three $2-$4 hands that need help..

[kem]

Here are 3 hands which I don't feel that I played well. I tried to outline my thought process (in the few places I was thinking). Any comments are much appreciated, thanks! (Results to follow)

<font color="CC3333">Hand ONE</font>

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: kem is MP2 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
<font color="666666">4 folds</font>, <font color="CC3333">kem raises</font>, MP3 calls, CO calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>,

Flop: (9 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, kem checks, <font color="CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, CO calls, SB calls $2 (All-In), <font color="CC3333">kem raises</font>, <font color="CC3333">MP3 3-bets</font>, CO calls, kem calls.

Decent board for QQ. I doubt anyone is holding 75, but a flush draw might be out there. I check-raised because I thought it would be bet behind me, and figured I was ahead and wanted money in the pot. When MP3 3-bets behind me, I'm not sure I'm ahead and just call him.

Turn: (9.50 BB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players, 1 all-in)</font>
kem checks, MP3 checks, <font color="CC3333">CO bets</font>, kem calls, MP3 calls.

Now a 7 has a straight. Perhaps this is a mistake, but I check, thinking MP3 will bet. He checks through though, and the CO bets. I'm getting 10.5:1 on calling, and I don't think I'm up against a straight, so I call.

River: (12.50 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players, 1 all-in)</font>
kem checks, <font color="CC3333">MP3 bets</font>, CO folds, kem calls.

Bad river card for me. Not likely that a 7 or 2 is in the hand, but anyone holding either has a straight. I could be facing the flush though. The pot is up to 12.5BB though, so I decide that I'll call a single bet here. Mistake? In the main pot, I'm only up against MP3 at this point, and I'm getting 13.5:1 here. Do I win this more than 7% of the time?

Final Pot: 14.50 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 6.50 BB, between kem, MP3 and SB.</font>


<font color="CC3333">Hand TWO</font>

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (9 handed)

Preflop: kem is MP1 with T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
<font color="666666">1 fold</font>, UTG+1 calls, kem calls, MP2 calls, <font color="666666">2 folds</font>, <font color="CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+1 calls, kem calls, MP2 calls.

This is a borderline call for me pre-flop. AJo I'd probably raise, A9o I'd fold.. I debated it, and just called with ATo. Bad move? I wasn't thrilled when it was raised behind me. Table had been pretty passive, so I called thinking odds were good that it would not be raised pre-flop.

Flop: (9.50 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, kem checks, MP2 checks, <font color="CC3333">Button bets</font>, UTG+1 calls, kem calls, MP2 folds.

Not a terrible flop. I have 4 outs to the 5-high straight, and two overcards. I'm getting 11.5:1 to call a single bet here and see the turn. Is this a standard call? With the button raising pre-flop, he could have a PP higher than T's (or maybe have aces), so I'm not sure my overcard outs are all clean. Borderline call for me, but I call.

Turn: (6.25 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="CC3333">kem bets</font>, Button calls, UTG+1 calls.

Great card for me. I would have raised a UTG+1 bet, but since he checks, I bet. Button just calls, making me think I'm ahead.

River: (9.25 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG+1 checks, <font color="CC3333">kem bets</font>, Button folds, UTG+1 calls.

I'm not too scared of the runner-runner flush, and I bet here thinking I'm ahead and lesser hands will call.

Final Pot: 11.25 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 11.25 BB, between UTG+1 and kem.</font>


<font color="CC3333">Hand THREE</font>

Party Poker 2/4 Hold'em (10 handed)

Preflop: kem is MP1 with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. CO posts a blind of $2.
<font color="666666">2 folds</font>, UTG+2 calls, <font color="CC3333">kem raises</font>, <font color="666666">3 folds</font>, Button calls, <font color="666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls, UTG+2 calls.

Flop: (9.50 SB) T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, UTG+2 checks, <font color="CC3333">kem bets</font>, Button calls, BB folds, UTG+2 calls.

TPTK, somewhat coordinated board. Could be facing a flush draw or straight draw. I would have raised a bet, but checked to me and I bet. Pretty standard I think.

