Hand to Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

Here's an interesting hand I played in the $80-$160 game Saturday night at The Bellagio.

A very good player raised in early position. A live one called in late position. Another very good player called out of the small blind. And I called out of the big blind with K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

The flop was: K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (giving me top pair and a flush draw). It was checked to the before the flop raiser who bet. The live one called. The player in the small blind called. I raised. The before the flop raiser folded, and the other two players called.

The turn was the J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (giving me a king high flush). The player in the small blind bet, I called, and the live one folded.

The river was a blank. The player in the small blind bet and I called.

All comments welcome.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Clarkmeister]

Everything is routine except the river, where you have a clear value raise. Nice hand.

[James282]

The raise at the end seems obvious. Do you think that he would not bet AT or 2 pair here? Or would he only cold-call out of the blinds with AXs.
-James

[DcifrThs]

I think i understand the rational for calling the turn...getting a bet out of the live one.

but once he folded, you don't think its possible for the sb to have 98s 87s 76s etc, that he'd call and play the same way...did you truly put him precisely on the suited ace?

i understand also that your hand cannot stand a reraise from the very good small blind on the river since the Q and J of hearts was out. but most of the time the sb plays like this i honestly think you're good and should raise the river. he'll pay you off more than he'll 3bet...especially because you raised, but do you pay off the 4bet?

the sb may put you on a draw here since you c-r'd 3 people so that when he bets into you almost expecting you to raise
it may be a bit more likely his flush is ace high...but we don't have context and the flow of the game to see what you've been doing and what he's been doing and so forth and how hes been reacting to you.

on a side note, i have noticed that of the times you post "a hand to talk about" you are almost always checking and calling the later streets. on that note, somebody (i forget who but it was a frequent poster) stated you love to check and call your opponents to death...i can't comment on the validity of that since i don't know but it does seem you check and call alot, but there's likely a good reason for it.

can't wait to see what others say...
-Barron

[Diplomatdcm]

Nice hand, but I think that you need to raise the river.
Dave

[bicyclekick]

I hate just going along with the crowd, but I read the hand and made my analisys before reading their posts. Raise and call a 3 bet.

If he flopped a nut flush draw he woulda either bet or checkraised the flop I think, and since he check/called the way he did and led the turn I really don't give him credit for the flush. If he 3 bets me on the river I will, but I think you have a clear value raise.

Calling isn't a horrible move, but I think it's a little on the "too weak" side.

[Pipedream]

Well I love the flop checkraise and the turn call. But I'm not sure what you're thinking on the river. It's a ridiculously easy raise. Bah, sometimes I don't want $180 either....oh wait.

Pipedream

[bisonbison]

What does the SB think of you? What does he think you think of him?

Without some deep multi-layer read, it's hard to see why he wouldn't check-raise the flop or why he would bet into you on the turn with Ax of hearts.


edit: or is this just a case of him absolutely never calling the river raise without the nut flush?

[DcifrThs]

[ QUOTE ]
What does the SB think of you? What does he think you think of him?

Without some deep multi-layer read, it's hard to see why he wouldn't check-raise the flop or why he would bet into you on the turn with Ax of hearts.

[/ QUOTE ]

come to think of it, if he put you on that flush draw b/c you checkraised it would be more likely that this very good player would check the ace high to you so you can bet, get those callers...THEN he can c-r with his monster and get more money that way.

since he just bet out...he may be testing to see if his hand is good and he intends to fold to your raise. but on the river, after he bet and since he didn't c-r the turn i'm now sure a raise is called for! i really feel he'd check raise the turn with axs.

-Barron

[bisonbison]

THEN he can c-r with his monster and get more money that way.

Yeah... That's what baffles me. I think Mason misplayed this unless he has some kind of voodoo read on his opponent.