A Good Problem To Have

[ML4L]

Hey all,

Betting the correct amount with your big hands is a huge part of winning poker in no-limit. So, it's something that I'm always working hard to improve. Here's one big bet that I've been wondering about...

Stars 5/10. I ($2000) open for $50 in MP with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Mediocre, kinda loose regular ($1850) coldcalls, all else fold. $115 in the pot, heads-up; flop comes:

Q [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I check, opponent bets $40, I call. Turn comes:

A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I check, opponent checks. River comes:

7 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

I lead for $100, opponent now makes it $340. So, I have $240 to call, $650 or so in the pot, and $1400 left in my opponent's stack. I raise to...?

Thanks in advance.

ML4L

[fsuplayer]

if in kinda loose you mean he plays too many hands and goes too far with them, then I would be much more likely to push.

If thats not entirely true, then maybe a raise to $800-1000 straight.
If he has AQ, you are getting reraised anyways, but he will prob. call another 400-500 with KQ or QJ.

hope he didnt have quads... [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

fsuplayer

[rerazor]

Well I think it's evident he has that queen at a minimum, maybe a boat. I think your bet depends on how loose you are with your raises preflop, but all things being equal I'd prolly reraise him another 400. If he has a set of Q's he calls, if he has a boat maybe he'll pop you back.

*This is my first advice post and I just want to see if I'm "right". =)

[AZK]

I agree with turnip's $1000 straight, as for the flop/turn, I'm a bit interested/curious and have a few questions:
Why do you check the flop?
What are your plans if an Ace hadn't hit the turn?
Why should you not lead the turn?
I feel like I would put the opponent on a queen over say a spade draw, if he's on spades, I can see the check, if he does have a Q I can't understand the check, wouldn't you want to lead out, get raised, call, and lead the river? That's the best way to get the money in, no?

Thanks for answering the questions, I've learned a lot from reading your posts.

[elnino12]

His initial bet looks like it wants a call, so you can probably put him on a Q. His turn check makes it seem as though he either has AQ or nothing. The river re-raise really screams AQ, even with the limited info about his playing style. I bet the pot, or a little more than the pot, on the river since it seems like he has a monster and will call a bunch or maybe even reraise. I doubt he has QQ, as he would probably not open the betting with flopped quads before you can catch up. Interested in results and pot size [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Hope you cleaned up!

[turnipmonster]

to me, there are 3 different "levels" I would raise here, big medium and small. small is a minraise, medium is the pot, and big is your stack. I like to think of these in terms of odds you are laying your opponent.

the interesting thing about this hand is your opponent knows you are probably not bluffing given the action on the river. so the question is really how much does he think he can profitably call. one of the things about this hand is a small boat will be less likely to reraise fearing AQ, so I think you should tend to raise more than usual to extract max value from hands like 44 and 77, which will call a lot but probably not reraise.

it's my feeling that a bare Q will either call quite a bit or not at all, although if you know he will look you up getting 3:1 or better (as some people will) then that is an argument in favor of raising smaller.

more later, interesting hand mike.
--turnipmonster

[schwza]

i'd push. the way i see it, if he doesn't have a Q he's not going to call anything. if he does, and he's a "Mediocre, kinda loose" player, he's likely to call a push even with something like QJ.

if he's decent enough to fold QJ, then making it 1000 straight sounds fine.

[kagame]

anyone have any insight about the sort of hands that would call something more than a minraise but not an all in?

id almost be more unhappy calling a min raise than an all in here with 77 or 44 in the villains position. if youre lucky enough for him to have AQ i really think you need to make sure he loses his entire stack here on the river.

i think turnip made an excellent point by mentioning how the Ace will kill the action a 44/77 will give to a degree because of the fear of AQ. i think if youre up against these hands and a conscious opponent youre not getting much more, really just a crying call. with just trip queens, the way you played it does seem to make a bluff nearly impossible when you will raise the river.

hope he had AQ :-)

(if hes really that loose is there any possibility of him having something ridiculous like Q7?)

[gergery]

The only way he might call when you’re ahead is with AQ, KQ/QJ, 44, 77.
I’m guessing AQ will likely push over any bet you make, 44/77 will probably call a moderate size bet, and KQ/QJ will probably only call a smaller bet.

Since KQ/QJ are probably more likely both in how they’re statistically dealt and in how he played the hand, it seems to make the most sense to calibrate your bet for those hands while leaving alittle on the table to 44/77, but likely still capturing AQ’s reraise. So, I was thinking a raise to $700. He must call $450 then so it’s not likely he will fold, but with 1400 left he could still believe that pushing would make you fold, so you leave him some “phantom” bluff equity. And a loose overplayed 44/77 might even raise you as well

Just my 2 cents

--Greg

[bunky9590]

Raise him to $750.00.

Its callin the $240.00 and adding another nickel to it. I think he'll call with a smaller boat there, should call with KQ (but maybe not)He'll muck a bullshit Queen (which he probably will not have less than QJ, and reraise all in with AQ, QQ.

Yep a $500.00 raise looks about right to get a call.