A few hands to think about...

[cains]

hey guys.. Been a bit quiet in here for a while i think..
So here is a few hands i have just played.. What i did is in white so you dont have to wait to hear what i did..
Im not happy the way i played these hands.. But then again, im not sure how i should have played them...
All hands are from 20$ STT at pokerstars... Blinds is mentioned in the hand. The same with number of players left..

Hand 1.

PokerStars Game #5182015444: Tournament #26069490, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2006/06/07 - 16:01:54 (ET)
Table '26069490 1' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: oflautherty (1690 in chips)
Seat 2: sluggger5x (915 in chips)
Seat 3: yannus (2860 in chips)
Seat 4: cleverhound (3265 in chips)
Seat 5: cains (1370 in chips)
Seat 7: ThumperHawk (3400 in chips)
oflautherty: posts small blind 50
sluggger5x: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cains [Ad As]
yannus: calls 100
cleverhound: folds
cains: raises 200 to 300
ThumperHawk: folds
oflautherty: folds
sluggger5x: folds
yannus: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [4d 4h 6d]
yannus: checks
cains: bets 400
yannus: folds
cains collected 750 from pot
cains: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 750 | Rake 0
Board [4d 4h 6d]
Seat 1: oflautherty (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: sluggger5x (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: yannus folded on the Flop
Seat 4: cleverhound folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: cains collected (750)
Seat 7: ThumperHawk (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)


Hand2.

PokerStars Game #5182140127: Tournament #26069490, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/06/07 - 16:18:31 (ET)
Table '26069490 1' 9-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: oflautherty (1115 in chips)
Seat 3: yannus (3260 in chips)
Seat 4: cleverhound (2490 in chips)
Seat 5: cains (2745 in chips)
Seat 7: ThumperHawk (3890 in chips)
cains: posts small blind 100
ThumperHawk: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cains [Ac Kd]
oflautherty: folds
yannus: folds
cleverhound: folds
cains: raises 200 to 400
ThumperHawk: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [5c 3c Ks]
cains: bets 400
ThumperHawk: raises 3090 to 3490 and is all-in
cains: calls 1945 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [5c 3c Ks] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [5c 3c Ks 8h] [7h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
cains: shows [Ac Kd] (a pair of Kings)
ThumperHawk: shows [5h 3h] (two pair, Fives and Threes)
ThumperHawk collected 5490 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5490 | Rake 0
Board [5c 3c Ks 8h 7h]
Seat 1: oflautherty folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: yannus folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: cleverhound (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: cains (small blind) showed [Ac Kd] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 7: ThumperHawk (big blind) showed [5h 3h] and won (5490) with two pair, Fives and Threes

I think i now how i should have played thise.. But because of the blinds / players left, i deceided to play it different...


Hand 3.

PokerStars Game #5181946985: Tournament #26069410, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2006/06/07 - 15:52:46 (ET)
Table '26069410 1' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: MacGyver72 (3395 in chips)
Seat 2: nikmo9 (1935 in chips)
Seat 4: silkyj7445 (1040 in chips)
Seat 5: snake75 (2165 in chips)
Seat 6: baseball0512 (1335 in chips)
Seat 7: cains (3630 in chips)
baseball0512: posts small blind 50
cains: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cains [As Js]
MacGyver72: folds
nikmo9: folds
silkyj7445: folds
snake75: folds
baseball0512: calls 50
cains: checks
*** FLOP *** [Ac 9s 3s]
baseball0512: bets 100
cains: calls 100
*** TURN *** [Ac 9s 3s] [6h]
baseball0512: bets 100
cains: calls 100
*** RIVER *** [Ac 9s 3s 6h] [Th]
baseball0512: bets 200
cains: calls 200
*** SHOW DOWN ***
baseball0512: shows [Tc 9c] (two pair, Tens and Nines)
cains: mucks hand
baseball0512 collected 1000 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1000 | Rake 0
Board [Ac 9s 3s 6h Th]
Seat 1: MacGyver72 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: nikmo9 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: silkyj7445 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: snake75 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: baseball0512 (small blind) showed [Tc 9c] and won (1000) with two pair, Tens and Nines
Seat 7: cains (big blind) mucked [As Js]

Again a hand played different than i usely would... But i knew what hand he had in the end for sure... So should have played it stronger before..


Hand 4..

Could i have got away from this??

PokerStars Game #5182095527: Tournament #26069410, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/06/07 - 16:12:36 (ET)
Table '26069410 1' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: MacGyver72 (5745 in chips)
Seat 2: nikmo9 (2960 in chips)
Seat 5: snake75 (990 in chips)
Seat 6: baseball0512 (1745 in chips)
Seat 7: cains (2060 in chips)
baseball0512: posts small blind 100
cains: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cains [Th Tc]
MacGyver72: folds
nikmo9: folds
snake75: folds
baseball0512: raises 200 to 400
cains: raises 1660 to 2060 and is all-in
baseball0512: calls 1345 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [Qd 3h 9h]
*** TURN *** [Qd 3h 9h] [Ts]
*** RIVER *** [Qd 3h 9h Ts] [3c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
baseball0512: shows [Qs Qc] (a full house, Queens full of Threes)
cains: shows [Th Tc] (a full house, Tens full of Threes)
baseball0512 collected 3490 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3490 | Rake 0
Board [Qd 3h 9h Ts 3c]
Seat 1: MacGyver72 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: nikmo9 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: snake75 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: baseball0512 (small blind) showed [Qs Qc] and won (3490) with a full house, Queens full of Threes
Seat 7: cains (big blind) showed [Th Tc] and lost with a full house, Tens full of Threes

Hope all my blanking out dont confuse you guys to much..

