This was deception, that's for sure

[themflags]

I've been playing online for awhile. Until this hand, I've taken my losses (and I've had my share) as the cost of doing business. But my first reaction to this was that I was snookered. What do you think?

Preflop: Hero is SB with J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 calls, MP1 calls, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO folds, Button calls, Hero completes, BB checks.

Flop: (5 SB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(5 players)</font>


Apparently, after the flop, MP1's line got disconnected. He was able to reconnect, and he resumed. I felt good about no pre-flop raises, and my top pair and good kicker, so . . .


<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, BB folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls, Button calls.

Turn: (4 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
<font color="CC3333">Hero bets</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP1 raises</font>, Button folds, Hero calls.


I gotta say that the MP1's raise did confuse me. Perceiving he would not fold, I saw no need to aggress with just this top pair.


River: (8 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(2 players)</font>
Hero checks, <font color="CC3333">MP1 bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10 BB

Results below:
Hero has Js Ad (two pair, jacks and sixes).
MP1 has Ac Ah (two pair, aces and sixes).
Outcome: MP1 wins 10 BB.


My first thought when I saw his AA was that his disconnect was a decoy, to make me think he was hesitating or grudgingly going further into the betting. At the time, his position felt weak.


Three questions:
1) Were my post-turn and post-river calls too loose? Or was I too passive for not aggressing more with the hand I did have?
2) Is it possible that his 'disconnect' was intentional? Or was his actual play even more deceptive than this?
3) Am I a sore loser for even asking the question?

Bonus Question:
Given that so many people think that to check-raise is a sin because it is deceptive, if his disconnect was deceptive, is that unethical in poker?

[SheridanCat]

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1) Were my post-turn and post-river calls too loose? Or was I too passive for not aggressing more with the hand I did have?


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I don't think so. Sometimes you pay off. In fact, you probably lost the least you could with this hand because the guy really didn't play his aces very well. Limping and then just calling the flop with the aces is horrible. I think your reasoning for shutting down the aggression was correct. I put him on two pair when he raised.

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2) Is it possible that his 'disconnect' was intentional? Or was his actual play even more deceptive than this?


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I doubt it was intentional. Even if it were, I wouldn't have considered it a tell anyway.

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3) Am I a sore loser for even asking the question?


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No comment. You didn't lose nearly as much as you could have.

[ QUOTE ]

Bonus Question:
Given that so many people think that to check-raise is a sin because it is deceptive, if his disconnect was deceptive, is that unethical in poker?

[/ QUOTE ]

Anyone who has a problem with check-raising doesn't understand how poker is played. People who get angry at being check-raised are idiots. Disconnects are disconnects, there's no reason to read anything into them other than the guy has a slow/bad connection. If you start considering disconnects to be tells, you'll just confuse yourself.

Regards,

T

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Deception, my friend, is the heart and soul of poker. Far from being unethical, being deceptive is the proper way to play the game.

[Stupendous_Man]

I don't see any problems with the way you played this. I think MP1 played his A's terribly. I don't think the disconnect was something to be worried about. Doesn't make sense to me to intentionally do this with bullets in the hole. I've seen this crap more at NL tables when people are faced with a big bet (or an all-in) and are afraid to call, but don't want to muck. Again, I think you played this right and wouldn't worry about the disconnect.

With regards to the comments about people not liking a check-raise, then they should go play Go Fish! It's a part of the game.