Tired of Getting Pushed Around

[MikeTexas]

I dont see what the big deal is. Both your hands are relaitvely weak and the pot is not very big.

I discovered that one of my biggest leaks was giving too much action in small pots with marginal hands such as these. I would get caught up in the thought that the other guy was "making a move" on me because he put me on unimproved overs. Then I would end up giving too much action with marginal hands. Typically, the guy would have some sort of a hand, (middle/bottom pair or a small pocket pair) and I would throw away too much money with these weak hands.

In a situation such as this where rag flops, you dont make a pair and youre draws are very weak its best most of the time just to surrender the pot. That might sound like a weak tight strategy to some, but giviing too much action in small pots with weak hands like this is something I consider a major leak. Youre opponent will have a legitmate hand probably about 1/3 of the time and hell be semi bluffing with a stronger draw then yours about 1/3 of the time which means hell either have a hand that is favored to win or draw out on you 2/3 of the time.....not a good situation for Hero.

Give up the pot...its small. Youll have the best of it in the long run....youve got position on Villian and hes probably calling with hands that are much weaker then yours. Dont let youre ego provoke you into giving too much action in small pots with hands that probably wont show a profit.

And BTW, if you are going to play weak hands like that after the turn you should raise the turn as soon as you pick up the gutshot if you believe your opponent is bluffing or "taking shots at you". This strategy is better then checking and calling on the turn and river because a) you may induce your opponent to fodl on the turn if he is bluffing b) you can check the river after he checks to you assuming he calls your turn raise c) you can bet the river if you improve or even if you dont and might be able to induce him to fold. Either way, raising the turn is correct if youre going to give any action at all.

-Mike