Relatively new to poker, but feel like I'm having a bit of a downswing lately.
I steal some pots, build up my stack and then lose it all in a big hand.
These situations keep happening:
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PokerStars Zoom No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (6 handed) - PokerStars Converter Tool from http://www.flopturnriver.com
SB had A, A (two pair, Aces and nines).
BB had Q, Q (full house, Queens over nines).
Outcome: BB won $4.07
I have AA and open 3bb from SB. IMO, villain has looser 3bet range PF here due to the wide opening range of the SB (Me). When calling my 4bet I put him on like 1010+, lowest being like AJs maybe some stray KQs
On the flop the pot is allready huge. Only hand that effectively beats me is QQ. Only QQ, KK and AQ would call my all in here, so I try to bet a bit less to let JJ stay in the pot and maybe some stray QKs type of hand.
Turn is safe, and need to shove. Villain turns up with QQ, imo effectively the ONLY hand in his range to beat me.
This seems to happen sooooooo often lately, seems like whenever I play a big pot they seem to have those hand in their range that beats me.
My question is could I have played this better? What am I missing? Or is this just a cooler and I should forget about it and move on?
Look at your bet sizing on the flop. You're betting more than half your remaining stack - if he's calling that, he's calling a shove, so either just shove or bet smaller if you're afraid of scaring him off.
Look at your bet sizing on the flop. You're betting more than half your remaining stack - if he's calling that, he's calling a shove, so either just shove or bet smaller if you're afraid of scaring him off.
Pretty much this, I think shoving especially at these stakes is by far and away the best play. Sometimes you'll be beat, most of the time you won't be.
If the board was drier than it was I'd favour betting smaller and shoving most turns.
With the stack sizes in play, I am having trouble imagining a line that does not get you all in. If you can find a line here that preserves part of your stack, it is almost definitely leaving too much value on the table for all the times the villain does not have a set, but instead has top pair, an overpair, or a draw.
Also very very very important. Make a note that villain calls QQ in situations like this rather than shoving and keep an eye on how he reacts with other hands in similar spots. It means you get to own his soul going forward.
The game is already over and you won. The rest is just variance. Villain cannot call your 4 bet. Once he does, he's already lost because 25% of his stack went in as a big dog.
Having said that, you should probably shove this wet flop, but as I said you've already won so technically it doesn't matter much how you play it as long as the money goes in by the river.
Not an internet guy, but I'm not imagining in a 6-handed zoom game that this guy intended to flat a 4-bet and fold to 'any' A/Kxx Flop for 40% of his stack. If so, then you want to play against this guy a lot as you will get your money back.
No real reason to value bet this Flop when you will be offering 5 to 1 on a call once the River comes out. "No discounts for flush/straight draws here" Although the math isn't perfect, neither of you should be folding to 'any' River AP. GL