1/2 NL ($300 max buy-in) in Florida. Friday night, 10 p.m. ET.

HAND 1: I buy in for the max and get dealt black AJo in UTG+2. I decide to limp, and with this being typical Florida NL we're like six ways to a flop of QT9 two diamonds. I check-call a $20 bet from a black-haired dude with sunglasses and a grey hoodie. He has like $450 in front of him. An older Asian guy two to my left also calls. Turn is a beautiful K. It's checked to hoodie again who bets another $20. I pop to $110. Asian folds after a minute and hoodie insta-calls. I'm assuming he has a lesser J. River is Q. Hero ???

VERY NEXT HAND (HAND 2:) I get AA UTG. This time I raise to $10 and hope to create an aggro image in the span of three minutes but my only caller is the older Asian guy. More on him: Glasses, drinking a Heineken, has about $225. Flop TT3. I fire $20, Asian calls. Turn 6 makes two spades. I bet $30 (lol 1/2 pot bet) and he calls again. River J not spade. I check. Without much thought Asian does the whole flick-forward thing with his hands as he says all in for $165. I don't know anything about how this guy plays but he looks rather confident. Hero???

Spoiler on the profile of the villain after the last hand:



HAND 3: Late into the session where I had my stack of ~$400 grinded down to $300. I'm still trying to stack the older Asian guy. I get 47 in SB, limp. BB is new to the table, 30ish with a beard and hat, hasn't played much, has like 200 left, jacks it to 12. Asian calls with ~$250 left, hoodie from first hand calls. I decide to call. Flop A86, two diamonds. I check, BB bets 45, Asian guy calls, hoodie folds. Hero??

How would your decisions in Hand 1 differ if the guy with dark hark had blond hair?

How much of a factor do you believe the Heineken to be in Hand 2?

Are your actions in Hand 3 affected by the beard/hat combo?

curious to hear what people think about hand 2.

hand1: im shoving river here
hand2: im leaning on a fold
hand3: fold pre

posting one hand per thread will receive more thoughtful responses

hand 1: raise pre

hand 2: bigger pre. b/f three streets.

hand 3: fold pre

Thanks a lot, that first line made my spit water all over my pants

Hand 1: Raise or fold pre.

Don't check the turn, just lead it. You have the nuts man.

As played you have to bet the river if you think he has a J, he probably can't fold that straight.

Hand 2: I'd rather bet/fold the river than call. Checking so weak.

Hand 3: Trivial fold pre OOP for $12 with 74s

Grunch

Hand #1: I think you played this hand way too passive. How much is the pot OTF? like $10? If the pot on the flop is about that, then calling a 2x pot sized bet OOP with a draw that is very un likely to get paid off when it comes in is pretty bad. You got extremely lucky to have hit the K OTT. This is basically the only spot where you will show any amount of profit from this situation. Just think, if the 8 rolls off, you won't get much action from anything other than a straight (and might even get stack by KT). Either c/f or c/r the flop, or lead out yourself. Check calling is the worst option. If it were me who played this hand I would have raised pre and then just barreled all three streets. As played, bet for value. Although your opponents line is pretty weak (does he really bet $20 OTT with a straight/set/two pair?), I probably bet like $100-$150. Don't think I'm folding if he jams, although I don't like it.

Hand #2: I would be betting all three streets with the intention of folding to a raise. As played it's probably a fold though. I mean there aren't really any draws that he could have been chasing that have now missed that he is bluffing with. Just wondering... Why did you check the river? If you did so to induce a bluff, you may have succeeded.

Hand #3: Ugh, fold this hand to the raise. Ugly spot OTF, since this guy probably isn't potting the flop with a hand he intends to fold to a raise, so I would say your FE is close to 0%. With that said, your diamond draw is weak and may be dominated. You are OOP against two players and it will be hard to extract value if you do end up getting there. I would just muck this hand now. Remember to fold this hand pre-flop next time. But yeah, If you must continue here, then put in a large raise, probably all-in, although I don't think you will be getting many folds.

Grunching ...

Hand 1: Given SPR I think we are AI. I don't think 2-pr calls turn, more likely JX. If they have QJ, nice catch.

Hand 2: Check river? As played, read-dep. If opponent has bluffs, JJ+ in their range, call. Your check also under-reps your hand strength. I'd reluctantly call and remind myself to b/f next time.

Hand 3: Fold pre, fold flop.

LOL I've been playing poker for years and I am still botching hands. Badly.

Absolutely should have raised pre in Hand 1. Even if I'm just sitting down. Doesn't matter. That was bad. It also could have given me pot control on the flop where I could have c-bet with ease (if I make it 10 pre I can fire 30 on the flop and can either c/r or bet the turn hard.

On Hand 2, I had zero read on villain other than he looked confident putting his chips in. Looked like he was breathing normally, wasn't doing anything awkward. I checked the river in the first place because what hands can I beat that called me on the flop and turn. Missed draws? What draw was there on the flop that warranted a call?

Clearly got myself into a mess in Hand 3.

Looking forward to more responses but I have the idea that Hands 1 and 3 were botched badly. Don't want to make these mistakes again.

RESULTS: