PAHWM: AK suited in the big blind.
12-13-2011
, 02:09 AM
Game: $1/$2. $60min/$200max buy-in. 9-handed.
Reads and History:
Table: I had just sat down at the table about 30 minutes before hand, but the table seemed to be playing loose-passive. Lots of limping preflop and players checking it down if they didn't hit anything. Players only seemed to be betting preflop with a decent hand and there were almost no 3 bets.
Villain 1 UTG+2 $350: He's a middle-aged guy who I had never played with before (this was only my 4th session at this casino), but everyone else knew him and so I assumed he was a regular in this game. He played the most pots at the table, but I had only been there for 30 minutes and so it could have just be a run of good cards.
The only history I have with him is a few hands before this one I had raised from the CO with 53o just to steal the blinds and because I wanted to splash around a little bit. He was the only caller, I C-bet the flop with just an inside straight draw, luck-boxed the turn and hit the straight, and got all three streets of value from him. He wasn't happy when he saw my cards.
Villain 2 CO $200: Have never played with him before and in the 30 minutes that I was there he had done nothing worth noticing really. Was a younger guy, about 27-30 years old.
Hero BB $190: Started with $100 and nearly doubled up with the hand above, but haven't really played much other than that until this hand. I'm a 28 year old guy who is wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.
The hand:
Hero (BB): $190
UTG
UTG+1
Villain 1 (UTG+2): $350
...
Villain 2 (CO): $200
BTN
Pre:
Folds to Villain 1 who raises to $15.
Folds to Villain 2 who calls $15.
Folds to Hero in the big blind who has A
K.
Hero?
Reads and History:
Table: I had just sat down at the table about 30 minutes before hand, but the table seemed to be playing loose-passive. Lots of limping preflop and players checking it down if they didn't hit anything. Players only seemed to be betting preflop with a decent hand and there were almost no 3 bets.
Villain 1 UTG+2 $350: He's a middle-aged guy who I had never played with before (this was only my 4th session at this casino), but everyone else knew him and so I assumed he was a regular in this game. He played the most pots at the table, but I had only been there for 30 minutes and so it could have just be a run of good cards.
The only history I have with him is a few hands before this one I had raised from the CO with 53o just to steal the blinds and because I wanted to splash around a little bit. He was the only caller, I C-bet the flop with just an inside straight draw, luck-boxed the turn and hit the straight, and got all three streets of value from him. He wasn't happy when he saw my cards.
Villain 2 CO $200: Have never played with him before and in the 30 minutes that I was there he had done nothing worth noticing really. Was a younger guy, about 27-30 years old.
Hero BB $190: Started with $100 and nearly doubled up with the hand above, but haven't really played much other than that until this hand. I'm a 28 year old guy who is wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.
The hand:
Hero (BB): $190
UTG
UTG+1
Villain 1 (UTG+2): $350
...
Villain 2 (CO): $200
BTN
Pre:
Folds to Villain 1 who raises to $15.
Folds to Villain 2 who calls $15.
Folds to Hero in the big blind who has A
K.Hero?
12-13-2011
, 02:12 AM
12-13-2011
, 04:58 AM
12-13-2011
, 12:29 PM
12-13-2011
, 12:47 PM
12-13-2011
, 12:53 PM
Game: $1/$2. $60min/$200max buy-in. 9-handed.
Reads and History:
Table: I had just sat down at the table about 30 minutes before hand, but the table seemed to be playing loose-passive. Lots of limping preflop and players checking it down if they didn't hit anything. Players only seemed to be betting preflop with a decent hand and there were almost no 3 bets.
Villain 1 UTG+2 $350: He's a middle-aged guy who I had never played with before (this was only my 4th session at this casino), but everyone else knew him and so I assumed he was a regular in this game. He played the most pots at the table, but I had only been there for 30 minutes and so it could have just be a run of good cards.
The only history I have with him is a few hands before this one I had raised from the CO with 53o just to steal the blinds and because I wanted to splash around a little bit. He was the only caller, I C-bet the flop with just an inside straight draw, luck-boxed the turn and hit the straight, and got all three streets of value from him. He wasn't happy when he saw my cards.
Villain 2 CO $200: Have never played with him before and in the 30 minutes that I was there he had done nothing worth noticing really. Was a younger guy, about 27-30 years old.
