One hand late night on party.

Fishlips_Jones · #1 01-19-2005, 01:17 AM

Tight table. No real reads other that that. Comments encouraged.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (9 handed) converter

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

Flop: (5.50 SB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 bets, Hero raises, MP1 calls.

Turn: (4.75 BB) 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, MP1 calls.

River: (6.75 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP1 checks.

Final Pot: 6.75 BB

droolie · #2 01-19-2005, 01:43 AM

Why did you check raise the flop?

Fishlips_Jones · #3 01-19-2005, 02:04 AM

I knew the guy didn't have squat...JK

Mainly:
1) to find out where I am at,
2) to get someone holding bottom pair to strongly consider folding when I lead on the turn.
3) maybe I have the best hand?
4) betting when someone checks seems to be S.O.P. I wanted to get people in the habit of checking behind me when I check. I guess all I accomplished along those lines was to get labled an aggy wacko.

If I get raised at any point, I give it up, and I was strongly leaning toward folding the river if he bets into me.

Thanks

droolie · #4 01-19-2005, 02:20 AM

1) to find out where I am at,

Why not just bet? When you check he's very likely to semibluff and unlikely to fold to the check raise so what have you learned when you check raise? I actually think the C/R muddies the waters here more than just betting. If you bet he might fold and you win right there.

2) to get someone holding bottom pair to strongly consider folding when I lead on the turn.

You have A high. Why plan a strategy on the flop that will always make you bet the turn? Bottom pair is probably not folding and you have 6 outs against it.

3) maybe I have the best hand?

If you have the best hand a bet probably wins the pot. You have A high. If you do have the best hand and he decides to hang around your hand is very vulnerable and you'll have no idea what card beats you.

4) betting when someone checks seems to be S.O.P. I wanted to get people in the habit of checking behind me when I check. I guess all I accomplished along those lines was to get labled an aggy wacko.

You're giving your opponents too much credit. They're probably not paying that much attention. In fact they're probably beating off to internet porn at the same time they're playing poker.

Fishlips_Jones · #5 01-19-2005, 02:56 AM

If I bet, and he just calls, then I know he has two cards.

If his bet was a semi-bluff after I checked, then he is at least somewhat likely to semi-bluff raise me if I bet. Ugh! He's most probably not going to semi-bluff reraise me after I check raise him. So I can at least feel better about folding if he does reraise me. Similarly for the turn, he's not raising me unless I'm beat.

If I bet the flop, do I check/fold the turn? or do I call him down?

Thanks

droolie · #6 01-19-2005, 10:12 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If I bet, and he just calls, then I know he has two cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true. The problem with this hand is that you are out of position. It is very difficult to put your opponent on a hand when you are HU and out of position no matter what you do here. That is why I advocate just bet/ call. You are luring him into the hand with a C/R when you don't really need to.

[ QUOTE ]

If his bet was a semi-bluff after I checked, then he is at least somewhat likely to semi-bluff raise me if I bet. Ugh!

[/ QUOTE ]
Ah the advantage of position, once again. If you think he is a tricky player capable of bluff raising here you have a tough decision. However you raised preflop. For all he knows you have AA. If he raises your bet it means more than if he tries to grab the pot after you check. Check raising is a good move if you think he'll fold to any bet, including a check raise, that way you win one extra bet by inducing a bluff. Most players won't do that at this level though so you just making it more expensive most of the time.

[ QUOTE ]
He's most probably not going to semi-bluff reraise me after I check raise him. So I can at least feel better about folding if he does reraise me. Similarly for the turn, he's not raising me unless I'm beat.

[/ QUOTE ]
This pot is small. The flop missed you and you only have one overcard. You can feel good about letting this go on the turn UI anyways. Why pay three bets on the flop? You have to understand that poor position will have you at a disadvantage against tricky players HU. When the flop misses you you may just have to lay down your A high winner. However you can punsih them when you hit by letting them bluff their weak hands all the way and check raise the river.

[ QUOTE ]
If I bet the flop, do I check/fold the turn? or do I call him down?

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]
You call him down if you think it's worth paying 1BB or possibly 2BB to find out if he's bluffing. There will be 4.75BB after the flop betting. Assuming he bets the turn and river you will be getting 6.75:2 odds on this call down. If he is bluffing 1/3 of the time I think this is an OK call down situation. There will be other times when he does not bet the river where you only pay 1BB for 5.75:1 odds so you only need to catch a bluff 20% of the time. This does not factor in the idea that you might have him dominated if you both improve. You really need a read on a plyer here. I usually call it down if the villian is aggressive or if I have no read. I check/fold the turn (somtimes even the flop) UI against a known passive opponent.