Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Who wouldn't play this hand?

You are in the BB in a limit game. MP raises. Two others call. You look down and see 4 2 offsuit. Is there a reason you wouldn't call?

If you hit the flop, chances are great you are taking down a monster. Especially if an A or K is on the board. Best yet, you have the chance to tilt someone or have them think you will play any two cards.

That is exactly what happened to me while playing last night. Flop came down 2 2 K. It checked to the button who bet. But I was the only one who called. That sucked. When a 3 hit the turn, I check raised. I then bet the river and got two more bets out of him. He had A K.

He then proceeded to give me a ton of action. Not respecting my raises and calling down with A or even K high. Nice action for what I believe was properly playing my blind.

Of course it wasn't all rosy tonight. I busted out of a tournament half way through. I had made a nice comeback from 600 up to 3700. I maximized my hand twice to double through on a set and a flopped straight.

But I went out on play that I still can't believe my opponent called. Tell me if he/she played this hand well: UTG limps. I am UTG+1 and I raise it the pot with A J clubs. It folds to the limper. He calls. Flop comes 9 2 6, 2 clubs. UTG bets the min. The pot is at 1300. I have about 2100 behind, my opponent 3700. I push. I figure I represented a big hand preflop and that I don't want him to have a cheap draw. He thinks and calls with 5 5. No help and I am done.

Should I have pushed? If I make pot size raise, I don't know if he gets out of the hand. Is pushing screaming I don't want to see another card? How can they call with two overcards on the board? Especially with a low pair?

Aahhh! Questions. Please, give me some answers.

2 comments:

Fat Dan said...

I like the first call if there are a few other people coming with you. No problem trying to get lucky. I would however not make a habit of it.


On the second hand, I think that your opponent definately felt that he was in a way ahead way behind type of situation. You either had a higher pair or you had overcards. There is nothing on the flop that scares him because I doubt you would raise preflop with the ole 69er. So he takes a gamble that unless a card T or Higher hits the board, he is ahead. Actaully not a bad call for him if he is in a gambling mood, or if he has a a read on how you play overcards and overpairs.

LAYGO said...

Excellent analysis Fat Dan. I ran into a similar situation in a tournament SUN night.

QcTc on a flop w/2 clubs, 8 high, & a table image of showing down good cards with a 75%-80% win rate, I bet 75% of a guys stack & he thinks for a moment & pushes all-in w/33 after I had raised preflop UTG. I called & didn't improve w/my 15outs.