First, let me say that I have been reading these posts on 2+2 for two years and it has definitely improved my game, so thank you for generally good advice. I played 4 tournaments in Vegas this weekend and cashed in two. Good time.

So, here's the hand I want feedback on.

WSOP Event #31 -- Seniors. Level 8 (300/600+50). Hero just moved to this table in Amazon room with stack of 35,000. 975 players left from field of 5400, with money bubble at ~800. I come to the new table as the chip leader and the table is very tight. Second hand (end of level 7) I have AA and make standard raise in early position and all fold. Two hands later I have 99 in middle position and make same standard raise and all fold. Nobody at the table is very active, and I'm feeling really good about being at this table with a big stack.

Early in level 8, I again have AA UTG. I make standard raise to 1500, which gives away nothing about my hand strength. This time player on my left with ~22,000 chips calls as does BB. Flop is 10-10-7. I check. Villain on my left bets 1750. BB folds. I call. (No reason to three-bet here and scare off villain if he has something like A-7, JJ, or overcards, right?)

Turn is 4 and puts two clubs on the board. I check with the plan of check-raising a continuation bet. Villain bets 3000 and I raise to 7000. Villain then shoves all-in, leaving me to make a decision to call or fold for an additional 9850 into pot of ~35000.

How bad is this turn raise?

Now that I've put myself in this awful position, is it an easy fold?

Thanks in advance for criticism.

Posting here means you've already figured out the answers.

He bet both streets here. So he's got something other than a pair of balls IMHO. What could he have that warrants a 3 bet jam?

You have a bluff catcher here given the following factors:
1. It's a seniors tournament
2. Close enough to the bubble
3. In an event that is a bucket list cash for 400+/- people remaining
4. Against a player with ~30bbs
5. Who is going broke if he loses the hand

There are some tens in his range for sure, along with 77, both of which crush you. Sure it's possible he has JJ, QQ, KK but QQ (often) and KK (always) are likely to raise you pre (even when you open UTG), so he's down to JJ, JT, T9, 77 and bluffs. You beat one of those hands unless he's bluffing, and pushing JJ here is just plain awful, so much so that you have to think the only hand you beat is a bluff.

How sophisticated is villain here? Is there any chance you're in a next level leveling war? And even if you are, is that what you're looking for when you sense you have an edge over the rest of the table?

We bet or raise to 1) make the pot bigger in case we win or 2) deny equity. Is your turn c/r accomplishing this? We don't have to deny much equity -- villain probably doesn't have too many draws. It's more of a way ahead/way behind scenario.

Are we making the pot bigger in case we win? Probably not -- by c/r, we are allowing villain to fold out hands we beat and continue with all his better hands. Villain's range has plenty of tens and 77 (maybe 44), while for a seniors tournament it's a bit hard to put him on many hands that bluff. So by c/r and folding out whatever bluffs he might have, we are making the pot bigger when we are likely going to lose.

Given the cheap price, I likely give the call the turn and would give up the river.

I agree it is a way ahead or way behind scenario.

I think the c/r on the turn is a big mistake here. You are either going to blow the villain of his weaker hand, a mid pair or a 7, or he will shove with a T. There is an occasional chance that he will be on a draw, but you are still giving him odds to draw to it.

Check/raise on the turn is pretty awful, honestly. I think calling turn is fine, but we have to accept by the river that our hand is effectively a bluffcatcher as he's rarely going three streets with worse.

thanks. post hand i was kicking myself. No reason to think he is on a draw. My hand strength is still disguised so i should call turn and check/call river if it is a small value bet in case he is bluffing or has smaller overpair but that line loses me the minimum instead of the max. Thanks for confirmation. In the moment I just made a terrible play that negated what was to that point a good run. lessons learned.

btw, he was K-10o

Since "brevity is the soul of wit"...a proverb which is certainly not lost on you...I will continue in this vein...

P1. 2p2 is a great resource (to learn how to mincash.)

P2. Could just say "I've opened 2x from ep and mp and got folds."

P3. "I again have AA UTG. I make standard raise to 1500, which gives away nothing about my hand strength."
Live tells tho...

P4. (Most) 2p2ers will be able to calculate the qty of clubs ott.

P5+P6. (Not qualified to answer.)

Why didn't you apply this logic for the turn?

Aside from just generally spazzing on the turn, my logic was that with a second club on the board I wanted to avoid giving a "free" card to a hand like Ac7c or AcKc (I did not have the Ace of clubs), but I don't think that is correct logic or a correct play on that board. But you asked. In the heat of battle, one bad blunder kills you.

Basically by the turn you have a bluffcatcher. The standard play is to just call down reasonable bets on turn/river. This way his range stays wider and his bluffs stay there. But c-raising turn you narrow his range to value-heavy (barring opponent is a crazy maniac, which does not seem to be the case).

Live and learn. Vast majority of the time, keeping the hand simple and sticking to the original plan (you started flop by check-calling, keep it that way) allows you to play decent poker and not deviate until you've added extensive knowledge to your arsenal.


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Shouldn't we lead out on flop more often than not than checking to give us some info?

my thoughts ...

* would 90% cbet the flop (with your play you don't know where you stand)
* as played would never c/r here. a call and "slowplay" AA is fine.
* decide on the river to check/call again or maybe make a strange 1/3-pot donkbet (to get calls from JJ/QQ maybe 99) with the intension to fold to a raise.

where "do you stand" when you cbet and villain flats (or raises)?

yeah, you are virtually right, but we are 3handed at the flop in this tight senior event (the original poster described), so i dont think he flat with air.
i think heros hand is in front against his calling range from UTG+1.
on this blank turn (4) he can bet once more for value which is in my opinion better then check call.