I hope this post is easy to read, as it is my first. Here are three hands from a couple of months ago against the same opponent. I posted the results of Hand 1 because it is not of much concern. I could have made a value-raise, but at the time I thought he would fold an ace to any raise. I was hoping he had semi-bluffed the turn and hit his flush. However, it goes well with the other hands. I will post results and my reasons for acting as I acted later. I am interested in what you think of my lines and what you think should have been my river play. Anything else is also appreciated.

Hand 1: ½ NL $200 max buy-in. Both relevant stacks are at about $200. Both of us just came into the game within the last five hands. He has no read on me. However, all the dealers know Villain (I would later find out that his mother worked there, he played there frequently, and he had recently gone through dealer school and was trying to get a job there). Villain handles himself like he knows what he is doing.

Full Table.
Hero: 5:heart: 5:diamond: in MP
Villain is SB.

Preflop: Hero, Cutoff, Button limp, Small Blind completes, Big Blind checks his option.

Flop ($10): 5:spade: 6:heart: 6:club:

Checks Around

Turn ($10): A:spade:

Villain bets $15, Hero calls, others fold.

River($45): 9:spade:

Villain bets $30, Hero pushes, Villain folds.

Hand 2: 2/5 NL, $300 max buy-in. Hero has around $525.Villain has a little over $800. Hero and Villain have played around eleven hours with each other over the last two days. Villain is a tricky, thinking player, very LAG pre-flop but pretty in-line post-flop. He is capable of making big plays if he senses weakness but not quite as good at laying down a hand. Hero is seen as rather tight. Most pots are won without showdown, all cards shown down have been premium or close. Hero and Villain have not played many pots against each other because there was much easier money on the table. He probably views me as TAG, with a ton of post-flop aggression but slightly less pre-flop aggression. He knows I can make the right fold in the big spot. Also, for what it’s worth, I have not had all my chips at risk since Hand 1, which was played the previous evening.

5 handed.
Hero: J:spade: 10:spade: UTG
Villain has the Button

Pre-flop: Hero Limps, MP Folds, Villain raises to $25 from the button, both blinds fold, Hero Calls.

Flop ($57): Q:spade: 9:diamond: 5:spade:

Hero bets $35, Villain calls

Turn ($127): 2:heart:

Hero checks, Villain bets $50, Hero calls.

River ($227): 9:spade:

What’s your line here?

Hand 3: Same table as hand 2. Hero is around $1000. Villain is around $400. However, the table has loosened up a ton, to the point where AK high is good for a 400 pot at showdown with betting on every street a few hands after this hand. SB is the loosest player at the table, calling down with A8 high no draw on the AK hand. BB is ‘just trying to break even, just let me break even’.

6 handed.
Hero: Q:heart: Q:diamond: UTG+1
Villain has the Button

Preflop: UTG Folds, Hero raises to $20, MP folds, Villain calls from the button, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop ($80): J:spade: 8:diamond: 5:heart:

Hero bets $50, Villain calls, others fold.

Turn ($180): K:spade:

Hero checks, Villain bets $70, Hero calls.

River ($320): 2:diamond:

What’s your line here?
[/list]

You said that he's only shown down premium hands or close. Is $25 the standard raise? It seems like a large raise for 2/5 NL. If he's in-line most of the time post flop it would be very logical he is value betting IE: $35 into a $57 pot. His pre-flop raise tells us he's packing something we just don't know what yet. Then he fires $35, I think a raise is needed here to find out where you are, and it will conceal the fact that you're on the come. Also remember you don't have good position, so a fold pre-flop might be in line 5 handed.



Definitly not a scare card for the Villain. Now you check, again, no information on the hand. Now the Villain fires $50 into a $127 pot. It could be a continued semi-bluff, but most likely he has a strong hand. With a bet of $50, I might say he has AsQs or set, again, there's not that much betting information on the Villain.



That's not the spade you wanted. One, it pairs the board so any set just filled up, which puts you dead in the water. Two, you only have a J high flush so if he was semi-bluffing with the nut flush draw, he just got there so you're in a whole lot of trouble.

The worst thing is you got what you were looking for the flush but there is a good chance your beat, I think your going to have to make a miracle lay down but most likely you pay Villain off here, and hey he could just have AQoff which would give you a gigantic pot. I also am very Tight so I give players who have me stacked more than the usual credit.

