Andy Bloch on Calling Down With Bottom Pair

[Shandrax]

I don't see the problem with this hand. It is a hand with 2 players, so 1 on 1 heads-up play is required.

Heads-up you usually bet an ace pre-flop and call down with bottom pair. When the flop came K-rags, Andy simply didn't put the other guy on a king. When the turn and the river came even more rags he knew that his hand was good and he always had the pot odds to go along with it.

It is the most natural hand in the world. No idea why the other guy couldn't get over it.

[MarkD]

So andy opens from the button and one of the blinds 3 bets. Andy hits a pair on the flop and calls down. There is nothing amazing about this hand, it is not that far away from being a standard hand.

This obviously happened at low limits and this is why the opponent in this hand was amazed - he lacks any understanding of blind steal/defense situations.

[sammy_g]

Andy's play looks normal. What I don't understand is his explaination.

He says he only needs to be right 12% of the time. Does he mean on the flop? He is only getting about 2:1 if he plans to call bets on every street. Of course, I think he is good often enough here.

I don't understand when he says Dimo's play was strange. Dimo's play looks pretty normal to me, although maybe the bet on the end is a little dubious.

I also don't understand why he thinks betting AQ is bad there unless he is talking about the river bet. Then I agree.

[FlyWf]

Board pairing on the turn makes bottom pair a lot stronger? Do you mean that it's now less likely that Dimo has a 6 and thus Andy can feel more confident that his 2 is good? It turns an Ace from a very good card for Andy into a very bad card.

[sammy_g]

[ QUOTE ]
Andy's advocating a HPFAP style check the best 20% and worst 20% approach? hmm...

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but I don't think AQ falls into either group on this board.

[sammy_g]

[ QUOTE ]
Board pairing on the turn makes bottom pair a lot stronger?

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, it does mean that if he was ahead on the flop, he is still ahead on the turn. It's also less likely that villain has a pair.

But you're right that it gives villain more outs.

[SCfuji]

ive played andy heads up a couple times in those HU sit&gos. the man calls down everything if you just make him believe a couple times that you will be those missed overcard hands, then you can value bet the bejesus out of him.

[Shandrax]

I saw him calling down Gus Hansen on the WPT all the time. Basically if he thinks there is a good chance his opponent is bluffing he will call him down with a pair. At least that is the impression I got from watching him. Maybe it is inaccurate because lots of hands are missing in the coverage.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
andy had a good idea of the sb's 3betting range in this situation as well as which hands he will bet on this board. if you think this hand is interesting you probably don't have a good grasp on shorthanded play

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed. But then they way he talks about it afterwords it makes me think he doesnt have a good grasp on it either. That or he was just spewing garbage because hes smart and wouldnt bother explaining to someone why he really played the way he did.

[Equal]

It's tough to quickly and accurately get across your thoughts in a small chat box on limited time while playing poker as well.