TT - My first 5/10 hand

[Cumulonimbus]

I think the excitement of the moment got to me in this hand. Villian is unknown.


I am BB with TT. Villian raises from MP+2. I 3-bet. Villian calls.

Flop is A2Qo. I bet, villian calls.

Turn 2. I bets, villian calls.

River Q. I get nervous and check?! Villian bets. I weakly fold a pair of tens with my tail between my legs.


At 2/4 and 3/6 I think I would have easily handled this river. But again, I gotta get used to this higher stakes crap. I don't yet feel comfortable lagging it up like I can at the lower stakes. Anyways, what was my river plan? It seems check-call would be appropriate now that I think about it.

[Nick C]

I think your river check-fold is okay.

Based on my (still somewhat limited) 5/10 experience, Villain is not going to have a hand like KJ/JT very often and bet with it. He also won't be hanging around with 88 as much as you may be used to from 2/4. (And again, if he is, he may just take the free showdown.)

When you get called on the turn, I think it's looking bad for you.

Huge problem with this hand.

If you were ahead on the turn? You were surely ahead on the river.

You have to make a choice... either he has you beat (check fold turn)....

He might have you beat... check call turn and river

He doesn't have you beat... bet turn... check call the river (hopefully if you have him beat he will take a stab at it with KJ or 88 on the river when you check to him).

Bad play... sorry.

[brettbrettr]

I'm not even sure you should bet the turn in the first place.

My rule of thumb with pairs 99 - QQ is that I can either take heat from 2 over-cards from one player or one overcard from 2 players ... again... you always have to proceed with caution.

I don't know the exact math... but this has worked for me.

[Cumulonimbus]

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I'm not even sure you should bet the turn in the first place.

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So what then, check/call? Check/fold? In 2/4 this is an easy value bet.

[ QUOTE ]
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I'm not even sure you should bet the turn in the first place.

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So what then, check/call? Check/fold? In 2/4 this is an easy value bet.

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I think you are asking the right questions but I feel like your heads in the wrong place. You need to look at all games the same no matter waht limit your playing.

[toss]

If I'm checking the turn I'm folding. And like the other says once villain calls the turn you're usually behind.

[sweetjazz]

I think this is a hard hand. I think you can learn a few things from it. First, it's so important to have reads. (I am not criticizing you for not having one here, but rather just pointing how profitable they are.) As you move up in limits, players are less likely to play erratically. If you had played several hands with this opponent, you could have a better sense of how loose/tight he is and how aggressive/passive he is. Would he always raise the flop with an A? Would he call the flop with 99? Will he check behind on the river without a strong hand? The more information you have, the easier your decision would have been (though it could still have been tough).

Also, while 3-betting this hand from the blinds is certainly an option, so is just calling. To be honest, I typically prefer to 3-bet and take the lead, but calling and seeing the flop has its merits. I would be more likely to call had the raise come from an earlier position.

The river card of a Q is pretty good for you, though that doesn't mean you should check/call the river. But consider that the likely hands he could have that beat you are (1) KK or JJ (many players are showdown bound with these hands no matter what), (2) a weak ace, or (3) a queen. The river queen makes (3) less likely. OTOH, what hands could he have that will call the turn with and bet the river? Would he play 99 this way? 33? KJ? JT? I doubt it, and most players are usually scared by an ace.

I think all of the possible lines are pretty close. Your line is not that bad, given that you have no reads. Betting the turn is close, but a lot of players would peel with a gutshot and then fold the turn unimproved. (If you had 99 instead of TT, it would be more likely that your opponent could have a gutshot and so it might be more profitable to bet the turn with 99 than TT.)

Good luck with 5/10 and make sure you focus on getting reads.

[Borodog]

sweetjazz,

I hope you start posting more.