Friday, December 21, 2018

Few and far between...

I think this has been the longest I've gone without a post.  As "real" work builds up, I find myself playing fewer sessions, and prioritizing poker towards the back of the list of items.  As a point of interest, I am usually good for around 70-80 live session per year; this year I've played around 35 live sessions.  What can I say?  Life gets in the way!

At any rate, I was not traveling for work this week, and I'm off for the next 2 weeks - so I expect I'll have an increased amount of time to devote to getting seat time.  I have lots to do around the house, but I'm going to bump up poker on the 'ole priority list at the same time.  Perhaps you'll see a second post coming in the future?  Who knows?

I wanted to share a hand with you from last night - perhaps it's a bit of a sob story / bad beat boo hoo hoo, but I was questioning whether I overvalued my hand, or maybe I'm being results-oriented.  We're at a 7-handed $1/3 table and I'm in mid position facing an open to $12 with a caller between me and the raiser.  I look down at AcAd and 3bet to $40 with $1200 effective.  I get a call from a very loose SB who actually is not a good player, but seems to frequently get lucky - and the original caller - a player who I respect, somewhat ABC, but can get out of line from time to time.

We see a 3 way flop of Js9s3s and it checks to me.  I lead for $75 into the $120 pot.  The SB gets out of the way (notably donating his $40 from his $~200 stack, LOL) and the original raiser flats.  Hmm...  As?  JJ?  Monsters under the bed?

Turn is a 9x and he checks again.  I continue, believing my AA to be best and lead for $140 into $270 - roughly half pot.  He thinks, then calls again.

River is a blank; 2x I think.  He checks for the 3rd time.  Do you bet?  Check behind?  What's calling you that you beat?  AsJx is the obvious, KK, QQ?  I feel like there's so much more that calls me and has me beat than that I'm beating...  If I bet, I have to be prepared for a c/r and what do I do then?  How much to bet given the pot is over $500 and effective stacks are in play with a bet and raise?

I meekly check behind, throwing in the towel and he flips over Ks5s for the flopped miracle.  Played well?  Check the turn?  Bet the river?  Bet a suck me bet on the river?  $50?  Results-wise, checking the river at minimum is the correct play, but is that the overall correct play?  I think I have to continue to charge for the turn because he has so many draws in his range, and he's played the whole hand like a draw...  Thoughts?  Anyone even reading this blog anymore?
Posted by The Poker Meister at 12/21/2018 03:10:00 PM
Labels: , , ,

4 comments:

  1. AceDecember 23, 2018 at 11:25 PM

    I got you beat, haven't played any poker since July. In the hand above, I kind of like checking the turn. You keep the pot at $270 and if he leads on the river, you can call depending on the bet size. Would he call $140 on the turn if he was on a draw.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Poker MeisterDecember 25, 2018 at 10:48 PM

      I think he can call $140 on the turn given that we’re so deep. However, I tend to want to charge him for drawing on the turn rather than call a river bluff if that’s the case suggested above because I’m always getting more money into the pot on the turn when I’m ahead and charging for the draw and a small percentage ahead rather than checking through turn and river when both ahead and behind. If I check turn I pretty much have to check or call all rivers, no?

      Delete
    2. AceDecember 25, 2018 at 11:43 PM

      I agree with charging him on the turn if the board was rainbow or only two spades. I don't think he has many draws unless it is As-x. Hands like KK, QQ, and A-J are probably just check a river spade. If he leads for $140ish, you can fold on a river spade. On a non spade river bet, you call $140ish. If he checks the river after you both checked the turn, you can bet $140. He'll probably only call or check. So a $140 bet on the turn would keep As-x, A-J, KK, QQ in and the rest you'd be behind like 9-x and two spades.

      Now, if the hand played out the same thru the turn as it did but on the river he bets half pot, $275ish...what do you to? I guess what I'm trying to say is that checking the turn gives you the option to bet $140 on the river with less risk. Disclaimer: I'm an average poker player at best.

      Delete
  2. lightning36January 7, 2019 at 11:47 PM

    Who would expect that someone would call $40 with a crap hand like that? However, with three spades on the board, you knew you were probably gonna be grabbing your ankles! As for the turn, I think you did the right thing. Imagine if he was on a draw and the river was a spade. You'd be kicking yourself for letting him get there.

    It seems to me that more and more players will call off any number of chips to chase a flush at $1/2, maybe even $1/3. I like the way you played the hand. You were just unlucky.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Blog Archive