Bad time for a slow play?

[Bigwig]

Pokerstars $11 + rebuys.

BB is 600.

Hero UTG+2 (t7500)
Villain CO (t24000)

Hero is dealt A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
All fold to Hero.
Hero raises to 2200.
All fold to Villain who calls.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hero checks.
Villain checks.

Turn: Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Hero bets 2400.
Villain reraises to all-in.
Hero calls.

I lost. He made the A high straight.

Now, this is not generally a scary straight board, correct? But there was a straight draw and a flush draw. Despite having an apparent lock, can I afford to slowplay this? My thought was to appear afraid of the big cards, and hope the Villain makes a play at the pot. But, with such a short stack, was this a mistake?

Thanks for your feedback.

[adanthar]

There's 5K in the pot and you have 5K behind. A flush draw already (marginally) has the odds to call an all in on the flop. All other hands are drawing to at most 4 outs and more likely something like .5. Okay, once in a while the board winds up with four hearts; whatever.

You have to slowplay this. Ni han, next tourney.

[willie]

i agree that you have to slowplay this hand, you're headsup- and you need to let the opponent make a second best hand- it's just poor luck that he turned the nuts on you, but even then you had outs to pair the board or case on the river-

nothing wrong with this play headsup i don't think.

[remen]

What was your read on your opponent? Unless he has been playing very loose and not paying much attention to other people, I don't like the slowplay here. I am assuming you have been playing TAG throughout the tournament. Any decent player would probably think that a raise from a TAG shortstacked UTG+2 probably meant a pretty good hand. That flop definetly looks like it hit your hand pretty well, and he very well may have thought you were trying to slowplay something.

Giving him free cards isn't going to let him make a hand that pays you off. He is either going to make a hand that beats you or one that folds to a big bet from you. Unless he is a LAG, I don't think it is likely for him to try to bully you out of the pot. I think you are just giving free cards to draws that could beat you. I think you should push at this flop and take down a nice sized pot.

[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
What was your read on your opponent? Unless he has been playing very loose and not paying much attention to other people, I don't like the slowplay here. I am assuming you have been playing TAG throughout the tournament. Any decent player would probably think that a raise from a TAG shortstacked UTG+2 probably meant a pretty good hand. That flop definetly looks like it hit your hand pretty well, and he very well may have thought you were trying to slowplay something.

Giving him free cards isn't going to let him make a hand that pays you off. He is either going to make a hand that beats you or one that folds to a big bet from you. Unless he is a LAG, I don't think it is likely for him to try to bully you out of the pot. I think you are just giving free cards to draws that could beat you. I think you should push at this flop and take down a nice sized pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, it was my 3rd or 4th hand at the table as I had just been moved. So, I had no reads. And yes, I'm very TAG. I was hoping that he would catch two pair or had an A, and made a play at the pot.

[Rakkad]

I push here. Giving a free card on this drawing board is only going to hurt you.

You have about about 5300 left, with 5k in the pot, you want to win it right now.

[KKsuited]

Well for my 2 cents, I very rarely slow play any hand. I made this adjustment after 1) reading Supersystem 2) watching Gus Hansen play.

But, if you want to slowplay a hand, this is not the one to do it with. The smooth call of 1/3 of your chips should have signaled to the other guy that you probably had a hand that was going to be difficult to get you off of. If someone smooth calls 1/3 chips, I have to put them on AA,KK,AK, maybe QQ.

Like the previous poster said, the guy is only going to put chips in the pot if you're beat (if he's a good player, which we will assume).

With a straight and flush draw, I think this was a really bad time to slowplay.

I'd consider looking into the thoery of not slowplaying at all. I only slowplay when I flop a fullhouse or something similar. It's really helped my game.

I'll probably get flamed knowing how much so many people love to check raise and slowplay. I rarely do either.

[davidross]

I don't think there is anything wrong with never slowplaying, so I won't disagree with you, but there are plenty of players who will make a play at this pot when they have the other player covered like this. Any pair QQ and down is terrified of that flop, and lots of players will make a play at it.

[gergery]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think there is anything wrong with never slowplaying, so I won't disagree with you, but there are plenty of players who will make a play at this pot when they have the other player covered like this. Any pair QQ and down is terrified of that flop, and lots of players will make a play at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If they'd make a play at it, then they'd also make a play if you bet out small at it. and that builds a pot better, yes?

Maybe its not a terrible spot for a slowplay, but i'd think raising is better.

[Chief911]

I'll disagree with a few people who say to slowplay.

This is an AWFUL time to slowplay. You just hit trips, and have 1/3 of your stack invested.

While you might extract more chips by giving a free card, you also set yourself up.

I would list one of the biggest keys to any success I've had in the last two months with MTT's is not slowplaying hands that I'm most likely not willing to let go. Hands I will gladly slowplay are Boats, Flushes, and Quads (duh). Slowplying trips on a flush/straight board was a HUGE mistake. You already got some value out of your hand, and might get more if you push the flop (Especially if he has a nice fat hand like AK, or such).

You absolutely cannot give out a free card here, unless you want to have to fold to an allin bet if Q, J, T, or heart hits. Get your value from the chips in the pot, and someone possibly making a stupid call with a 2nd best or drawing hand.

Punch that pot postflop by going all in. Believe in the cow.