weren't good enough to draw. I think Ciaffone had an article a couple months back about the same thing in cardplayer, but it involved PLO. You may want to see what he says.

[schmidts31]

THANKS DREW,
I FEEL THAT MY DECISION TO FOLD WAS BASED ON THINKING I WAS NOW BEHIND, YES, I DID NOT WANT TO GO BROKE, BUT, I DID WANT TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION...WHEN I WAS AT THE TABLE IN THE HAND I TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE POT ODDS.
THANKS FOR THE REPLY.

[Homer]

NOW FOR THE DELICATE PART...

-- Homer

[Wardfish]

"first - i would have turned off caps lock "

Great answer.

Exactly what I was thinking as I clicked on your response, and I laughed out loud in the office making everyone want to know what I was laughing at.