[quote=jdavidfix]Hand 3: Same table as hand 2. Hero is around $1000. Villain is around $400. However, the table has loosened up a ton, to the point where AK high is good for a 400 pot at showdown with betting on every street a few hands after this hand. SB is the loosest player at the table, calling down with A8 high no draw on the AK hand. BB is ‘just trying to break even, just let me break even’.

6 handed.
Hero: Q:heart: Q:diamond: UTG+1
Villain has the Button

Preflop: UTG Folds, Hero raises to $20, MP folds, Villain calls from the button, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop ($80): J:spade: 8:diamond: 5:heart:

Hero bets $50, Villain calls, others fold.

Turn ($180): K:spade:

Hero checks, Villain bets $70, Hero calls.

River ($320): 2:diamond:

What’s your line here?[list]

This hand seems much more standard to me. The Villain once again could have a large range of hands. I would say he's limping here with Q10, QJ, KQ, KJ, AK, AQ, even 55's or 88's with a raise up front.

You bet $50 and he calls. That shows he has some strength, there's not much he could call with on that flop unless he's holding AJ or KJ, when the K comes on the turn you check. I would probably fire out around $90, half the pot, if he can call that then you know your up against a hand.

So there's over $300 in the pot and you've called the turn, river comes a rag. You have two option with how much money is in the pot. You can either bet/call or check/call. I don't think your going to want to put anymore money in the pot with an overcard staring you in the face. But there's way to much money in the pot to fold. I would check/call this river and hope he doesn't have KJ for two pair.

[quote=jdavidfix]I hope this post is easy to read, as it is my first. Here are three hands from a couple of months ago against the same opponent. I posted the results of Hand 1 because it is not of much concern. I could have made a value-raise, but at the time I thought he would fold an ace to any raise. I was hoping he had semi-bluffed the turn and hit his flush. However, it goes well with the other hands. I will post results and my reasons for acting as I acted later. I am interested in what you think of my lines and what you think should have been my river play. Anything else is also appreciated.

Hand 1: ½ NL $200 max buy-in. Both relevant stacks are at about $200. Both of us just came into the game within the last five hands. He has no read on me. However, all the dealers know Villain (I would later find out that his mother worked there, he played there frequently, and he had recently gone through dealer school and was trying to get a job there). Villain handles himself like he knows what he is doing.

Full Table.
Hero: 5:heart: 5:diamond: in MP
Villain is SB.

Preflop: Hero, Cutoff, Button limp, Small Blind completes, Big Blind checks his option.

Flop ($10): 5:spade: 6:heart: 6:club:

Checks Around

Turn ($10): A:spade:

Villain bets $15, Hero calls, others fold.

River($45): 9:spade:

Villain bets $30, Hero pushes, Villain folds.

Hand 2: 2/5 NL, $300 max buy-in. Hero has around $525.Villain has a little over $800. Hero and Villain have played around eleven hours with each other over the last two days. Villain is a tricky, thinking player, very LAG pre-flop but pretty in-line post-flop. He is capable of making big plays if he senses weakness but not quite as good at laying down a hand. Hero is seen as rather tight. Most pots are won without showdown, all cards shown down have been premium or close. Hero and Villain have not played many pots against each other because there was much easier money on the table. He probably views me as TAG, with a ton of post-flop aggression but slightly less pre-flop aggression. He knows I can make the right fold in the big spot. Also, for what it’s worth, I have not had all my chips at risk since Hand 1, which was played the previous evening.

5 handed.
Hero: J:spade: 10:spade: UTG
Villain has the Button

Pre-flop: Hero Limps, MP Folds, Villain raises to $25 from the button, both blinds fold, Hero Calls.

Flop ($57): Q:spade: 9:diamond: 5:spade:

Hero bets $35, Villain calls

Turn ($127): 2:heart:

Hero checks, Villain bets $50, Hero calls.

River ($227): 9:spade:

What’s your line here?

Hand 3: Same table as hand 2. Hero is around $1000. Villain is around $400. However, the table has loosened up a ton, to the point where AK high is good for a 400 pot at showdown with betting on every street a few hands after this hand. SB is the loosest player at the table, calling down with A8 high no draw on the AK hand. BB is ‘just trying to break even, just let me break even’.

6 handed.
Hero: Q:heart: Q:diamond: UTG+1
Villain has the Button

Preflop: UTG Folds, Hero raises to $20, MP folds, Villain calls from the button, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop ($80): J:spade: 8:diamond: 5:heart:

Hero bets $50, Villain calls, others fold.