And hope it do make some sense in the end...

[Doc]

1. I think the flop bet is too big - you've raised pre-flop and he has called - probably indicating a medium pair or two high cards. You're not too scared about the flush draw, as you have the 'nut ace' and a redraw if he makes another diamond on the turn. I'd bet the minimum or a little more and hope to draw him in. If he has 66 or something that beats you, so be it.

2. you did fine - he got lucky. Maybe a bigger raise pre-flop, but on the whole your play is fine IMO

3. fine

4. fine

[Beanie]

I'd mention one thing for hand 3 - as it is, you were unlucky to find him hitting his two pair on the river, but even with just one other player in an unraised pot if I have top pair I'll look to speed things up by the turn and get a bit more aggressive, as if his hand is simply a middle pair/draw you're unlikely to get a third bet from him on the river anyway.

You can assume you're hand is best on the flop, but with a few draws after the turn its time to get a little more information on what you are up against IMO, and at the very least make him pay for any potential draw. A reraise on the turn would be my suggestion for that hand.

[Doc]

yep, on looking at it again - completely agree with Beanie - the turn is the time to raise and make him pay to stay in the hand, or in the worst case - to define your own hand

[mrmuzeman]

Few things I will say...

Hand 1 - All round fine imo

Hand 2 - I hate min raising, you must raise to 3bb preflop minimum at anytime imo. This hand is a perfect illustration of why. Learn from it.

Hand 3 - You could raise preflop if you want but nothing wrong with the check at all, you have position. I reraise on the flop to due the poss spade draw personally. If you just call when the turn blanks and he does a min bet again you must now raise, its pretty obvious you have the best hand and the pots decent.

Hand 4 - Nah no worries there, with 10bb and a decent pot already its got to be all in from pocket tens there. Yes the min raise is slightly suspicious but the opening min raise preflop is always the least likely to be a big hand of any type of min raise. He could have two high cards, he could just be trying to steal.

Yes the min raise is slightly suspicious but the opening min raise preflop is always the least likely to be a big hand of any type of min raise

What I mean by this is this. Say the blinds are 50/100 and someone OPENS for 200 with a min raise. Doesnt really mean too much bar they have a good hand. Could be a big pair obviously, but could just as easily be 2 high cards or literally any pocket pair. I see medium pocket pairs min raise preflop all the time for 'value'.

If someone min raises a raiser then this is the time to worry. Say you open for 300 at 50/100 and someone min raises it to 600 then its time to take notice.

[cains]

thanks guys.

think we have about same thoughts...

will just try some more 20$ STT now.. see if it is better than yesterday...
Soon have to win some unless i want to play 10$ again.

[cains]

Another hand i just played at stars.. 20$ STT

Does this hand goes in the same catogory, like when its profitable EV wise to fold AA near the end of tournament??

I think so.. Here is my comment why in colour white...

Reason i fold here... Yup we problably going to split the hand...
But its 400 in the pot.. He goes all in with 1377.. So after this hand he can have 1377 / 1777 / 3154..
If i fold i still have 11723 in chips.. Would i like to play the next hand with that against 1777 or playing next hand (if im unlucky) with around 10K vs 3K... Sure ill take the almost 12k.. and bust him later with a hand where im more sure... ( i did bust him 2 hands later.)


PokerStars Game #5349071929: Tournament #26975582, $20+$2 Hold'em No Limit - Level VI (100/200) - 2006/06/24 - 07:01:08 (ET)
Table '26975582 1' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: bertolucci (1577 in chips)
Seat 9: cains (11923 in chips)
bertolucci: posts small blind 100
cains: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to cains [7h Th]
bertolucci: calls 100
cains: checks
*** FLOP *** [9s 9h 9c]
cains: checks
bertolucci: checks
*** TURN *** [9s 9h 9c] [Jh]
cains: checks
bertolucci: checks
*** RIVER *** [9s 9h 9c Jh] [Jc]
cains: checks
bertolucci: bets 1377 and is all-in
cains: folds
bertolucci collected 400 from pot
bertolucci: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 400 | Rake 0
Board [9s 9h 9c Jh Jc]
Seat 2: bertolucci (button) (small blind) collected (400)
Seat 9: cains (big blind) folded on the River

[Doc]

you have a massive chip lead there, you should have put him all in pre-flop IMO. Similarly you have to go on each subsequent round.

I cannot understand your fold at all - he has checked behind you twice, what are you afraid of - can he beat the board?

[rene]

you have a massive chip lead there, you should have put him all in pre-flop IMO. Similarly you have to go on each subsequent round.

