answer20

B/F is a great to look at this situation. My first thought was to put yourself IP more often since its where you are most comfortable betting these tough Rivers. Of course you cant always do that and need to try to play well from every position. Another way to get more value if you are uncomfortable on the River is to bet more on Flop and Turn so the pot is 'big enough' going into the River that you wont feel shorted if it checks through.

Another way to do this would be to check through more Turns OOP and then bet out on River even if its a scare card. Every time you give an opponent a free card doesn't mean you missed out on value and there is something to be said for pot control if you are in an uncomfortable position or the board is a bit scary. I see TONS of Turns get checked through in tournament hand histories, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good play for cash 'most of the time'.

Regulars will pick up any pattern you present to them, so mix things up. Betting out is the only way to get value. Once you feel comfortable betting out, then all you have to do is start to regulate your bet sizing to get the max call from weaker holdings. GL

Typical survey ... asking the same questions differnently to gage similar responses. Survey results are always interesting ... Enjoy is you please.

Apparently most of you didn't know that Stu Ungar and Chip Reese were living a double life ... I certainly didn't ...

On the main hand in question here ... yes, the BB wants to lead out or just smooth the raise and see what happens in both cases. This is a very dangerous board with 'just' one pair and only 6 cards that can help you improve if you are behind. I folded both AA and KK in other hands yesterday post-Flop ... and was right in both cases.

I may be giving a 'results' orientated remarks, but I was 'in the zone' yesterday but trying to keep myself in check for the next session.

Big time 'Thank you' to this hand as I just won a very nice pot yesterday with similar action. I held QsJh in late position .. 1-2NL (plays more like 2-5) ... I opened ($550 stack)for $12 and was raised by Button ($200 stack, VERY TIGHT) to $30 and then the SB ($475, VERY LOOSE) and I flat.

Flop is KsQcJs ... SB and I check and Button puts out $75, SB smooths. I pause while putting SB on a draw, maybe combo draw. He didn't isolate Button pre-Flop as I think he would have with me in the hand. He was very tilty from losing an $800 stack a short time ago also. The Button was a harder choice since I can only put him on AA, KK, QQ, JJ or AK from pre-Flop action. From his larger than normal Flop bet size though I put him on AA or AK, not a set. Even though the flush draw was out there I knew this opponent doesn't put much stock in people drawing to flushes to the point where he (as we all shoud I guess) encourages people to try and draw out on him.

So I decide to isolate Button and take my chances with SB in a side pot by shoving. Button kinda grumbles but calls and SB insta-calls!! Thought I might be in trouble, but both reads were spot on as Button turned AKd and SB turned over A8s. All 3 of us agreed to run it twice as this was a fairly large pot. The first board blanked out so I was in the clear and the 2nd board Rivered an Ace for a chop of the main, but I took all of the side from SB. I was actually thinking about this discussion during my thought process after the Flop.

Putting it into the odds calculator I see I am only 45% to win it all and 60% to win the side going to the Turn so it was quite a big 'flip' but I was priced into the main very nicely and a favorite for the side. On the outside looking in it was probably a pretty silly move on my end, but I went with my pyhsical reads to narrow their ranges and was right (this time).

Any thoughts on this one??