$100-$200 Hand

[Jim Brier]

This is a 9-handed $60-$120 game with a kill to $100-$200 at Casino Arizona. The kill was on with the under-the-gun player posting a $100 blind in addition to the small blind of $30 and the big blind of $60. An early player limps in. It is folded to me in the cutoff and I limp in having the As-5s. The button folds. Both blinds call. The under-the-gun player now raises to $200 and everyone calls. There is $1000 in the pot and five players. The flop is: Js-6s-5d, giving me a pair with the nut-flush draw. The small blind comes out betting $100. The big blind and the under-the-gun player fold. The early limper raises to $200. I have 9 flush outs, 2 outs to trips, and 3 outs to aces-up for a total of 14 outs with two cards to come. I am a mathematical favorite to make the nut-flush, trips, or two pair by the river and I will be going to the river with this hand. I make it $300. The small blind folds and the early limper calls. There is $1700 in the pot and two players. The turn is the 9h. My opponent checks. I bet $200 hoping he will fold but having a lot of outs if I get called. He calls. There is $2100 in the pot. The river is the Ac, giving me aces-up. My opponent now bets $200. Should I make it $400 or just call?

Second question: Was my 3-bet on the flop correct?

I will post the results later.

I think you have to raise the river for value. The hand that makes most sense for him to have when you look at both the odds of having a hand as well as how your average player would play hands in the given situation is AK. I think if he had pocket aces he would have been more aggressive on the flop and turn, and although you lose to AJ in this situation, the preflop raise wouldn't have made the most sense.

And as far as 3 betting on the flop, I think this is a legit play. One could argue that you might chase out action for when you hit your big flush, but at the same time you're disgusing your hand and could win the pot outright without actually improving.

[skp]

Just call on the river. His most likely hand is AJ.

I don't see him chasing to the river with just an Ace. That usually only happens when you are looking to make a flush and accidently hit an Ace. But here that couldn't have happened as you held the Ace of the flush suit.

Other reasons to not raise: If he is bluffing, he ain't calling a raise and if he has just AQ or something (which is unlikely given his preflop limp), he may even fold that to a raise.

I am convinced that his hand is AJ (just not convinced enough to say that you ought to fold to his bet :-)).

I see nothing wrong with the flop 3 bet. The pot is a big one. One thing though: Normally, in a big pot, one reason to raise with an Ax nut flush draw is that if you happen to catch an Ace, you will be happy if your flop raise had knocked off a bigger Ace. But here, catching an Ace gives you two pairs so this reason for raising is not as important (although having said, given the size of the pot, I still wouldn't mind having a bigger Ace fold on the flop even if I were guaranteed to catch an Ace on the turn given the counterfeiting possibilities on the river i.e. a hand like AQ will have 9 outs as against your A5 on the river if you catch an Ace on the turn.

Anyway, I went off on a tangent there. Sorry. Bottom line is that I see nothing wrong with the flop 3 bet given your 14 outer. Also, you could get a free card if you elected to take it (although I agree with your turn bet as you were heads-up and had a pair to show down on the river).

Well played hand (if you just called the river, that is:-)).

Jeez Jim, pretty soon you'll be posting about a $1000/$2000 hand and seeking advice on what you should do when Johnny Chan gives you a stare down after your turn raise or something. Anyway, great to see one of 2+2's best posters enjoying success in the bigger games!

[Kevin J]

"Should I make it $400 or just call?"

He must have had something to raise the flop. I would construe his bet on the river to mean the ace either improved his hand or he's bluffing. You have the ace of trump which rules out an ace-high flush draw. Would he chase all the way with just a loose ace or a gut-shot? If he made aces up, you're beat. I'd just call.

"Second question: Was my 3-bet on the flop correct?"

I think so. If for no other reason than you don't want to face multiple bets on the turn, if you can help it. IMO-

[bernie]

i like the 3 bet flop bet. id have done the same.


"The river is the Ac, giving me aces-up"

uh, 'scuse me, doesnt this make you 2-pair? aces and fives? i would raise, and call a reraise. he may have AJ at best. i doubt he has a set. i think your hand is good. if it isnt, your opponent really played it like crap.

b

[mikelow]

Just call. I am very worried about A-J or even a straight. If he
doesn't have these he will fold. If he has the goods, you will be reraised.

It's close, but your three-bet on the flop is ok.
Maybe you're not the favorite, because an ace might
not be a clean out.

[mikelow]

To Jim, how are the games in Arizona?

[Gabe]

I can't see you two pair as anything other than a bluff catcher now. He has AJ if he played straight forwardly, and something better if he slowplayed. I think you should call, on the chance he maybe bluffing. I guess he could also have some bizarre hand that you beat, but nothing that I can put him on.

Just call he is more likely to have made aces up and if he has it stands to be better than yours. It shouldn't be a lone ace. It could only be a lone ace if he had the nut flush draw but since you have that it is more lilely aces up.

I think your choice is call or fold, and given the pot size, it's call.

If he has an ace in his hand, you lose - he does not have an ace high flush draw. I wouldcall and expect AJ, perhaps A6s.

If he does not have an ace, he is likely bluffing, so raising does no good.

He may have made J's and 9's, and was worried you would check the river, but this is not likely enough to make a raise correct.

Just my 2 cents. Hope I am wrong.