A Couple of Small-Pot Hands From My Session Last Night

[coltrane]

I've decided to try to make an effort to post some more small-pot hands....I'm starting to realize that it's not really always the no-brainer all-in hands that make a winning session.....a lot of the small pot hands not only a lot of times involve more decision-making and skill, but also add up significantly at the end of the night's profit depending on how well I played them......

table is live 1/2 NL but VERY deep - I have ~$1100 and cover the table.....


hand one:

UTG (~$500) opens for $9.....this is much more of a pot-builder-type bump as opposed to a true preflop "raise" for this table.....one caller in MP and I call in SB with 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].....

flop ($29) comes A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I lead out for $25, villain min-raises to $50, MP folds, action is on me....I raise $75 more (total of $125) and he folds A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] face-up.....

comments:
I don't know what to say, because these types of hands happen often when stacks are deep against somewhat decent players (which villain was).....by leading into the raiser I made more than if I would've checkraised, but once I 3-bet it he's not gonna play for his stack with one pair....I thought about flat-calling his raise because I was 90% positive that he had a big ace and would bet the turn....but then he still would've folded the turn to a big checkraise....and also the problem with that is that in the 10% chance he has something like K [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I let him off too easily, and if he has something like A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] I waste a great opportunity.....am I always trying to aim for a big pot with a set, period?......out of position, is that third flop bet a no-brainer?......


hand two:

UTG straddles for $6, one limper in MP, I limp in the CO with K [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]....button and SB fold, BB completes, straddler checks....

flop ($25) comes K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

checked to me and I bet $25....folded to MP (~$400) who calls.....villain is a loose gambling-type who often calls too much but is NOT an idiot....I put him almost 100% on a flush draw......

turn ($75) comes K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

MP checks, I bet $25 again, he insta-calls....

river ($125) comes 5 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

MP checks, I think for a second and bet $75....he thinks for half a second and calls....I show my boat and he frustratedly mucks.....

comments:
I think I should've bet slightly more on the turn.....I was afraid of losing him so I didn't want to blow him out, but he would've definitely called $40 or $45.....on the river, he was smart to check/call, but I think my bet was too in-between.....I should've either underbet again - thereby showing weakness and having him come over the top (allowing me to re-pop it) OR I should've bet more - something like $125.......

comments on any of this?.....

[lapoker17]

Your line in the first hand looks good to me - With bottom set, I think it's important to get in that second raise on the flop - I guess his pot building bet could have been 88 and finding out sooner rather than later is good - also making hearts or top 2 pay is right on as well.

In the second hand, you said it, your turn bet was weird. Now that you're full, did you consider checking behind to let him catch his flush? If your read was that he would've called more, then I guess you should've bet more.

Anyway, I think both look pretty good...

[Falker11]

With regards to the second hand. You said this player was a gambler, because of this do you think he may have called a pot saized bet on the turn with his flush draw? I tend to think this type of player would. So I say on the turn either bet around pot, or check behind to add deception to your hand and allow him to catch his flush. If you check behind you might induce a bluff if his club doesnt slide off on the end.
On the river I think again you could have bet more. Assuming he hit his flush I dont see him laying it down for only a pot sized bet. I say make a bet somewhere in between pot and 1.5x pot.
Falker

[ClimbRock512]

I agree with you saying to bet at least the pot on the river. If he chased it that far, hes going all the way down.

I like the $45 bet on the turn. It doesn't give him as bad of odds as a pot sized bet, and you said the guy wasn't a total idiot. You bet small enough to make it look sketchy. If you want to slow down, then you can check it, but I think you should just lead out for $45 or so. This charges him for a draw, and builds the pot for the river, should he hit.

When you do get to the river, throw out a big bet. If he has the flush, then hes gonna call almost anything, and if he doesn't, he may think you are bluffing the flush and he will call down with a less than premium hands.

First hand looks good. Stacks too deep to screw around, and hes not gonna pay you off with his AQ anyway; charge those draws and two pairs.

[togilvie]

I play the first hand exactly the same way.

On the second hand, I would think about checking through the turn. I'd like a flush to catch up, while also giving him the impression that I'm on a draw. If he's got the nut flush, you might get him to give you more action on the river.

[ClimbRock512]

The problem with checking the turn is that the flush is only going to hit 1 in 5 times. So why not throw a bet out there that he can call, even if it gives him close to correct odds to call. You are going to be picking up those bets every time, regardless of whether or not he hits.

By checking, you give him the option of escaping the river for free, and you making nothing. If he hits, hes going to pay you off regardless of whether or not you bet the turn.

The risk with betting the turn lies in the fact that he might fold, something you don't want. I don't see him folding to $45, especially if hes the gambler described. If you are that nervous, make it $35. Surely he will call that with a flush draw. If you make it $40, round number in between, then you will pick up $160 when he doesn't hit. Do you think you are really going to squeeze $160 more out of him by checking?

[dtbog]

[ QUOTE ]
Now that you're full, did you consider checking behind to let him catch his flush?

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't this a tip-off, though?

I've gone both ways on this, but in this specific situation -- board pairs on the turn, bettor checks behind -- I am very wary when I catch my flush. I think most players are thinking at this level, but I could be wrong?

-DB

[togilvie]

Checking the turn works even better when the flush doesn't hit, because it induces a bluff from busted flush draws and other sub-par hands.

If I'm the opponent, and there's a pair on board with an opponent laying me the right odds to draw to my flush, I'll often fold. The players I play against rarely give me the right odds to draw unless they have me drawing dead. Not many reasonable players miss the flush draw on board, and don't price a reasonable bet accordingly, unless they're desperate for me to hit that draw.

[ClimbRock512]

I agree with what you are saying about being sketched out when someone gives you odds to draw on a paired board, but remember that the guy is described as a gambler, so you can probably give the guy insufficient odds and he'll still call, while at the same time making it look like you don't want him to call. Also, the fact is that Hero did bet, and gave him odds to call, and the guy did call. That is somewhat results oriented thinking, but this is what I would expect given the description of the caller.

It is possible that the guy will fire out a bluff, but I like the safer route of getting the money in earlier. I also think this is more profitable because he will check through often, and he may still bluff if you do bet.