Turn ($180): K:spade:

Hero checks, Villain bets $70, Hero calls.

River ($320): 2:diamond:

What’s your line here?[list]

Hand 1: River spade is either your money card or a bad card. I believe you pushed in for $180 on the river with $75 in the pot. I would raise to only $100 because he probably has a big ace. If he poorly slow-played a set of sixes, he could still call. And if he did make his flush, you'll probably hear right back from him.

Hand 2: I don't mind check/calling this river, as the 9 may have filled his spade draw or possibly even made his boat. But I also don't mind leading out for 2/3 of the pot and re-evaluating upon a raise.

Hand 3: River obviously does not help him. He may have called the flop out of position with AK in hopes that one or both of the blinds would call to better justify his call. I'm thinking KJ, AJ, maybe a set. Maybe 10 9 ? Not sure what villain has here, so I would have check/raised the turn to apply pressure, then check river and re-evaluate (probably call). But if he calls your re-raise on turn and bets the river, you almost have to fold unless his bet is very small, even with a LAG table. I'm really not sure on this hand, perhaps someone else will have better advice.

Just my 2c. Great first post, welcome to the board!

I am the one who has only shown down premium hands. Pre-flop, he could make this raise with pretty much anything from the button. He likes to play big pots with deceptive hands. When I call pre-flop, he puts me on a big hand. I bet the flop, he called. Right then, I knew exactly where I was. I will explain that later, though, because to do it now would be to give away the hand.

Sorry for the mis-read. I would put him on an Ax off if he's LAG.

[quote=The Bwaves][quote=jdavidfix]Hand 2: 2/5 NL, $300 max buy-in. Hero has around $525.Villain has a little over $800. Hero and Villain have played around eleven hours with each other over the last two days. Villain is a tricky, thinking player, very LAG pre-flop but pretty in-line post-flop. He is capable of making big plays if he senses weakness but not quite as good at laying down a hand. Hero is seen as rather tight. Most pots are won without showdown, all cards shown down have been premium or close. Hero and Villain have not played many pots against each other because there was much easier money on the table. He probably views me as TAG, with a ton of post-flop aggression but slightly less pre-flop aggression. He knows I can make the right fold in the big spot. Also, for what it’s worth, I have not had all my chips at risk since Hand 1, which was played the previous evening.

5 handed.
Hero: J:spade: 10:spade: UTG
Villain has the Button

Pre-flop: Hero Limps, MP Folds, Villain raises to $25 from the button, both blinds fold, Hero Calls.

Flop ($57): Q:spade: 9:diamond: 5:spade:

Hero bets $35, Villain calls[/quote]

You said that he's only shown down premium hands or close. Is $25 the standard raise? It seems like a large raise for 2/5 NL. If he's in-line most of the time post flop it would be very logical he is value betting IE: $35 into a $57 pot. His pre-flop raise tells us he's packing something we just don't know what yet. Then he fires $35, I think a raise is needed here to find out where you are, and it will conceal the fact that you're on the come. Also remember you don't have good position, so a fold pre-flop might be in line 5 handed.

[quote=jdavidfix]Turn ($127): 2:heart:

Hero checks, Villain bets $50, Hero calls.[/quote]

Definitly not a scare card for the Villain. Now you check, again, no information on the hand. Now the Villain fires $50 into a $127 pot. It could be a continued semi-bluff, but most likely he has a strong hand. With a bet of $50, I might say he has AsQs or set, again, there's not that much betting information on the Villain.

[quote=jdavidfix]River ($227): 9:spade:

What’s your line here?[/quote]

That's not the spade you wanted. One, it pairs the board so any set just filled up, which puts you dead in the water. Two, you only have a J high flush so if he was semi-bluffing with the nut flush draw, he just got there so you're in a whole lot of trouble.

The worst thing is you got what you were looking for the flush but there is a good chance your beat, I think your going to have to make a miracle lay down but most likely you pay Villain off here, and hey he could just have AQoff which would give you a gigantic pot. I also am very Tight so I give players who have me stacked more than the usual credit.

[quote=jdavidfix]Hand 3: Same table as hand 2. Hero is around $1000. Villain is around $400. However, the table has loosened up a ton, to the point where AK high is good for a 400 pot at showdown with betting on every street a few hands after this hand. SB is the loosest player at the table, calling down with A8 high no draw on the AK hand. BB is ‘just trying to break even, just let me break even’.

