i completed in the small blind because i figured there were enuf players in case i hit some great hand for a discount.

From his raise i Figured he was strong, but didn't have any read on him as it was like the 5th hand i played.


Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
2+2 Hand Converter Powered By DeucesCracked

MP1: $7.90
MP2: $21.25
CO: $76.30
BTN: $22.30
Hero (SB): $24.85
BB: $13.60
UTG: $10.35
UTG+1: $17.65
UTG+2: $24.90

Pre Flop: Hero is SB with 4 9
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.25, 1 fold, MP1 calls $0.25, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.15, BB checks

Flop: ($1.00) J T 8 (4 players)
Hero bets $0.50, BB raises to $2.50, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, Hero raises to $24.60 all in, BB calls $10.85 all in

Turn: ($27.70) 4 (2 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($27.70) 5 (2 players - 2 are all in)

Fold preflop. Completing hands like this is a big leak. If you have some compulsion to play it, don't complete, raise.

Flop is meh. You have no fold equity against a shorty who's just raised and you have no idea if all your outs are clean. Also, bet more. Check-raising is probably a better idea than leading anyway, since it buys you some fold equity against an auto-bet and it lets you see some of the action behind you before you commit anything (ie: if I check, BB bets and there's a call I'm probably ditching because it's likely one of them has a better draw.)

I'm pretty sure you know that this is too aggro. The times you force a flop fold and win $4 are going to be far outweighed by the times you get called down drawing as a 2 to 1 dog or worse and blowing your stack.

crazy. everyone at all of my tables tonight made plays like this CONSTANTLY and it drove me NUTS.

So, if you want to tilt your opponents- keep it up! could be interesting strat. imo

you really need more than just the draw working for you

Wow don't complete with this hand, ever. Don't shove.

thanks guys. I realize this is spewage but would like to get a clearer idea so that I can balance my game out more.

1. The "don't complete this ever" lesson is well learned, i just wish that it didn't cost me about $25, but I guess that it is better than it costing $2500.

2.I guess that I am a little new to the idea of real aggression and the willingness to use it. Part of me feels like i could almost be bet out of any pot by someone who does this to me, so I figure by working on my aggressiveness I should be able to (jesus zinx that animated gif is hot but distracting! Is that from a movie?) get past that weakness in my game.

3. Not shoving with an open ended str8 draw when the guy is short stacked like that, ok, is that because there
a) isn't enough in his stack to make the push profitable?
b) it won't come in frequently enough
c) his short stack at this point will lower my fold equity

thanks.

Actually, the bigger the stack, the worse pushing is from an equity perspective because you are way behind 1 pair hands:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=4498677
pokenum -h 4s 9c - ac jc -- jh th 8s
Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing 8s Jh Th
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
4s 9c 299 30.20 667 67.37 24 2.42 0.314
Ac Jc 667 67.37 299 30.20 24 2.42 0.686

Given the $1.50 in dead money, pushing would be correct from an equity standpoint if his stack was $1.22 or less. The bigger his stack, the worse the error if you push.

No, the problem is he'll come in too much.

Yes! To be profitable, pushing draws relies on fold equity. While you have some pot equity, much of your value comes from pushing players out of the pot.

Short stacks generally want to stack off with at least top pair (if not much worse) and this guy's already 1/4 of his stack in the pot. The chance he's ever folding is very, very low.

In addition, in a spot like this it's very possible he either already has the straight, or he has both a better hand than you AND a better draw, like KQ.

thats awesome man, thank you.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=H7zv21iYXec