Hero BB $190: Started with $100 and nearly doubled up with the hand above, but haven't really played much other than that until this hand. I'm a 28 year old guy who is wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.
The hand:
Hero (BB): $190
UTG
UTG+1
Villain 1 (UTG+2): $350
...
Villain 2 (CO): $200
BTN
Pre:
Folds to Villain 1 who raises to $15.
Folds to Villain 2 who calls $15.
Folds to Hero in the big blind who has AK.
Hero raises to $40.
Villain 1 calls $40.
Villain 2 folds.
Flop ($95~):J
T4
Hero?
Reads and History:
Table: I had just sat down at the table about 30 minutes before hand, but the table seemed to be playing loose-passive. Lots of limping preflop and players checking it down if they didn't hit anything. Players only seemed to be betting preflop with a decent hand and there were almost no 3 bets.
Villain 1 UTG+2 $350: He's a middle-aged guy who I had never played with before (this was only my 4th session at this casino), but everyone else knew him and so I assumed he was a regular in this game. He played the most pots at the table, but I had only been there for 30 minutes and so it could have just be a run of good cards.
The only history I have with him is a few hands before this one I had raised from the CO with 53o just to steal the blinds and because I wanted to splash around a little bit. He was the only caller, I C-bet the flop with just an inside straight draw, luck-boxed the turn and hit the straight, and got all three streets of value from him. He wasn't happy when he saw my cards.
Villain 2 CO $200: Have never played with him before and in the 30 minutes that I was there he had done nothing worth noticing really. Was a younger guy, about 27-30 years old.
Hero BB $190: Started with $100 and nearly doubled up with the hand above, but haven't really played much other than that until this hand. I'm a 28 year old guy who is wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.
The hand:
Hero (BB): $190
UTG
UTG+1
Villain 1 (UTG+2): $350
...
Villain 2 (CO): $200
BTN
Pre:
Folds to Villain 1 who raises to $15.
Folds to Villain 2 who calls $15.
Folds to Hero in the big blind who has A
K.Hero raises to $40.
Villain 1 calls $40.
Villain 2 folds.
Flop ($95~):J
T4Hero?
12-13-2011
, 01:33 PM
12-13-2011
, 02:30 PM
12-13-2011
, 02:34 PM
12-13-2011
, 02:36 PM
Quote:
So right now the general consensus is a raise to $65-70. It surprises me that this is the recommended raise amount in a pot that only has $30 in it right now. Is the purpose of this just to take the pot down right now? If we were in position would we consider raising for less, or are we just looking to play for stacks and this gives us a bigger pot to shove into?
More importantly, when sizing your raise, you need to take into account the size of your raise relative to the the size of pot. This concept took me a bit to master, and when I did the math it always surprised me that the raise I should make was bigger than what felt right "intuitively".
In this case, your opponent raises to $15 + 1 caller. Raising to $40 seems about right - it's $25 more than the original raise, right. But do the math. The pot is $30. With a raise to $40, you're really raising only $25 more on a $45 pot ($15 from V1+V2 + your $15 to call). Thus V1 only has to call $25 to win $70 - quite good odds in his eyes, and once V1 calls, V2 only has to call $25 to win $90! (and so on if there are 3 or 4 villains in for $15 - they all have "pot odds" and level themselves into calling).
One good rule of thumb is to think about making a "pot-sized" re-raise. In that case, with your call, the pot becomes $45. To make a pot-sized re-raise, you need to raise by $45 - thus making your total bet $60. $60 seems big, but as I said, when I started out, I was always raising what I felt was the right amount, but was too small mathematically.
Apologies if this explanation is too simple-minded or covers what you already knew.
12-13-2011
, 02:44 PM
12-13-2011
, 03:15 PM
Quote:
I agree with the others on raise sizing. We're OOP, and I'd rather play against 1 caller than two (although two isn't horrible). Thus the raise needs to be a bit bigger than I would make if I was in position.
More importantly, when sizing your raise, you need to take into account the size of your raise relative to the the size of pot. This concept took me a bit to master, and when I did the math it always surprised me that the raise I should make was bigger than what felt right "intuitively".
