In the BB at 1/2 True

[Your Mom]

After getting my ass kicked for the last few days at Empire, I put 100 in True Poker. Both blinds in their 1/2 are $1. Doesn't really affect this hand but I am curious about what you guys think about it (how it affects play, if any. I tend to think it makes it quite a bit harder to steal blinds which helps me because I suck at as my previous topic shows.) Ok, on to the hand.

In SB with AQs. UTG+1 calls, cutoff calls, SB raises, everyone calls raise. 8 SB in pot. I immediately put raiser on AK, queens, kings, or aces because he was really passive. Flop comes Q74 rainbow. SB bets, all call. I don't raise because I don't think I am ahead unless BB has Ace, King. Turn comes the Ace. SB bets, I raise, UTG+1 reraises, cutoff folds, SB and me both call. Turn is a rag. SB and me check, other guy bets, we both call.

What do you think?

[Homer]

I'm confused as to your position. Can you please change whatever is stated incorrectly? I'll be happy to comment after that...

-- Homer

[DaNoob]

Caveat: I'm still relatively new to the game. That being said, here are my thoughts:

1) It's not clear (as Homer states) where you are sitting.

2) I think you should have used the flop to figure out where you are. You go into the turn and river with no idea if you're ahead or behind, leaving you powerless to proactively choose your fate.

3) The A is your money card (in my book) and also quickly proves that SB was not hiding AA or QQ(as he does not re-raise). If you're not ahead at this point, I don't know who is (UTG+1 would not call with AA preflop (or would he?).

4) I think you won the hand and are now wondering why you didnt' get more money out of the pot. My guess is that UTG+1 had two pair A high (but not Q) and SB was sitting on pocket 10s or Js.

Those are my two cents. What happened?

[ashes will fall]

Like the previous responders, I'm unsure of your position in this hand, but I'm going to assume you're in the BB.

You say that on the flop you simply call because you're not sure, but you don't think that you are ahead here. This is exactly why you SHOULD raise. If SB does have AK here, then he's obligated to bet out even though he didn't hit. If he checked, his hand is read. His bet doesn't mean that he's paired, but rather is just an obligatory motion so as not to give away his cards. Your raise on the flop gives you the ability to see his reaction and put him on a hand more accurately instead of going through later streets unsure of yourself as you did. This also puts you in control of the hand, aside from a reraise by EP or SB, but with the hands I put them on, both would call here.

Given your flop call, your raise and call on the turn is correct, as is your check-call on the river.

My guess is that SB either has AK or KK, and that EP either has 2 pair Aces up or flopped his set of sevens and is waiting till the turn to get some extra bets out of you. You don't say anything about EP's style of play, so I don't know what type of PF limping stardards he has, but being UTG+1 I'm expecting him to have a flopped set rather than limping in with A7 or A4.

My advice: Raise the flop and figure out where you stand early and when it only costs you one SB. This will allow you to play following streets better and will let you take control of the rest of this hand.

[AceHigh]

I like the 1BB/1SB. It makes it hard to steal blinds and it encourages others to limp, and that encourages loose play.

I don't understand the hand. I thought you were in the SB w/AQs. You can't fold top 2 pair on the river. Don't ya know us 2+2'ers are calling stations on the river? LOL [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Your Mom]

Ok, I am in the BB. My mistake. I'll post results in a few.

[Your Mom]

SB has pocket kings. UTG+1 has A7o for two pair. MY AQ takes it down.

[CrackerZack]

The position confusion in the post is clarified by the title of the post. So you're in the BB was AQs.

I'd raise the flop, get some of the long shot draws out esp things like KTs that could kill your hand with an overcard. Also it really helps you to define the SBs hand. While putting him on AA, KK, QQ or AK seems reasonable because of his raise from the SB don't hold fast to that. First off, you hold an A and Q so AA, QQ and even AK are substantially diminished possibilities. Plus raising out of the SB with JJ-99 is not unheard of and I would think it to be correct in many circumstances. Your raise should let you know better where you stand.

Turn I like the raise and the re-raise from UTG+1 is a bit scary since what would he call pre-flop and the flop with then raise the turn? For your sake I hope its something like A7s or A4s but sure does have the scent of 77 or 44. Against loose opponents that would continue on with any Ace after the flop I'd cap, against normal oppenents I'm calling this one down.

[CrackerZack]

A7o limp UTG+1, remember that, that's valuable information as that hand is easily DOMINATED. glad you held up, still think you would raised the flop though. if you hadn't turned the ace what would you have done when the SB bet the turn? Raised and re-raised to the SB when an Ace falls and he has KK. I guess you'd have to turn your cards over to show him he was no good.

[Your Mom]

Ok, I guess everyone agree I played the flop like a weak tight little girl. Even though I was right that SB had the overpair, I still need to find out where I stand.
The question I have is if SB is real passive, he won't reraise with the overpair. He'll just turn into a calling station like he did on the turn in this hand. So if he calls the flop raise and then checks after a rag on the turn, I have to keep betting it of course because it looks like I'm ahead even though I am behind. Should I just be happy that SB isn't extracting the maximum with his hand or is there anything else I can/should do?