Detailed question: Folding a winner to preserve tight image

ellipse_87 · #1 07-16-2005, 01:48 AM

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First 30 or so hands tonight at a single .25/.50 table at Poker Stars, I'm in before the flop literally 6% b/c of really bad cards. Then, in a short burst, I lose a showdown w KK and win with Q's/7's from the BB and K's/J's from MP3.

So I start implementing this accidentally created table image. Here's an example, where I call with a hand I don't normally play to fold four opponents behind me on the flop, and then the remaining player on the turn. Unheard of at .25/.50, at least in my experience.

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, 2 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, Hero calls, CO calls, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (6.40 SB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (6 players)
BB checks, UTG checks, MP1 checks, MP2 bets, Hero raises, CO folds, BB folds, UTG folds, MP1 folds, MP2 calls.

Turn: (5.20 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
MP2 checks, Hero bets, MP2 folds.
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So this is a great thing. But then, ridiculously, I mis-click and call from MP2 with 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. The flop comes K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets, CO folds, SB folds, BB calls.

Turn: (3 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero 3-bets, BB calls $0.05 (All-In).

He's all-in & river's a blank.

This is not an interesting turn play in and of itself; I don't really care for now what the proper play would be to win the most $ in these situations long term. Let's assume that I have reads that make it an easy raise/3-bet. (He actually beat me with a straight.)

What I'd like to know is, how many of you would lay down a winning hand here to preserve your tight image? I didn't even think about it until after the three-bet. Showing this hand made me more hesitant than I otherwise would have been in attempting aggressive steals in later hands.

On the other hand, how many of you would, if your read told you to fold to a certain straight, pay 1 BB to show down and let everyone know that you had trips, and that you play from MP with hands like J8o? This would reinforce your tight post-flop image and establish a history of having gone to showdown only with pocket overpair, 2-pair, or 3-of-a-kind.

As I'm writing this, I'm realizing the answer to my own question. It's to my advantage to increase the range of starting hands my opponents can put me on; and showing the set only reinforces any wariness they might have developed about taking me to showdown with something that only beats, say, top pair.

I hope you don't mind that I post this, though, since I took the time to write it. It was interesting to think about.

Maybe in the same hand above, but with top pair/low kicker which we know would win the pot, we lay down sometimes?