Big cards getting me in trouble

faman · #1 05-28-2004, 11:57 AM

Am I a calling station? Please help me figure out how to play these types of hands better, I need all the help I can get [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Hand #1
Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 raises, CO calls, Button folds, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls.

Flop: (12 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (6 players) 
Hero bets, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP3 calls, CO raises, Hero calls, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP3 calls.

Turn: (12 BB) K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (6 players) 
Hero checks, BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP3 bets, CO bets $1.25 (All-In), Hero folds, BB calls, UTG+1 calls, MP1 calls, MP3 calls.

River: (18.25 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 players, 1 all-in) 
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, MP1 checks, MP3 checks.

Final Pot: 18.25 BB
Main Pot: 18.25 BB, between CO, BB, UTG+1, MP1 and MP3.

Should I have 3-bet out of the small blind preflop with QQ? Now that I think about it the answer's probably yes, I just didn't like my position.

Getting raised on the flop made me think that I might be up against Aces or Kings. At this point is it okay to just check-call down? Anyone lay this down? What about after the King comes on the turn? I guess with the pot being as big as it was my play wasn't that bad, but I've had a few hands like this lately where I want to lay it down but just can't bring myself to do it.

Hand #2
Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
Hero raises, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO 3-bets, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls.

Flop: (7.50 SB) J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players) 
Hero bets, CO raises, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.75 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players) 
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero calls.

River: (7.75 BB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players) 
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.75 BB
Main Pot: 9.75 BB, between Hero and CO.

I was 3-bet preflop with AKo and then the flop completely missed me... is this a check-fold flop heads up? This hand especially I felt like a calling station. I really wanted to fold, just couldn't throw away my good buddy big slick [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Hand #3
Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. MP3 posts a blind of $0.50.
UTG raises, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, Hero 3-bets, MP3 (poster) folds, CO folds, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players) 
UTG bets, Hero calls.

Turn: (5.25 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players) 
UTG bets, Hero calls.

River: (7.25 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players) 
UTG bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 9.25 BB
Main Pot: 9.25 BB, between UTG and Hero.

I think I may have overplayed my pair of tens here. How's the 3-bet preflop? Should I be coldcalling the EP raise hoping for some more callers behind me (pretty likely at this level), or is the 3-bet to try to get headsup a better play?

How about the flop, is it reasonable to fold to UTG's flop bet with the Ace out there? I didn't have a read on him. I feel like hands like this are costing me a lot of money, where I end up calling down when I'm pretty sure I'm beat.

Bill Smith · #2 05-28-2004, 12:27 PM

Hand 1: Gotta 3-bet preflop and flop, and probably bet out the turn too. Call down if anyone bumps back, and fold if the play gets out of control after the K hits.

Hand 2: Interesting hand. I would think you're pretty safe to fold the river unless he's a maniac, but I'm wondering if anyone else would 3-bet the flop. If he caps, you know you're safe to fold the river, and the hand plays a bit easier if he just calls and you can lead the turn.

Hand 3: PF is fine, but I'd raise the flop and be prepared to fold to a reraise.

ZootMurph · #3 05-28-2004, 12:45 PM

Hand 1:

3 bet preflop. QQ is a hand which is vulnerable. You have to bet the heck out of it preflop.
3 bet the flop, only a set, AA, or KK is ahead of you here, so make all those that are riding along with an A or K pay to keep playing. If you are playing against AK here (which I bet MP3 is playing), you may push him out on the flop, although it is doubtful. Pretty sure CO has a set, but you can get his last money in on the flop, and still have several others in that you can try to take money from.
The turn is where I worry. Raise MP3's bet and call if he three bets.
If MP3 bets into you on the river, fold. Otherwise, check it down and see what they've got.

Guess on final results: CO 88, MP3 AK, BB nothing, UTG+1 Ax, MP1 2 clubs.

Hand 2:

I'd cap preflop if they were suited, just call if they are not.
Flop: The flop didn't completely miss you, as you now have a flush draw... bet and call a raise.
Turn: check/call hoping to hit the flush.
River: Check/fold if the flush doesn't hit. Bet and call a raise if it does.

Hand 3:

You three bet preflop with TT, but not with QQ in hand 1??? I would three bet here to get it heads up. On the flop, you are in a raise or fold situation. Either you think you are beat or not. Calling is the worst of the three choices. Since your three bet was called preflop, I have to believe you are up against AK or AQ. Anything else you are behind would have capped preflop. So, you can raise the flop, and fold to a 3 bet, or just fold. If you raise and are called. He will check to you on the turn, and you should bet again. On the river, check through and see who wins.

Overall, you need more aggressiveness, but you aren't a calling station (except in hand 3). Push a little with good hands. If you are pushed back, you are probably beaten. If not, you may be winning or push a hand out that may have won. In hands like hand three, you need to know where you are when bets are cheap. Bet/raise to find out. If you raised on the flop for 1 small bet and were reraised, you could have folded and saved 2 big bets by raising one small bet.

DoctorDrew · #4 05-28-2004, 01:16 PM

Busy at the office so I can only respond to #3.

I like the PF 3 bet. He doesn't cap which is good info, possibly A crummy kicker. I would raise the flop. Assuming he just calls, check it through unimproved on the turn and check/fold (?Call) unimproved on the river. I think that is less costly.

faman · #5 05-28-2004, 03:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
You three bet preflop with TT, but not with QQ in hand 1???

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, I've gotta change my game up a bit to keep all the observant opponents at Party $.50/1 on their toes [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Actually this hand was after the QQ one, and I was a little pissed at myself for not 3-betting the QQ which was part of the reason. The other reason is that I had position on the raiser and felt that I had a better chance of getting it heads up in this case.

Thanks for the response, I agree that I need to work on my aggressiveness. 3-bets are rare for me, and I can't even remember the last time that I capped [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

faman · #6 05-28-2004, 03:45 PM

Thanks for the responses everyone. Looks like I definitely need to work on my aggressiveness. Anyway, here's what my opponents held:

Hand #1
BB shows 4s Ad (high card, ace).
UTG+1 shows 6c 7c (high card, king).
MP1 shows 3h 4h (high card, king).
MP3 shows Kh Ah (one pair, kings).
CO shows Kd Ks (three of a kind, kings).
Outcome: CO wins 18.25 BB.

So I was behind the entire time, the K on the turn just gave CO an even better hand (and fortunately caused enough action that I could lay the hand down)

Hand #2
Hero shows Kh Ac (one pair, threes).
CO shows Ah As (two pair, aces and threes).
Outcome: CO wins 9.75 BB.

It's a good thing that the flush didn't come up on this hand, since my opponent held the Ah!

Hand #3
UTG shows Ad Qc (two pair, aces and eights).
Hero shows Ts Tc (two pair, tens and eights).
Outcome: UTG wins 9.25 BB.

Unfortunately he did have an Ace and he took it down.