Hand to Talk About

[James282]

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Hi Everyone:

Here's a hand that I played a few nights ago in the $80-$160 game at The Bellagio.

First some background. I had been losing in the game but had just won a big pot from a very loose aggressive player who normally plays in the bigger mixed games. This hand features him again.

The game was six handed. The UTG player folded. I raised with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. The player on my left folded, and the loose aggressive player who was on the button makes it three bets. The blinds fold and I call.

The flop is K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I check. My opponent bets. I check raise. And my opponent makes it three bets. I call.

The turn is the 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. I bet and my opponent calls.

The river is the 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I check. My opponent bets. And I call.

All comments are welcome.

Best wishes,
Mason

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Hey Mason - this hand was on an entirely different level from most of the hands you've posted in the last year or so. I love the call the flop three-bet and bet the turn(because most flush draws are going to give up the raising routine and you can sometimes fold given your read - and you don't risk a free card). I love the turn bet because it will freeze him up even when you are behind, and I love the river check-call because you win the max vs. his missed draw or lose the least vs. his better king, especially when he confusedly checks it behind. Great hand.
-James

[NLSoldier]

Hey Mason,

I don't get the river check at all. It seems to go totally against the part in hpfap (or at least I think it was hpfap) where you guys say that if you are going to call a bet on the river in a spot like this, you are better off betting yourself, becuase he will only bet his good hands and bad hands and check through with his marginal ones that he would have called with. (I hope I'm not misquoting or misapplying this concept [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img])

So it seems like either:

A. you had him squarely on hearts and think the only way to get a bet out of him is the induce a bluff.

or

B. You think he is capable of calling the turn and raising the river with hands that were ahead the whole way as well as with bluffs (specifically missed hearts).

Im guessing scenario B is what you were thinking but, I still like a river bet.

[ggbman]

So James,

You think KJ, KQ, and AK check behind the river here?

[NLSoldier]

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So James,

You think KJ, KQ, and AK check behind the river here?

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I know you are asking james...but I dont buy it for a second. Unless you have recently sexied him!

[ggbman]

Thats what i am saying, i like a bet.

[James282]

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So James,

You think KJ, KQ, and AK check behind the river here?

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Probably not, no. Does a missed flush draw call here? If you were the button and you had KJ and you were playing against Tommy, would you value bet? I'd venture that he and Mason have similar images.
-James

[mike l.]

wow you posted a hand you played very well. good hand.

i think it's funny that people are confused by the river check-call. it makes the most money in this situation given your image and the lagginess of your opponent. that's all i will say, im sure youll go into detail.

[Jeffage]

Interesting hand. I like your flop and turn play. The river comes down to knowing your opponent. Is he the type that will always bet when you check here no matter what (ace hi, bluff, lower pair)? Or will he check those and bet only hands you can't beat? Would he bet, say, 10's on the end if you check? Would he do that against you?

The thing is, if he would check behind ace hi but call if you bet, then you're missing out by checking (same goes for lower pairs). When you check, you clearly have a calling hand and your opponent probably (maybe?) knows this. So he may be unlikely to bluff...I would say he probably at least puts you on some kinda pocket pair at minimum (say 9's) but more likely a king. So he may bet 10's or jacks here or he may not, but he certainly calls if you bet and he got to this point. All signs lead to betting to me...but if you get raised it may be a tough spot b/c even he might not raise you with a hand you can beat.

Jeff

[ggbman]

James,

I have never played against Tommy, but from what i read, i would be VERY surprised if he 3 bet this flop. I assume you were asking if i would value bet KJ rhetorically, as in i shouldnt. From my experience, high limit players are very unlikely to check behind top pair/decent kicker after it goes one bet on the turn, especially loose aggressive ones.

Obviously you get more value out of a busted flush draw this way, but since he 3 bet preflop we are talking about QJh or some Axh combo, both of which arent neccesarily bluffing the river anyway. Additionally, given that the flush did not get there, i would think his opponent is obligated to call a bet with any pair since Mason "could have missed his flush", and i especially dont see him folding any pairs worth 3 betting in that situation.

[Ulysses]

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You think KJ, KQ, and AK check behind the river here?

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No way. But they are never folding to a bet. And some percentage (perhaps small, sure) of the time they will even raise the river.

I also believe that the worse hands that call Mason here but check behind are a very small range. Small enough that more hands desparation bet. So I like the river check.

Basically, I like this hand start to finish.