Please comment on this hand

Jonathan · #1 08-19-2004, 09:35 AM

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) converter

saw flop|saw showdown

MP2 ($38.85)
CO ($16.45)
Button ($98)
SB ($101.50)
BB ($96)
Hero ($137.20)
UTG+1 ($25.60)
MP1 ($93.30)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
Hero calls $1, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, (CO) folds, Button folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($3.50) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $3, SB folds, BB calls $3.

Turn: ($9.50) J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $8, BB raises to $16, Hero raises to $133.2, BB calls $76 (All-In).

River: ($234.70) 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $234.70
Main Pot: $193.50, between BB and Hero.
Pot 2: $41.20, between CO and Hero.

Wayfare · #2 08-19-2004, 09:46 AM

What if he has 9K? 9sXs? Why get the majority of your stack tangled up with another large stack with a hand that very well may be beat? I seriously don't understand the logic here -- unless you have reason to believe otherwise, he probably isn't calling a gigantic reraise with a hand that you can beat (unless it may be a set), but will have you beat often enough that you will lose huge when you are not ahead.

Why not figure out where he really is instead of just pushing and praying?

DemonDeac Holding Rockets · #3 08-19-2004, 10:13 AM

Why are you playing A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] to begin with. Especially out of early position and eight-handed. You're pretty much hoping for the flush, which will be the nuts. But you have a 2% chance of flopping that flush and a little bigger percentage for flopping the draw. Hands like these can only get you in trouble.

Utah · #4 08-19-2004, 10:22 AM

preflop call is poor poker.

You should not have reraised allin. If he has a 9 you get zero additional equity. If he has a bigger straight, you get smoked. He could also be free rolling on you with a flush draw or a larger straight.

The only time this would be wise is if you knew for sure he was on a flush draw, but that is extremely unlikely here.

Jonathan · #5 08-19-2004, 12:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Why not figure out where he really is instead of just pushing and praying?

[/ QUOTE ]

And how should I go sbout that?
When he raises, what is my play?

Jonathan

Wayfare · #6 08-19-2004, 12:14 PM

I would call the raise and then vary my play on the river. If it's a blank, I would check/call up to the pot but really have to think about a huge overbet. By playing this way you can guarantee yourself a nice win against a bluff (check induces it), but preserve your stack against the made nuts. This is a tough spot out of position -- he may be raising a high flush draw, have the nuts, or be overplaying a set or something.

I think your hand has significant showdown value but I wouldn't want to put my entire stack behind it.

Since the flush card came, I'll talk about what I would do in the pot that I would have created ($40 pot). The flush card should scare him as much as it scares you unless he has it made...I would probably 1/2 pot it ($20) on the end and see what he does.

schwza · #7 08-19-2004, 12:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What if he has 9K? 9sXs? Why get the majority of your stack tangled up with another large stack with a hand that very well may be beat? I seriously don't understand the logic here -- unless you have reason to believe otherwise, he probably isn't calling a gigantic reraise with a hand that you can beat (unless it may be a set), but will have you beat often enough that you will lose huge when you are not ahead.

Why not figure out where he really is instead of just pushing and praying?

[/ QUOTE ]

this reraise is not actually gigantic - it's a shade over a pot-sized reraise. i think this is a great play if the opponent is loose and will call with 2 pair. i think it's also a good play if the opponent is quite tight and will fold 9x (there's less reason for him to fold it than for you b/c K9 and AK are not really limping hands from UTG, while K9 is certainly a checking hand from the BB).

i would reraise about 1/2 my remaining stack to charge a flush draw or two pair/set, planning on calling a push. on the river, i'd plan to check behind on a scare card (pairs the board or a spade or an A) but call a push, and i'd push or call a push from any non-scare card.

Jonathan · #8 08-20-2004, 08:53 AM

It turned out that the opponent had the 9 of spades so got a freeroll on the river.

My main concern was that I did not want to give him a free card on the river. So perhaps I should have just made a pot sized reraise on the turn instead of all-in.

Thanks for all your responses.

Jonathan

TerraUbrett · #9 08-20-2004, 11:38 AM

I agree with the previous 2 posts. A9s UTG? A9s is the kind of hand you want to play late position with a lot of callers, with the hopes of hitting your flush. Pushing all in on the turn with the possibility of the higher straight being out there and flush on the river will only get you in trouble. Even though you wanted to make sure he "didn't get his flush for free", remember, in the $50nl rooms on just about any site, people will call huge raises with marginal hands, or draws. That strategy typically doesn't work in those games.

Kirkrrr · #10 08-20-2004, 03:22 PM

Hands like that get you in trouble if you let them get you in trouble, i.e. you get your Ace and can't fold it even when there's a lot of action indicating you're beat.

A9s is definitely a playable hand, from any position, if the pot hasn't been raised and called already, or raised and called behind you when it comes back around.

Kirk R.