2/5 Live NL I love playing big pots with 1 pair

[JustPlayingSmart]

Obviously, a lot depends on my read. I didn't really have much of one other than that I have played against this kind of guy before, and they love to call raises against the weak-tight players and blow them off of their hands later.

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From his perspective...it doesn't look like you have much. He made a probe type bet, and then you raised...followed by a check behind on the turn. After the check behind, he probably doesn't put you on an overpair anymore.

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I'm checking behind with an overpair on a T976 board most of the time I think. I don't really think I have a lot of options left with 350 in my stack and 260 in the pot. Are you betting an overpair on the turn here? I don't see a lot of value there, because I think he made 2 pair or a straight a lot of times with this turn card, and there's not much chance I have more than 1 pair.

I thought about betting the turn, but since I think most weak-tight guys would check behind with an overpair in this spot, any bet would look like a bluff, and he may make a call with 1 pair if that's what he had.

His bet was pretty much immediate when the river card came. I thought so long because I was worried about 2 pair. If he had a pair + gutshot on the flop, then that turn card beats me. But I finally decided that he would try to play 2 pair like a straight, since my hand is so "defined" in his eyes.

I knew if I made this call, I couldn't do it again, but at that table, he was the only player who would even make such a bet. The other players were betting 1/4 to 1/3 of the pot most of the time.

He ended up showing K9o and I won the pot. In the end, I decided this guy wasn't pulling some Mahatma overbet with a very good but non-nut hand (in this case, 2 pair), but it was either the nuts or a bluff. I guess the good thing was that no one made any moves against me after that.

[rwanger]

What do we ultimately think of the villian's push here?

I'm not saying it was a bad play on his part, albeit certainly suspicious, but is there a difference in him betting $350 vs. betting say, $200?

It seems that since it's a bluff, would it have been better to bet ~$200-250? If the Hero is calling $250, he's calling $350...so you'd save $100 if he calls.

Plus, it might make it look more like he "wants a call" rather than a desperation "wants a fold" bet.

Thoughts?

[JustPlayingSmart]

I pretty much completely agree.

There is another dimension to add to this though. I was the only person making pot-sized bets at the table. This guy wouldn't completely underbet the pot like most guys, but he still made bets that were too small. Because of this, his bet went against the flow of not only the game, but his standard betting patterns.

Against a thinking player, I probably would be the only one who could get away with even a small overbet like this since I was the only one betting my hands strongly.

I think that villain should have let go of a bluff altogether on the grounds that hero is new to the table and, from villain's perspective, hero has played this hand kinduv goofy. So, The possibility of Qx isn't too out of line and, without knowing more about villain, the possibility of him calling your bluff isn't too out of line either.

Now, having said that, if you are going to bluff, 200 is just so much better. A push should be saved for later in the game, when you know your opponent's tendencies and have a betting history to work with.

Argun

[iceman5]

Ive played that game a few times. Im going tomorrow as a matter of fact. The players are bad and they almost all make those ridiculous 1/4 pot bets after raising preflop. Then they bet the same amount again on the turn which is now 1/8 pot or something like that.

The 1st time I played there, I raise 2 limpers to $25 with KQ. They both called. The flop was all rags and I bet $70 when they checked to me. They both folded and said "show us your aces". LOL