Turn: (6.25 BB) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG+2 checks, <font color="CC3333">kem bets</font>, Button calls, UTG+2 calls.

Bad card -- straight possibility on the board, but I still play like I'm ahead (no reason to think differently).

River: (9.25 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>
UTG+2 checks, <font color="CC3333">kem bets</font>, Button calls $3 (All-In), UTG+2 calls.

Now I have top two pair, but a lone Q beats me. I bet, planning to call a single raise, but fold if it's raised and re-raised behind me. Bad plan?

Final Pot: 12 BB
<font color="green">Main Pot: 11.50 BB, between UTG+2, kem and Button.</font>

[daveymck]

Hand 1

I dont know why you didnt raise the turn, if you are convinced someone has made the straight then you have no outs and have to fold, if you think they are drawing still then raise make them pay. I would have probably capped the flop and led out on the turn and worried about a raise there, trips are more likely than a made straight ie 8's and 6's are not reraising you pre flop.

Looks like MP3 made his flush at the river.

Hand 2

I probably fold pre flop, but as you didnt I think how you played looked standard.

Hand 3 looks standard to me. As the button has no cash it cant be raised and reraised back to you.

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont know why you didnt raise the turn, if you are convinced someone has made the straight then you have no outs and have to fold, if you think they are drawing still then raise make them pay. I would have probably capped the flop and led out on the turn and worried about a raise there, trips are more likely than a made straight ie 8's and 6's are not reraising you pre flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't raise the turn because I wasn't sure if I was ahead or behind [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] If I knew, I would have folded or raised accordingly. So you think I'm ahead here and should have capped the flop and led out on the turn? Would you fold to a turn raise? Barring a raise, you lead out on the river as well?

[ QUOTE ]
Hand 3 looks standard to me. As the button has no cash it cant be raised and reraised back to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right, I was just pointing out that if they were able, and the pot had been raised and re-raised, I would have probably folded (and Ed Miller would have killed me).

[NUReedy]

From hand 2:

"Turn: (6.25 BB) A (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, kem bets, Button calls, UTG+1 calls.

Great card for me. I would have raised a UTG+1 bet, but since he checks, I bet. Button just calls, making me think I'm ahead"

I disagree with this assessment here. It is not unlikely the button has you outkicked. A T would be a better card, as people on party could easily have KT-JT here. Betting, however, is the best play, as it allows to ascertain the strength of the buttons hand. His call prolly means you got him beat now.

[kem]

[ QUOTE ]
From hand 2:

"Turn: (6.25 BB) A (3 players)
UTG+1 checks, kem bets, Button calls, UTG+1 calls.

Great card for me. I would have raised a UTG+1 bet, but since he checks, I bet. Button just calls, making me think I'm ahead"

I disagree with this assessment here. It is not unlikely the button has you outkicked. A T would be a better card, as people on party could easily have KT-JT here. Betting, however, is the best play, as it allows to ascertain the strength of the buttons hand. His call prolly means you got him beat now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, you're right.. maybe I was too optimistic when I said it was a great card, but it beats a blank [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Plus, like you said, if I'm called then I'm probably good to go, whereas if I'm raised I probably know that I'm beat. FWIW, after the hand, the Button told me that he had folded KK, and told me that it was a "nice suck out." That's why I posted it on here -- wasn't sure whether I should have folded this pre-flop to the raise, or not called the flop bet, or whether I really did have the odds and it was a fine play. Here are the full results:

Hand ONE -- Pot won by MP3 (6.50 BB).

SB shows 6h 5d (two pair, sixes and fives).
kem shows Qc Qh (one pair, queens).
MP3 shows Ts 4s (flush, ten high).
Outcome: MP3 wins 14.50 BB.


Hand TWO -- Pot won by kem (11.25 BB).

UTG+1 shows As 6d (one pair, aces).
kem shows Td Ac (one pair, aces).
Outcome: kem wins 11.25 BB.


Hand THREE -- Pot won by UTG+2 (11.50 BB).

UTG+2 shows 3s Qs (straight, ace high).
kem shows Kc Ad (two pair, aces and kings).
Button shows Ac Js (two pair, aces and jacks).
Outcome: UTG+2 wins 12 BB.