Hand to Talk About

[Al_Capone_Junior]

You are right, I think it's close and I won't spend much time trying to de-bunk anyone's opinion if it differs with mine. I would fold because I tend to play a bit conservatively. I personally don't like unsuited middle cards. Now if there was only the usual two blinds I'd probably raise from the cutoff with J9o.

al

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
There's nothing to indicate one never uses it. Just that one didn't use it this time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, it wasn't really directed at this particular hand. I was really just thinking out loud in response to Tylers post.

[Tyler Durden]

While I agree that it's important to use and take advantage of a tight image, I think it will be incredibly difficult in this instance to raise and expect to steal all three blinds.

As for limping, that didn't really occur to me when I read the hand.

[Tyler Durden]

[ QUOTE ]
I was in (what most of you refer to as the) cutoff seat


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Mason, what do you refer to that seat as?

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent question. I was wondering myself.

[Nottom]

I would guess he calls it the player to the right of the button.

[mikelow]

The three blinds make a steal raise very difficult. If you call, you may have to call a raise. So I agree with your fold. It's the kind of hand we all play when we're steaming.

I hope the flop wasn't J-9-x or something.

[Mason Malmuth]

No. You either raise or fold.

MM

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

Read this post by Rick. He addresses exactly the point I wanted to make. With just two blinds, if I'm two positions to the right of the button (meaning that there are four players to act after me) I definitely consider raising with this hand. However, with the third blind there, even though the pot that I might steal will be larger, it becomes a fold since my probability of stealing usually goes down more than the pot has grown.

As for limping, I guess that might be okay if the game is not too aggressive.

best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

[ QUOTE ]
What's the point of having a tightwad image if one never uses it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Clark:

Some of the people I play against have no idea who I am or how I play.

Others don't view me as being so tight. Thsy know that I know something about the game and that my raise from late position doesn't mean the same as my raise from early position.

Others may have an opinion on my play but their hand, which they frequently overvalue, is what determines their decision.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

[ QUOTE ]
When you think about it, any bet (raise or lead bet) prior to the river is a semi-bluff bet. That is to say, any bet derives some value from the chance that at the end the bettor's hand will be best and also some value from the chance that the bet will get others to fold right away.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Gino:

You need to rethink this. A semibluff hand is a hand that has some chance to improve to the best hand. Many of the hands that you bet are most likely the current best hand and will finish as the best hand a high percentage of the time. That means you sometimes play them very differently.

Best wishes,
Mason