I can't remember what the blind levels were for this hand but we were all relatively deep, so let's assume the stakes don't matter.

E-Tay opens UTG1, Kyle Loman 3-bets, I flat AxKs in the BB, Etay calls. Flop is three wheel cards, two spades, one diamond - let's say 532ss. Checks to Kyle who bets, we both call. Turn Th, same action. River is an 8 and it checks around. Kyle wins with JdTd. E-Tay has AsJs.

There was a pretty good amount of table talk after this hand, particularly about what would have happened if I check-raised the flop - as I would in a cash game, but didn't think was correct late in a tournament.

Normally I don't participate in strategy talk at the table, but it was hard for me to stay uninvolved in this situation. I posited that Kyle would bet-fold flop and someone else at the table said that bet-folding flop would be worse than betting in the first place. Personally, I don't agree with that at all. Of course, I would never torch a bet with his hand in the first place.

Thoughts on the hand?

I think you played it fine. I don't think you're ever winning the hand. Kyle missed a pretty easy river bet imo.

FWIW, he did say "I'm almost positive I'm supposed to bet here."

I wouldn't xr the flop in a cash game either fwiw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think his 3-betting range is wider than, say, a normal TAG, so I think x/r flop in a cash game is pretty standard here.

I think if you're not going to cap preflop you should check-raise the flop.
I don't think you're going to win either way - given that a T fell on the turn and JdTd already committed enough chips to the pot to be forced to peel, but that's really beside the point IMO.

And I think if you're deep-stacked enough you should be playing it like cash.

Some of your AK's should be x/r'ing flop. AsKs and AdKd is prob enough.

I did have this same situation come up at the final table, except a very loose, wild player opened and Brandon Shack-Harris 3-bet. That time I did four bet the AhKh from the BB.

Am I the only one that thinks Kyle can bet-fold flop after getting check-raised and seeing E-Tay cold call? My image is very TAG-solid, so I don't see how he can continue with only a backdoor flush draw to bail him out. My range looks like TT+ imo.

He is not folding two overs and a bdfd getting 14-1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your range crushes him on the flop as well when he bets so obviously that's not s consideration. He's in horrible shape 3 ways when he bets so I can't imagine he finds a fold now.



I never 4 bet pf but would 4 bet pf here for a few reasons. Less concerned about balance when we are going to be in this spot a total of 2 times at best and they should be getting flop less frequently and peeling flops far less often which is good for us

Th is entire hand is played amazing btw. Prefloo with J hi is great is great, flop c bet accomplishes a lot and the river check back with top pair is also good.

Agree, this is a great flop to xr given our line

After the hand I felt like I should have x/r flop, but it seems like that could be results oriented... but I would x/r in a cash game so it obviously has merit. Tourney bets are just so much more valuable than cash game bets.

I do think he would probably bet-call considering he bet in the first place, with no fold equity, no value - current or showdown - so it's not farfetched to think he would continue to turn. But if I bet his hand on the flop for some reason, I would fold after getting x/r and seeing Etay call. Don't you need like 24-1 to peel a BDFD, assuming you have no other live outs (a reasonable assumption here)?

It's not a reasonable assumption that he has no other live outs. You can't have 88? AK (which you had), AQ?

Seems exceptionally standard

Why doesn't etay c/r the flop with a combo draw? From a result-oriented point of view, if you c/r and etay 3-bets, you probably force out JT and win the hand.

Is it standard now to not cap preflop so as not to give information? Your cold-calling range is also strong though.

I am not a limit holdem expert, so don't flame me too hard.

I think cash games and tourneys play differently. The chips you save in tournaments are just so much more valuable (i.e. my flat pre, Etay flat on flop) so the play (of smart players) trends more conservative than it would in a cash game.

In a standard limit ring game, Kyle never sees the turn. I cap pre, bet flop and Etay prob raises and the two of us go to showdown.

What would be the purpose of raising AJs on the flop against someone who cold capped the bb?

To get JTdd to fold obviously


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LOL +1

that river check is abysmal imo

I also would not have check raised the flop with ace king.

Seriously, I've no idea what he was hoping for after 3 betting an EP open with JTdd.

Most people that play mixed games are bad at hold'em. Kind of ironic because from a pure equity and game theory standpoint it's the easiest game to learn.

People in the low stakes NC thread were kind of scoffing at me when I first mentioned that I was considering playing the 3K 6-max LHE... like I have no business playing in that tournament... but I really feel like the wizards of the poker world aren't that much better at LHE than I am - and most of them probably play it far less than I do.

I was card dead for ten straight levels and still finished 45th and it took AA getting snapped by 87o to cripple me.