6 handed.
Hero: Q:heart: Q:diamond: UTG+1
Villain has the Button

Preflop: UTG Folds, Hero raises to $20, MP folds, Villain calls from the button, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop ($80): J:spade: 8:diamond: 5:heart:

Hero bets $50, Villain calls, others fold.

Turn ($180): K:spade:

Hero checks, Villain bets $70, Hero calls.

River ($320): 2:diamond:

What’s your line here?[list]

This hand seems much more standard to me. The Villain once again could have a large range of hands. I would say he's limping here with Q10, QJ, KQ, KJ, AK, AQ, even 55's or 88's with a raise up front.

You bet $50 and he calls. That shows he has some strength, there's not much he could call with on that flop unless he's holding AJ or KJ, when the K comes on the turn you check. I would probably fire out around $90, half the pot, if he can call that then you know your up against a hand.

So there's over $300 in the pot and you've called the turn, river comes a rag. You have two option with how much money is in the pot. You can either bet/call or check/call. I don't think your going to want to put anymore money in the pot with an overcard staring you in the face. But there's way to much money in the pot to fold. I would check/call this river and hope he doesn't have KJ for two pair.[/quote]



I just don't get this comment. The person is in late position and raises 4x the bb plus the $5 for the limper. whats so out of line with that raise?

I do not think Ax is a possibility unless it is suited. Even if he has AK off, I think he may fold on the flop. Remember, he and I are not playing many hands against each other because we respect each other. I know my bet on the flop screams that I have AQ, 1010, JJ, 55, 99, or maybe KQ to him, but no less than those hands. When he just calls, he does not have no pair unless he has my hand in a different suit. He raises with A K on the flop. He definitely takes the free card on the turn if he has the nut flush draw with a rag. He knows I am not going anywhere unless he makes a ridiculous overbet.



$20 is the standard raise at the table. $25 with one limper is perfectly normal.

To anyone interested, here are the results with my thinking on each street of the last two hands.

Hand 2: When I bet on the flop, I know Villain most likely puts me on the Q. I asked him after the hand, and he confirmed that he thought I had top pair, and said he never thought I had a hand like J 10 . When he called on the flop, I thought he had either AA, KK, a set of 9s, or a set of 5s, although 5s were very unlikely. He is not raising 55 that often. He would rather raise suited connectors or something of that nature. His turn bet just confirmed my read. If he had the nut flush draw, he takes the card for free because he knows I am at least calling. If he has A:spade:K:spade: he is definitely coming over the top on the flop seeing as how he thinks I have a Q. The whole way he thought I had top pair, and I know he thought that and knew he had that beat. The river 9:spade: actually makes my decision easier. I now doubt he has the case 9s for quads, and I already doubted he had 5s. I knew he thought I had a Q, so knowing that I doubt he has what are in his mind the case Qs for quads. He can only have AA or KK. I took the non-standard route on the river. I checked. He made a semi-value bet of about $80. I pushed in. He thought for a while and called. I flipped it over and he mucked AA. He confirmed later that he was completely lost in the hand as to what I had and never considered a draw.

Hand 3: His call on the flop gives me the same feeling I had on the other hand. He probably has me beat, but the flop is nothing that is going to make me fold. The turn does not seem to be a threat to me unless he called with KJ. The rag river obviously makes no hand. I briefly considered making a bluff on the river to represent KK for a set, but instead I checked. He bet, I called, he turned over J:club:8:club: for two pair, I showed my hand, and he kicked himself for not making more money on the hand by raising the flop. I think I lost the minimum or close to it on this hand.

Any critique or criticism appreciated. I do not know if Hand 2 is a normal route, but I think it is an example of how sometimes it is more important to know what your opponent thinks you have than what you actually have when choosing a line. I probably fire on the turn with no read, he probably raises big to find out where he is, and I have to make a tough decision. The check-call line with his read on me definitely disguises my hand. He thinks it is a scenario like the check-call on the turn in hand three, where I have a pair but am not sure if it is good. That sets me up for a big payday, but only because of the relevant reads. I thought at the time that the push may have fold equity if I misread him and he had a flush. The only time he had seen me push is the hand against him detailed in Hand 1 when I had 5s full. However, if he called with two pair, there was no fold equity beyond him having air.