New user and hand for help

Mons · #1 08-06-2004, 02:17 PM

Hey guys I've been lurking on here for awhile and finally decided to post.

I'm an ABC .5/1 Limit player on Party and I've been doing fairly well by not going on alot of draws and just playing hands that I'm 90% sure I've won on the flop.

Anyway I decided that I'd like to get a little more serious about poker and start utilizing pot odds and just play a more solid, profitable game. So I grabbed PokerTracker, ordered Lee Jones' book and am about to order Millers too. So I'm slowly learning.

I have to start somewhere so here is a hand that I'd appreciate some comments on. I have many leaks that need to be identified so please, rip me apart! Note: I haven't been at the table for very long so information on the players is lacking.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, Hero calls, MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO raises, Button calls, SB calls, BB folds, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

Flop: (11 SB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, MP3 checks, CO bets, Button calls, SB folds, Hero calls, MP3 calls.

I checked only to see what the preflop raiser would do. I was wary of perhaps AK. Yet I still called.

Turn: (7.50 BB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (4 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets, CO calls, Button folds, Hero calls.

So here I was worried about the flush, but I figured he would have made a stronger move on the flop. Plus I had a shot at getting a backdoor flush and I was willingly to go in knowing that only a Qh or Ah could beat me(pretty sure he didnt have Kh based on flop).

River: (10.50 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 checks, CO checks.

After they all check I kick myself for not being more aggressive.

Final Pot: 10.50 BB

Results in white below: 
Hero shows Kd Jh (one pair, kings).
MP3 shows 9c 6s (high card, king).
CO shows Qh Qd (one pair, queens).

Hrm just spending this much time analyzing the hand I think I've learned some things. I probably should have been more aggressive just because the chances of him having one of the other 2 kings and a higher kicker than me were too slim. Also after the turn I knew he didn't have AA so on the river I should have definitely bet.

Any comments and leak fixes appreciated! Thanks! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

kgrad5 · #2 08-06-2004, 02:22 PM

welcome to the forum, in the future fold this hand preflop, kj is one of the more enticeing hands to play and it took me a while to start folding it, but trust me, it will lose you lots and lots of money. on the flop you must raise here, and you must lead the turn as well, you have a strong draw with your J of hearts and top pair, Co doesnt seem very happy with his hand anymore, this screams underpair afraid of the king. Finally, bet the river, you likely have the best hand.

Capn486 · #3 08-06-2004, 02:23 PM

I'd probably muck this pf. I hate KJo. But given I'm in the hand with that flop, I think I'd bet it and see what CO does.

josh1122 · #4 08-06-2004, 02:34 PM

I am fairly new to the critique thing, but I think I can get in a good word or two on this hand. Oh, and welcome to the forums.

First of all, KJ can get you in more trouble than its worth in such an early position, so I'd fold preflop. At the .5/1 tables though, you may well be alright playing it in a later position since many players play Kx frequently.

I would have either bet out on the flop or check raised. Calling is the worst thing you can do. If faced with a raise or 3bet by the villian, it almost comes down to if you think he is the type of player that has a real hand, or if he is a maniac just throwing in raises. Still, one either occasion I would reraise him and if shown anymore aggresion by him then slow down. If you are unsure of your hand, you need to get raises in on the flop to gain information and because it is cheaper than the turn and river.

Bet out on the turn then if raised it becomes a check/call situation all the way down. If not raised bet again on the river. If he ends up showing down somehting like AK, then your only mistake would be preflop.

PS Get those books and soak up all the info as they will help you incredibly. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

bisonbison · #5 08-06-2004, 02:39 PM

I'm an ABC .5/1 Limit player on Party and I've been doing fairly well by not going on alot of draws and just playing hands that I'm 90% sure I've won on the flop.

You've got this bass ackwards.

In loose-passive games, you make your money by getting your draws paid off big time. You should be much less inclined to play hands like KJo (which I would muck here) and much more inclined to play small suited connectors, pocket pairs and suited aces.

As for this hand:

fold preflop. bet the flop.

SomethingClever · #6 08-06-2004, 02:46 PM

Welcome to the forums. I am now going to "haze" you.

You played this hand like a calling station!

Preflop: Fold! You only want to play KJo from late position against a small field. Never cold call a raise preflop with KJ. You will lose tons of money doing that.

Flop: Bet! Then I'd probably just call if CO raises you, because he's representing AK after the preflop raise. Still, the important thing here is to bet out.

Turn: Depends on what CO does after your bet on the flop. If he raised you, I check/call the rest of the way, because he probably has AK. But I'm guessing he probably just calls your flop bet, in which case you should lead the turn. As for the third heart, don't worry about that yet. If MP3 raises your bet, call down. But he probably won't. He was just taking a shot with his OESD.

River: Wait for it.... BET! The 4 is a blank unless someone is holding 56. Not too likely.

In conclusion... stay away from KJ in early position... bet when you have top pair and a decent kicker and don't back off until you're given a reason to.

Good luck, and welcome.

Mons · #7 08-06-2004, 02:49 PM

Thanks for the help! I've never considered folding KJo but bison made alot of sense on how to play .5/1.

Anyway thanks alot and if anybody else out there is lurking on the forums and not sure if they should post or not. Do it, you won't regret it.

Jaran · #8 08-06-2004, 03:07 PM

Hey Mons,
Welcome to the forum.
You really should fold the pf. KJo is easily dominated, and a lot weaker than it's pretty face would lead you to believe. Once you are in the hand, you display some weak/tight thinking, especially on the turn. MP1's bet could mean as little as a pair of 8's. If I were playing the hand, I would bet the flop, hoping that the CO would raise. With the way you played the hand, chk/call-chk/call, you should bet out on the river.

-Jaran