In this case, your opponent raises to $15 + 1 caller. Raising to $40 seems about right - it's $25 more than the original raise, right. But do the math. The pot is $30. With a raise to $40, you're really raising only $25 more on a $45 pot ($15 from V1+V2 + your $15 to call). Thus V1 only has to call $25 to win $70 - quite good odds in his eyes, and once V1 calls, V2 only has to call $25 to win $90! (and so on if there are 3 or 4 villains in for $15 - they all have "pot odds" and level themselves into calling).
One good rule of thumb is to think about making a "pot-sized" re-raise. In that case, with your call, the pot becomes $45. To make a pot-sized re-raise, you need to raise by $45 - thus making your total bet $60. $60 seems big, but as I said, when I started out, I was always raising what I felt was the right amount, but was too small mathematically.
Apologies if this explanation is too simple-minded or covers what you already knew.
More importantly, when sizing your raise, you need to take into account the size of your raise relative to the the size of pot. This concept took me a bit to master, and when I did the math it always surprised me that the raise I should make was bigger than what felt right "intuitively".
In this case, your opponent raises to $15 + 1 caller. Raising to $40 seems about right - it's $25 more than the original raise, right. But do the math. The pot is $30. With a raise to $40, you're really raising only $25 more on a $45 pot ($15 from V1+V2 + your $15 to call). Thus V1 only has to call $25 to win $70 - quite good odds in his eyes, and once V1 calls, V2 only has to call $25 to win $90! (and so on if there are 3 or 4 villains in for $15 - they all have "pot odds" and level themselves into calling).
One good rule of thumb is to think about making a "pot-sized" re-raise. In that case, with your call, the pot becomes $45. To make a pot-sized re-raise, you need to raise by $45 - thus making your total bet $60. $60 seems big, but as I said, when I started out, I was always raising what I felt was the right amount, but was too small mathematically.
Apologies if this explanation is too simple-minded or covers what you already knew.
Thanks for all of the good replies so far guys.
12-13-2011
, 05:17 PM
Quote:
This reminds me of two hands I played this weekend at 1/3. First, I had AQs in first position. I limp-overcalled a raise to $10 from MP (button also called). Flopped ace and button and I called down $20 flop, $30 turn, $40 river on a dry board. Took down a pretty nice pot with no aggression. On the surface, this looks like pretty weak play, but I felt the better was bluffing (which he was) and the button was calling him with a weaker ace (also true).
Next pot was AKo in BB. 8 of 9 hands called pf at a loose passive table. By the time it got to me, I knew I would have to make a huge bet to steal blinds, I just planned to play a small pot or fold. (I really like being in position, especially w pair draws). Flop was A97, sb bets ten, I raise $25 and we go heads-up. I put him on a smaller ace, thinking he'd think he was good since no pfr. Instead he had 97 and boated up on river for 3 streets of value ($40 on turn, $100 on river).
The lesson: don't change lines mid-stream. The first hand, I decided to play slow/pot control the whole hand, and it paid off. I planned the same approach for the next hand, but when sb showed interest I decided to change tack. If I had just called him down, I probably would have only invested $50 at most, instead of $168.
In your hand, you seem to average the two approaches, not wanting to decide whether to slowplay or take control. I'd say either approach is better than neither, and whichever you take, stick to your role throughout the hand.
Next pot was AKo in BB. 8 of 9 hands called pf at a loose passive table. By the time it got to me, I knew I would have to make a huge bet to steal blinds, I just planned to play a small pot or fold. (I really like being in position, especially w pair draws). Flop was A97, sb bets ten, I raise $25 and we go heads-up. I put him on a smaller ace, thinking he'd think he was good since no pfr. Instead he had 97 and boated up on river for 3 streets of value ($40 on turn, $100 on river).
The lesson: don't change lines mid-stream. The first hand, I decided to play slow/pot control the whole hand, and it paid off. I planned the same approach for the next hand, but when sb showed interest I decided to change tack. If I had just called him down, I probably would have only invested $50 at most, instead of $168.
In your hand, you seem to average the two approaches, not wanting to decide whether to slowplay or take control. I'd say either approach is better than neither, and whichever you take, stick to your role throughout the hand.
You would have made more money by raising and betting for value for 3 streets, just because it worked here it doesn't make your play +ev to c/c all the way.Second hand rather shows you what happens when you don't 3bet squeeze an hand for value and then get value towned by an hand that wouldn't have most likely seen a flop because you think that TPTK is a disguised hand in a multiway pot on an A high dry flop .