Ok another hand from crazy 2/5 NL max 200 buy in Bellagio game....


It is my first session while in Vegas. I have just sat down about 2 circuits ago and I am on the button.

Dont have any reads on anyone really except the BB who has already established himself as a complete donk.

So I am on the button with about 190 in chips and it is folded around to me. I take a peek and see Q9 suited (clubs). I figure with position I should put some pressure on the blinds so I raise it to 15 total.

SB who has about 450 in chips thinks for a bit and calls. BB also calls.


Flop comes Q, 3, 2 rainbow.


SB checks, BB checks, I figure I must be ahead so I bet 25 bucks. SB, thinks a little, then raises! me to 55 total. Kind of an odd raise out of nowhere. BB folds and now I admit I am totally confused by this checkraise.

Is he slowplaying a monster like AA or KK?? Did he call my pre flop raise with garbage like Q2 or even 2,3. I dont think he would check raise with a low set here. Does he think I am on a button steal?? maybe he has pocket sevens and thinks I am bluffing.

I decided to call and see what he did on the turn....

Turn comes the beautiful, sexy 9 of diamonds. Now I am positive I am ahead as I dont see him having a set.

He leads out with a big bet, I re-raise all in a little more and he calls. He flips over AQ and is disgusted (rightfully so) when I flip over Q9. river is a blank and I double up.

Now, obviously I got lucky here. But would you guys have folded to the check raise on the flop? Was I wrong to consider he may have just been playing back at me bc he put me on a button steal? Could I have put him on a solid Ace when he didnt reraise me preflop? Advice welcome, thanks in advance.


Cane.

How did you come to that conclusion?

I didnt think he would check raise the flop with a low set on a rainbow board. Most people will slowplay there.....sure a great player will fastplay to throw you....but I didnt see him as being the type to do that.

Just my gut feeling based on the evidence.

If he had flipped over pocket 3s or something then yeah I would have been tricked.

Cane, I think folding to the flop check-raise is very read dependent. Check-raises typically scream strength, and we really can't beat anything strong here. Basically, I need to know that my opponent is very tricky and reads me for steal in order to call here.

Also, just calling AQ here pre-flop OOP isn't so bad. He probably should've raised more on the check-raise though.

I think you should raise more preflop. around $20 or $25.

Yeah, I agree with this.

If he re raised me more than just 30 on the flop I probably fold. He needed to make it at least 20 more dollars to get me out.....

His check-raise amount is what is making this a confusing hand for you. If he put in a "proper" check-raise amount, it is an easy fold/push for you (depends on your personal style, your reads etc). He basically min-raised you though, which tells me that he is a donk OR he does have the goods (ie. a set).