A Hand From Last Night's Game

[TaoTe]

I'll try to remember all the details of the hand as best as I can remember.

Local card club/bar. Blinds 1/2 limit HE, seven handed. Most of the players I'm familar with, the others aren't involved in the hand.

I'm in the SB with: K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Three players fold. CO calls, Button Calls, I complete, BB checks. (four small bets)

We take a flop four way.
Flop: K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ,J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ,8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I check, BB checks, CO bets, Button calls.

I'm not going anywhere with TP and a flush draw. The CO is a LAG who will bluff at 85% of the pots when it's checked to him. He plays better at NL then LHE but there was no NL game going and he knew most of the players to be weak. He could be betting with a wide range of hands: the jack, the eight, the king, a flush, straight draw, or complete bluff.

The Button call worries me some as he is one of the strongest players at the table, but being that, he also knows CO would bet with many hands, and my feel is that he doesn't have the king or he would have raised to protect his hand against any draws.

I'm also 90% sure that if either player had ace suited they would have raised from CO or Button, so I know my king high flush will be good if I make it. Instead of raising I elect to call, in hopes that the BB will make an overcall.

I call. BB folds. 7 SBs in pot.

The turn: 2 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

I bet out. CO raises. Button folds. I'm thrilled to see the Button fold as I figured he would without anything but a strong king. What confuses me is the CO raise. If he has a King, I have no kicker. I can get rid of a few hands easily. No King broadway cards, as he would have raised PRF. While at the table I couldn't narrow his hand down anymore. There's 6.5 BBs in the pot (I think I counted it right) so I'm getting good odds on a call. I can easily raise but I see no +EV from it. If CO is on a bluff, he'll fold. He will probably fold a J and definately an 8 as I've never known the CO to make loose calls when he thinks he's beat and has a weak hand. He'll raise me if he has the king, two pair, or a set. I call.

The river: 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

I missed my flush. I have the king and my gut was telling me it was good, but I was sure CO wouldn't call a bet on the river unless he had me beat. I check.

CO goes into the think tank a moment and stares at the pot, obviously counting out how much is in it. Eventually, he bets and I insta-call, knowing raising would be the worst play, folding the second worst and calling probably my best option.

We both turn over our cards.

Any suggestions or comments on the way I played the hand. From what I believe the rest of the table saw I was just a calling station and the Button commented, "Are you just going to call all night?"

I'll post the results after a few replies.

[davelin]

Bet the flop or at least raise this when it get's back to you.

[shadow29]

Flop- bet or c/r. I like c/r because CO is a LAG and that way you're only mkaing one player face two cold.

Turn- bet and call any raises.

River- check/call.

Did CO really go into the tank in a 1/2 LHE game?

[hemstock]

[ QUOTE ]
Bet the flop or at least raise this when it get's back to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I think if you didn't check/call the flop you would have a good a really good idea where you are. Why did you lead the turn?

[TaoTe]

Yes, but only to count the pot.

[topspin]

[ QUOTE ]
Flop- bet or c/r. I like c/r because CO is a LAG and that way you're only mkaing one player face two cold.

[/ QUOTE ]

This was my initial thought too, but I wonder if I'm being results-oriented because I saw Button call the raise and get trapped for a check-raise. If Button folds then raising would face BB with two cold and give him a better chance to get away from his hand, plus you risk it getting checked through despite Hero's read.

Have BB and CO switch seats and it's a clear check-raise. Here after some thought I'm more inclined to lead.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Did CO really go into the tank in a 1/2 LHE game?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but only to count the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Personally I really miss having the mouseover to tell me the size of the pot when I play live [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Not to mention I keep wondering why I don't have funny colored numbers hovering over everyone's head ...

[TaoTe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bet the flop or at least raise this when it get's back to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I think if you didn't check/call the flop you would have a good a really good idea where you are. Why did you lead the turn?

[/ QUOTE ]

The two remaining players were awake enough to realize that a deuce probably didn't help my hand, so a bet from me looks like a complete steal/semi-bluff. After the hand, CO commented, "your bet on the turn confused me." I expected a call or a raise. I didn't like the raise but I was glad it came from the CO and not the button.

[Fantam]

I dont think you were a calling station, because you considered your options on each street. You also bet into CO on the turn. Anyway, I wouldnt take any notice of the other players comments.

I think that I might have led out on the flop with your strong draw. If CO was a lag, then he may have raised and helped to build a big pot for the times you made a strong hand.

I think your turn bet was good, because it improved your chances of winning when Button folded to the CO's raise. (Maybe being faced with calling a raise is what upset CO).

I agree with your check/calling the river, because CO might have had a better hand, such as a stronger K.

[TaoTe]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally I really miss having the mouseover to tell me the size of the pot when I play live Not to mention I keep wondering why I don't have funny colored numbers hovering over everyone's head ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes I'll try to imagine the numbers as they would appear on a computer screen and it seems to help. Occasionaly, some of the newer players who have no clue what's going on will ask why a player "takes so long," or ,"wants to how many chips are in the pot." Once, a new player asked what that white disc we kept passing around was for. Oh, The wonderful growth of poker.

[VoraciousReader]

I do these blind, so I apologize if I repeat (or if I'm just way off base!)

I don't get the check/call on the flop. You have top pair and a draw to the 2nd nut flush. I would bet out this flop since there was no preflop raise. Having checked, I would definitely raise the bet. Especially against a known bluffer. (Notice that going for 1 overcall, even if you had been successful, would have netted you less than if CO and Button both called your raise.)

I suspect if you had taken more initiative on the flop, CO may not have raised the turn. Since he did, I think you can call down from there, given your kicker. I'm certainly not folding top pair HU against a bluffer.