Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $27.90
Hero: $20.90
MP1: $31.95
MP2: $45.35
MP3: $24.75
CO: $23.05
Button: $29.40
SB: $14.70
BB: $9.65

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is UTG+1 with A T
UTG folds, Hero raises to $0.75, 2 folds, MP3 calls, 2 folds, SB calls, BB folds.

Flop: K 9 T ($2.5, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $1.5, MP3 calls, SB folds.

Turn: T ($5.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $4, Hero calls.

River: 5 ($13.5, 2 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $12, Hero ???

I'm not sure if betting after the flop was the right play instead of checking. The board was pretty draw heavy and looking back at the hand now, I probably wouldn't have been able to take the pot away on the flop. I didn't understand my opponent's bet on the turn. My only fear on the river bet is a QJ or KT or a set of nines.

Fold pf. I am ok with the bet on the flop, but you have to bet again on the turn. I probably lead for $4 on the turn. If called, I probably bet $8-9 on the river.

you played this hand weird.

i would call the river.

because you gave up the lead on the turn, it's also really possible that villain decided to semibluff the turn with a flush draw. the way that you check-called the turn probably sends the impression that you have a scared K, which makes the river pot-bet kind of suspicious.

don't play ATo from EP.

Had the river came a 5 instead, are we still betting out on the river or check calling? I had a similar hand a few days ago where the river brought a third spade to the board and was confused as to how I should play it.

blocking bet in the neighborhood of 1/3 pot

First of all...it's ok to fold A-10 in EP SOMETIMES! but for the most part, if you don't get involved with that hand, you're never going to make it at the bigger tables.

I personally don't think that you've played this hand poorly at all dispite what some critics are saying.

I like the raise pf because it's more my play style and it works well for me.

Ask yourself this question on the flop. What hands would villain be willing to slowplay against me right here. If he/she is a decent player, the only hand he/she will slowplay here is Q-J. So the question is...does he/she have Q-J in the hole.

The best way to find out in this hand would have been to check raise the turn representing the F/H. If he/she did flop the str8, then the $4 bet on the turn is to find out if you have the boat, so make villain think that you do. The other posability is that villain is playing a 10 as well as you in which case the bet on the turn is simply thinking that he/she drew out on you.

The odds that villain has a full house are next to none, unless villain is a very poor player who decided to slowplay two pair or trips on that flop to a small bet.

IMO after the turn card came out, this hand is money in the bank for you. Should be no way villain can steal this one away (even if he/she has the straight)

The only other way to play this hand after the flop would be to check the flop and let your opponent act first. This play benefits you by keeping the pot small! Keeping the main pot small in a hand like this one (any draw heavy flop) is a huge advantage to you. You may have to give up the hand if a dangerous turn comes out, but at least you won't be too invested.

ATs from EP - if you have postflop skills.
ATo - even if you are a great player, you don't give up much if anything at all from not playing this from EP at a FR table.
In either case, if you really want to play it, yes you should open with a raise.

The check on the turn works ok, but that's because villain bet. If villain checks behind and draws free to the flush, that's bad. That's why checking the turn's risky.

C/r'ing the turn is not something I would recommend at these stakes. It has more validity at higher limits because players are good enough to get away from str8s on a paired board. Sophistication has to be tailored to the sophistication level of your opponents. You need for the c/r to have some fold equity here against a made str8 to make it a justifiable play. C/r'ing mostly for information is a nice way to bleed a lot of chips.

Nothing wrong with folding this preflop.
But I don't hating raising with it either.
Though I would raise more in this situation.

I bet the flop.
I bet the turn.
And I would then bet again on the river.

As played...
We are obviously not folding the hand.
And since most of our stack will be in after a call, raising all-in seems like the obvious choice.

--CM

I will agree with your point here. I have not played small stakes in some time now and you are correct. What works on good players who are cautious agressive will not work on a wild agressive player.

I still like the check on the turn in this case. Whenever I play against weaker opponents, I always try to keep the pot small, because I know that if I do make my hand, or I am pretty sure my opponent didn't, I can still get paid off big. I understand that I will give my opponent a draw, but that is the risk that i am willing to take in this situation so that I don't paint myself into a corner, and a big decision for alot of my chips. If viallin draws the straight or the flush, congratulations...you can keep the change.

How are we not raising this turn when we checked? This is about as good as it gets for an ep raise with A10os. We want to tax tp, top 2, and the flush draw ... and even if the opponent does have us beat, its better to find out on the turn than on the river. As played, I'm pretty sure we still have the best hand and raise this river.

except we're too short for that. "finding out" has no value on the turn because it will take us the rest of our stack.

Still, I don't think I'm getting away from this hand the way it was played.

I'm skeptical. Do you have data for your winnings with ATo UTG+1?

I do and its not good and its not played anymore

I checked my PT database. I made $0.17/hand with ATo from that seat. Woo hoo!

Not exactly key to my success.

anyhow, results are due. villain was betting on a busted flush draw. Qs8s or something.