$30/$60 Stud high: Headsup with Carlos

[jon_1van]

I call 6th.

The Ace doesn't hurt too bad. If he had something like AK in the hole you still have proper odds to call. And if he had KK in the hole (which is very very possible) this card doesn't matter. So the only time when this card really messes you up is when he has AA which should be rare (because now there are fewer combos of AA for him to start with)

I guess it would also suck if he had 22A but I'm not too worried about that. But if you've been pretty aggressive lately he might be musceling you knowing that he can't be too behind. So, the more you've been throwing your weight around the more I worry about this hand.

I think the river call is good.

[MRBAA]

I play lots of head up, although not at 30-60, and I'd play this just as you did. It's fun to play the mind game of a head up match with a good player, but it can be costly.

[Bartholow]

Yeah I only played a few hands headsup, then quit.

[vintage_sara]

This hand clearly stinks of aces or kings to me. He raises a completion on third and then smooth calls a reraises. Calls fourth and reraises on 5th with a crap board. Folding is not the worst thing you can do in this spot and I might just do it since you have no other draw developing except two pair or runner runner fullhouse.

However, sklansky or malmuth would say that if you are convinced he has aces or kings you can play and if he hits an open pair on 6th and you are unimproved, you can fold.

The beauty of your hand is that your pair is split meaning that you can hit two pair hidden while his are out in the open. So if you happen to hit two pair on 6th (hidden) you need to be ready to put in some action yourself with a check raise because if he has the high pair he will bet it. If you hit an open pair yourself you must lead out. Since it's heads up I might even bet the river if I think he will not reraise me with aces up.

However, I think I fold this hand. The problem is that you have no other draws as I stated above and your kickers are low. Aside from the open pair, if he catches an ace, king, or queen, on 6th what will you do? There are so many cards that feel like a disaster on 6th street that I would rather not play beyond 5th against a player like Carlos. Other players, I would be play.

[vintage_sara]

Wrote part one before I read part 2. And I am glad I did as it reassures exactly what I was saying. He happened to catch an ace on 6th, which made you wonder what to do. If he had caught a king, you'd still feel the same way. You never quite know where you are at. The ace feel like a potential disaster. Too many questions and not enough comfort. I think you are beat.

[CarlosChadha]

I vaguely remember this hand, and that it was interesting...but I don't remember what I had in my hand. So, I can give you an "unbiased" opnion before I check my hand history.

Against such an opponent, I'd say the possible hole would be (in order of most to least likely):

AA, KK
22, 66
26, 24
44
PP lower than Qs
35 (1 heart)
35 (no hearts or 2 hearts)
QQ
6h and another heart
33, 55
2A, 2k, A4
A5

Obviously some of ones on the bottem of the list are pretty unlikely and would only happen under odd game conditions.

Given the range of hands, I would plan on calling down to the riv unimproved and raising on the river with Qs up or better.

-Carlos

[CarlosChadha]

At this point you are almost definitely beaten or possibly drawing dead or near dead. But, given all the action and the large pot you pretty much have to call here. I'd fold on the river unimproved, call with Qs up, raise with 3 Qs (but then what do you do v a 3 bet?...I think you can safetly fold, but if you don't think so then you probably shouldn't raise with trips-and probably not call on 6th). If it is Ced on the river I'd check behind unimproved, B Qs up or better. I might occasionally throw away Qs up if I got CRed...but not often.

-Carlos

[BeerMoney]

What do we think about checking on fifth?

[vintage_sara]

Tell me what your reasoning would be for doing that? And what would you do if Carlos bets.

[CarlosChadha]

trying for a CR...but I wouldn't do it more than 5-10% of the time vs. my Carlos' raggy board.