6 replies to this topic

[Scott31]

I got moved before I got the HH on this one, so I can't use the converter....sorry.Anyway, I"m playing a MTT on UB with 400 or so participants and I'm having a good run. The blinds are at 20-40 and I'm already up to 5K in chips. I've taken notes on most of the guys at the table and have some pretty good reads on them. OK, here goesAaron: 1200 in chips (I read him on Ax)Scott: 5000 chips (JTs)He raises UTG to 100 and it's folded around to me in the bb with 10Js. Keep in mind, I'm in big stack mode, so I'm liking this situation. Reads:Aaron seems to be raising just about any crappy ace and I noted this. He usually raises the weaker aces, like A6 the minimum, but he popped this one a bit harder, so I'm reading him as stronger and plus, it was UTG. He always follows up his raises on the flop with a pot bet, whether he hit anything or not. So far, I haven't seem him bet with any pair on the flop, but just a coincidence. Flop:89K rainbow....a strong OESD and a backdoor flush draw. I check to him expecting a flop bet with nothing (hopefully)....I'm not disappointed as he bets out for around 300. I thought for a second and then raised him all in, figuring he has zilch. If he did hit it, I still have several outs. It was a raise of 900 and change and is a hefty amount this early in the tourney. Thoughts? I'll give the results after some comments, but I personally am not too thrilled about the way I played it, but I'll give my thoughts after a few people chime in.

[custom36]

Preflop - I like this call. You're using your chip stack properly from the big blind. It's 80 to call and you could hit a big hand.Flop - This is a raise/fold situation. Me? I lean towards folding here. However, this could definately be a bluff since he's overbetting the pot. I won't complain about the reraise.

[Wily]

I'd bet out 300 or so, and hopefully push him off if he has AJ or 55 or something of that nature. Why give him the chance to pot commit himself when you don't have nearly a made hand yet? He might feel that he has to go all in with or A 9 or something, because you check raised him, and you probably still just have 30% to win. After all, you don't actually want to go all in on this flop, do you?

[Scott31]

Yep, the check on the flop was where I was kicking myself. I should've led out in retrospect. Maybe not as strong as 300, but I was thinking around 150 or 200. No, I don't want an all in here. If I lead out and get raised, then que sera sera, I'm willing to gamble a little bit more with a big stack early.

[akishore]

did you have more information?does he lay down hands, or is he a calling station?if you bet into him, does he raise with anything (since he bets with anything if you check to him)?i, for one, don't mind how you played it at all. i think it's solid power poker, putting the pressure on him. the only thing is, i think you underestimate the possibility of him having a pocket pair, and a lot of fish will not lay down a pocket pair to an all-in even with (an) overcard(s) on the board.i think it's similar to daniel's play--he read his opponent as weak and just pushed on that flop. his read was right; unfortunately, his opponent hit the flop and called. similarly, if you read that he'll bet with anything, check-raising him all-in is powerful, and i don't mind it one bit.i actually think you played it fine, but the key piece of information is those two questions above. if you can answer them, i think you'll have a better sense of what you should have done.aseem

[Scott31]

Quote

does he lay down hands, or is he a calling station?

Well, yes, I have seem him lay down hands after he bets out strong, b ut I only saw him lay it down on the subsequent streets.I remember one hand where he raised PF and then got bet into and he laid down his weak ace....not that hard of a lay down, he had nothing.Anyway, I reraised him all in and he quickly called with A4!?!!!!That's right ladies and gentleman. He loved his ace high enough to push in another 600 chips early in the tourney. The turn and river were blanks and I took a big hit. In retrospect, considering I had a strong read on the guy, I would've liked to have led at the pot rather than giving him a chance to "pot commit" himself (even though he really wasn't, he obviously felt he was). A PP was definitely a possibility, but the odds are it was another crappy ace, so I felt confident in my play at the time, but was not too happy when he turned over just an ace. Ugh. I think leading at the flop takes it down. I might be just overthinking this one, because there's no way any sane player makes that call with A4.

[Swift_Psycho]

What about calling on the flop and then putting him all in on the turn unless an Ace hits?Edit: Sorry, didn't see that you already posted the result. I still think my idea might work though. Unless he really felt "pot committed."