hands to consider - 1 of 2

marbles · #1 03-09-2003, 09:40 PM

These two hands are from an online freezeout tournament, but they're from very early on, when the table was playing like a basic low limit table.

Hand 1 (from second orbit, very little read on anyone):

I get dealt KK (suits unimportant) and openraise in MP. Button coldcalls, BB calls.

Flop is 884 rainbow. Checked to me, I bet, button drops, BB calls.

Turn is an ace, completing the rainbow (A884). Checked to me, I bet, BB checkraises, I fold.

What do you think?

Bob T. · #2 03-09-2003, 10:54 PM

Probably a good fold, you have shown strength, and he isn't worried about that, he probably has either an eight, or AK.

marbles · #3 03-09-2003, 11:45 PM

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the quick reply. The fold actually seemed right to me, too (after all, WHAT could he be checkraising with?), but the turn bet was the play I really questioned from myself. If the field were bigger (say, 2-3 opponents checking to me), this would be an automatic check on the turn, but since it was heads-up, I felt like the bet was mandatory. Would a check here be ridiculously weak-tight?

Ed Miller · #4 03-10-2003, 12:05 AM

I probably would have checked behind on the turn. If your opponent has a small pocket pair or a 4, then he will likely fold to a bet once the Ace comes (he can no longer hope you have AK). The worst case is that you are giving a free card to a gutshot. You may induce a bluff... or you may induce a bluff-catching call on the river if he checks to you again. So if you are ahead, checking behind is probably the best move. If you are behind, obviously checking behind is the best move. So check behind. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Once you get checkraised, you have to fold. Betting with the intention of calling a checkraise would be your worst course of action here.

Bob T. · #5 03-10-2003, 01:16 AM

I probably would have bet and folded, but majorkong makes a good case for checking and calling a river bet in his post. I think that I might have to add that play in to my repetoire in this situation.

marbles · #6 03-10-2003, 09:51 AM

I'm starting to lean that way as well. When I made the bet, I really thought he'd call with a worse hand, but now looking back, it's hard to think of one that he would have called with. The only case where betting the turn pays off is if he has 99-QQ; not quite likely enough to be worth it.