I cannot understand your fold at all - he has checked behind you twice, what are you afraid of - can he beat the board?

Yes Doc - the chipleader must make some pressure to the others.But Cains has nothing in hand. 7h and Th aren´t high cards.A full House on the board.His detractor need only a 9 or J in Hand and is much higher than Cains.So he safed a few chips...

And wait for the next chance.He can wait much longer than Lucci.He´s the chipleader.And in the next round he has better cards and could kicked lucci out. That´ll be my tactics

[Doc]

he has a better than average hand and a massive stack pre-flop against somoene who has shown no strength heads-up. He has gut-shot and back door flush draws on the flop and it is perfect for a bluff on the turn. if the other player had a jack he would surely have bet the turn, but he checks

you just can't sit and wait for AA pre-flop when it is heads-up poker.

[cains]

agree that i might should have bet pre flop, or betted on the turn with him keep checking.... But why go all in with T7s and risk he has any card above T and win with High card and double up, and then be able to put a bit pressure on me???
Blinds are only 200/100

LOTS of space to play poker in, instead of just going all in all the time, till its over.. I love beeing HU when blinds are so low, and i have just 1/3 of the stack.. thats enough for me to play poker.. and on this level i feel im better in poker than most opponents.. So thats why i choose to play poker..

Remember from last time i posted Stats for my play, how many times i fold BB to a fold. And how much i folded in HU.. well i problably still do... But thats because i know i can out play them.. And i dont need AA to do that.. Cheap flop.. I can hit anything...
Small raises preflop...

If the blinds was 300/600 with 50antes or what it is on stars (maybe 100)
Yes then all in i would go.. couse he would be all in either way.. so have to take the chance that he will fold...

[Doc]

well, here is a thought

if you moved in every time with T7s, and he would call with any hand - it is still a +EV move

With the chips he has left, any hand he plays he is basically all-in, so your choice is more or less the same, and by putting him all-in first, you make it harder for him.

You're going to be out of position on this hand, and you have a chance to remove that disadvantage - I think you have enough of a hand heads-up to take that chance.

I don't think your play is terrible here or anything like, but I don't think there is any reason to believe you are beaten here. However, you have played very passively and let him increase his stack by about 30%.

Specifically in terms of the final call, of the X times he can't beat the board, you win 200 chips (half the pot before you match his bet). The rest of the time you lose 1377

The breakeven value of X is given by:
(1-X)(-1377)+(X)(200)=0
Solving for X gives us X=0.87, meaning that he has to have a 7 or a jack more than 13% of the time for you to lose money by calling him.

I doubt he has one of those cards often enough for you to worry. There is only 1 seven left in the deck and he made no effort to bet when the first jack hit the board.
Even if he does, and you lose - so what? You'll still have 3.5 times as many chips as him, and he will be wary of trying to bluff you.

The main point I think is that you should have bet earlier in the hand.

[cains]

Originally Posted by DoctorOfDanger

The main point I think is that you should have bet earlier in the hand.

That we can agree 100% on..

Ive also think my play would have been different if we had other stacks, and if i had been a winning STT player for that past month... But i havent.. So feeled like i really needed a win here, to boost my self.. And deceided that my chances for that was better if he had 1700 instead of 3100 chips

[Jezza]

Hi guys,

I dont think I would have raised preflop here. I can see an argument for doing it and its certainly not a bad play but generally I would want a high card (or preferably two) before doing it - thats what your waiting for in this situation really. Doc - I remember way back in the past a maths professor showing me a study he did on the EV of all hands HU against a random other hand HU (assuming both players all in preflop). He came to the conclusion that J7s was the exact break even hand. Q2o and Q3o are slight -ev whilst any better Q is +ev, any K and any A are +ev. Of course when you factor in blinds etc everything changes and of course the assumption that both players are all in preflop regardless of what they hold is a big one, it was just a mathematical analysis. As regards cains hand If it was me playing then I would have tried a steal bet on the turn but as cains played I defo fold at the river as well. There is a pretty decent chance he has you beat here I think, certainly enough that it overshadows the equity of you winning your blind back if it is a split.

Jez

[Doc]

lots of points there!

J7s is a 50% hand - in that it wins heads up against a random hand 50% of the time. However heads up play in reality is all about aggression and stealing blinds. With a massive chip lead, you need to keep the pressure on. I wouldn't call an all-in from the other player pre-flop yet, but unless you have strong reason to suspect he is trapping, then T7s is exactly the sort of hand to get aggressive with when he has shown weakness. You need to ask what is a good flop for you? It will be hard to be confident, so try to take it down now would be my strategy.

When the chip lead, the blinds and the fact that he will have to call for all his chips are considered, then T7s is +EV here if you move all-in pre-flop, no matter what he'd call with. Moving all-in mightn't be the optimal play, but it is a good play.

The play post flop is way too passive IMO, but I illustrated the call mathematics just to show that it is far from an outlandish play to call his all-in. My (and I suspect most players) gut-instinct would be to fold, but is there really a 13% chance he has a Jack or a 7? He has played it very poorly if so.