Hand to Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

Since we're now releasing some no limit books, and this includes the two Harrgington books already out, the Sklansky/Miller book that's being written, and the next two Harrington books that are due out next year, I've started to play some no limit hold 'em to get a better feel for the game. Now while I'm obviously not a live one, I'm not an expert either, so as (and if) I continue to play, I'll try to post some hands that I think are interesting and instructive to me. Here's the first one.

I was playing in a $5-$10 blind game, had approximately $2,000, and was dealt the T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in a late position. It was passed to me and I made it $30 to go. The Player on my left called and the big blind called.

The flop came T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] giving me top set. It was checked to me and I bet $100. The player on my left folded, but the big blind called my bet and then raised an additional $600.

I felt that he was raising enough hoping to get me to fold. So I put him on either a small flush or an overpair with a diamond. I decided to just call and see what the turn would bring. The pot is now approximately $1,500 and I have about $1,300 left.

Fourth street was the 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. My opponent bet another $600 and I then moved in. The pot is now $3,400 and he only has to call for $700.

The river was a J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] which gave my opponent higher trips. (As suspected he did hold the J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].)

So even though I lost a pretty big pot, I did get my opponent to put all his money in with the worse hand. But what I'm wondering is would I have been better off to move all-in on the flop and try to get him to fold there. Notice that on the flop, based on a simulation I just ran, my opponent only has a 34 percent chance to win.

Best wishes,
mason