4/8 loose and mostly passive. Not tricky.

Hero looks down at KhKd in EP and open raises, cold-called in 3 spots, which includes the big blind.

Flop: 10s 4s 2d

Big blind donks, I flat, two others call. (Planning to raise turn on a non-spade)

Turn: 4h, which is well within all three players' ranges.

Big blind bets again, I wuss out and flat to see what the other two do. Both fold.

River: Jd

He bets, I call.



My thinking process throughout the hand:

On the flop, it is strange for the blind to lead out. He is a newish player, and the bet usually means a bluff, a 10 or a spade draw. He's calling (and so are the others) with said draw no matter what I do on the flop - so I opt to wait to raise when my equity is higher on a safe turn.

The turn isn't so safe, but not necessarily bad either. Undeterred, the big bets again. Raising is good to get out (or at least protect against) flush draws behind and I'm iffy on not doing it. I felt I could only get called by worse by raising, whereas flatting would save me money if they raised (I could fold knowing one had a four). Middle pairs and overcards were likely to float too having just called.

The river seems like a standard call (vs. a raise) as I'm only *possibly* getting value out of a lone 10 or J. Everything else is a bluff or crushes me.


...better to raise the flop, bet until raised and call down? (unless the board/action becomes exceedingly unfavorable, of course)

Well, at least your play was consistent with the "mostly passive. Not tricky" description of the game.

Raise the flop or raise the turn or raise your hand... just raise something.

Seriously, start by raising the flop and don't let the flush draws/pair-and-an-over behind you peel for one bet getting 10:1.

Your jump in equity isn't a big enough one to justify forgoing your edge and waiting for the turn.

Sounds like you're thinking through and trying to apply some of the trickier concepts in SSHE. Excellent approach, but remember in the examples they list there are lot more turn cards that ruin your hand.

With only one over card and one draw on this board, you will probably net the most by raising the flop.

Raise flop so they can make their terrible calls with A7
As played, raise turn- if they have a 4, oh well
As played, raise river because you beat pretty much everything, including JT.

I think a raised flop will let you know where you are at and you can put the brakes on a good amount. If he 3! you, then you may be up against a set/A3s, 35s, A2s. If he just smooth calls, then you know you're good and can proceed getting value out of your hand. The way he played the hand tells me he has a T and thinks you may have AK, AQ, AJ, 99 & below. Punish him and throw a raise in there (flop or turn).

If the 4h isn't a safe card, what is?

As played raise river and hope to be 3 bet and make fist pump call imo

I would raise the flop. There are a lot of ace-rag hands that only have 3 outs against you, and by raising you are forcing those hands to either make a major mistake by calling, or folding a hand with outs to beat you. If you just call, then they're not making nearly as big of a mistake when they call on the flop.

You're also VERY likely to be way ahead on this flop, and when you're up against 3 opponents, I'm sure you'll get called by someone who is way behind, especially after one player has already bet.

As played, definitely raise the turn. The 4 isn't a scary card. There are only two of them left in the deck, and even bad players will sometimes fold hands with a 4 in them before the flop. Someone is less likely to make trips with a 4 than they were with a lot of other cards. If if was two aces or two kings on the board, I would be more worried because a lot of people will play hands like ace-rag or king-rag. A lot of the same people would throw away 4-rag.

I think you're also a little too worried about the possibility of a spade. I have been guilty of this myself. However, even if a spade comes you'll still likely be ahead, especially if you raise the flop and 1 or 2 of your opponents decides to fold.

As played, I would raise the river. You didn't raise your opponent on the flop or the turn. He isn't going to put us on pocket kings. He is more likely to put us on a hand like AK or AQ. He probably just has a ten here, and probably didn't want to see another spade either.

flop and turn

On second thought I guess he could have something like a jack with spades or JT, or maybe even a jack with another overcard, but in any case we shouldn't assume that he is ahead of us here. He will probably just call our raise.

We raise the flop for value and protection.

How can the best hand and the best draw chop up the poor suckers in the middle if the best hand refuses to play along?

I think you're trying to apply an example from SSHE. I believe the hand in the example was TT and there was some "half the deck completely changes your equity on the turn" bit that went along with it. With KK, you're just happy to shove some chips in the middle. You have the best hand. Your reasons for waiting aren't that strong. You can't be sure this guy will continue betting on the turn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOek...ailpage#t=134s

Raising the flop is a must. As played, raising the turn is second-best, but it's possible that BB donked with a 4 and he'll just bet/call-check/call the big streets.

Also, BB calling preflop doesn't count as a "coldcall" - coldcalling means that they put two bets in without having put any in previously, although some people will refer to the SB calling a raise as coldcalling as well. When the BB calls a raise, it's not coldcalling and shouldn't be treated as such.

i think there's a chapter in the red book on changes in equity between flop and turn. red nines on a 765sss flop is different than kings on a T42 flop. reread that section.

When to raise? Start with the flop: raise/cap. Bet/call the turn & river (call river UI if raised on turn).

As played on the flop, raise/call the turn, bet/call river (maybe we can find a fold on river if we get 3! on turn).

As played on flop & turn, raise/fold river.