The Experiment (tm) - First Hand

[glen]

yeah ok sklansky. . .

[James282]

[ QUOTE ]
I would've played it:

QJo open-raises. 88 3-bets
QJo checks. 88 bets. QJo folds.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why you don't open raise from MP with QJo. First of all, people will spot you coming in light if you do this routinely. Do you really want to see the flop for 3 bets here with QJo? Especially when you can very easily be out of position, to tricky players? You have no way of knowing that the button only has 88 here, he could easily have AA, KK, JJ, AQ, AJ, or heaven forbid QQ - which all beat the crap out of you. If you routinely come in light he could also have KQ. Unless the game is overly tight, having your SOP be open raise with QJo from MP seems like a good way to win the blinds sometimes, do a lot of check-folding on the flop, or paying off a lot hands which dominate you. Playing for real money(and not messing around at .5/1) I don't think that this raise is going to show you any sort of long term profit.
-James

[Inthacup]

Not to brag but I think I played my hand ideally.

I'd like to hear why you capped with 8 8. You're most likely either a 50/50 shot with the 3-bettor or you're a little more than a 4:1 dog. I know you have position, but I don't see much benefit to the cap.


Otherwise, I like the flop and turn play.



Cup

[James282]

I responded to GoT without reading the other responses which basically said exactly what I said, oops! Anyway, I think that people are leaving out one small thing that makes the QJo raise on this specific table an errant play. Most 2+2 players are very tight, this is true. However, it is very important to know if you are playing against strictly tight players or "tight-observant" players. Perhaps the 2+2 table is a bad example because everything is shown, but after "wheatbeer" showed down a couple hands like QJo for an open-raise from MP he started getting three-bet and isolated very frequently. I consider myself pretty tight, and after this accelerated amount of player information came in he found himself being three-bet by several hands that I would fold against a player who is actually "tight"(doesn't raise QJo from MP). Again, doing this to vary your play is one thing, but if I have played a lot of sessions with you and have somehow figured out you will open-raise with QJo from three off the button, and I have position against you, you will find yourself playing a lot of heads up pots for 3 bets with QJo.
-James

[Nottom]

I actually liked the preflop cap. It makes it really hard for overcards to call if they miss the flop.

[daryn]

you know what i never understood? why is there just one notation for a suited hand? for instance...

A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] is.. AJs

A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] is... AJs..


why don't we just adopt a notation that uses the same amount of letters but is totally unambiguous..

for instance, AJc, AJd, AJh, AJs.. it just makes sense to me. every time i read a post where a guy is like, ok.. so i have AKs and raise.. the flop comes all the same suit, but not the one i have.. , i always think it would be so much clearer if the guy said, i have AKd and raise, flop comes all clubs...

anyone else or am i just insane?

oh by the way, who is this abdul? why should i give him respect?

[daryn]

he would bet undoubtedly

[Joe Tall]

I know exactly what I would do from every seat...get up and find another one at a different table. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Peace,
JT

[Nottom]

I would think so, but seeing as he is the best heads-up player on the net I was wondering if he would have sensed a check-raise coming after I called his flop bet.

[Schneids]

I think you can get away with this very occasionally. However, if you ever have to show that you raised with this, do not do it again for a long time.

The idea you present though is basically the gap concept applied to ring games. Against tough opposition it'll work until they observe you're raising without much, then, they'll start 3-betting you and take advantage.