75-150 Taj AC Hand

[piranha]

First time I've been to Atlantic City. I'm primarily a hold-em player and am down for the Borgota Winter Open. I've played 50-100 and 75-150 stud for about nine months now and would characterize my play as solid. I'm not overly creative and maybe a bit too tight on 3rd street but given the weak competition I'm constantly encountering, I think my style is appropriate.

We are playing 6-handed at the time. The villian is in his twenties, sat down about 15 minutes ago, and seems to play well. He's been involved in 3 hands that all went to the river - All 3 he was the initial completer and had a split pair and all three he's lost.

Here's the hand as best I remember it:

3rd Street

2h brings it in for $25/Folds
?? folds
As completes to $75 Villain
Ks Kh Kd calls $75 Hero
3h calls $75
6c folds

4th Street

As 8s Bets
Kd 9h (Ks, Kh) Calls
3h 5h Calls

5th street

As 8s 3s Bets/Calls
Kd 9h 6d (Ks, Kh) Raises
3h, 5h, 8h Folds

6th Street

As 8s 3s 5c Bets/Calls
Kd 9h 6d Qh (Ks, Kh) Raises

On the river he bets out again. I don't fill up and I just call. He shows me two spades - he had his flush on 5th. I'm interested in any comments/suggestions on my play as well as the villians. Oh, and the 3rd player that was in the hand till 5th street was a huge fish. I was shocked when he folded to two bets - he usually went to the river every hand regardless of how many people were in or what was showing.

Any comments appreciated. Thanks - Tony

[Jeffage]

Well, there is only one other person in their mid twenties that usually plays that game besides me (and I'm not there every weekend). I know who you're talking about and he is definitely very good.

There's nothing really wrong with your play. You chose to wait till 5th which is a standard option in that spot. Another way to play would be to play it straight and reraise third but if you did that and he was stealing you stall your action since he's good enough to put you on at least kings here. So waiting till 5th seems fine to me. I would raise 5th and 6th as well.

I'm actually surprised he didn't reraise you on 6th street when you raised again. It's obvious at this point that you have a strong hand and want to dance so he might as well make you pay 450 to boat up. River payoff is obvious but I expect to lose.

When did you play this weekend? I was there for a bit on Saturday night. Enjoy the game - it is one of the best stud games in the country (if not the best). I've heard 150-300 is good too, but I've never sat.

Jeff

[jon_1van]

[ QUOTE ]
He shows me two spades - he had his flush on 5th

[/ QUOTE ]

You think he didn't raise you on 6th with board lock, made flush?

[Jeffage]

Maybe the guy showed three spades in the hole? That's the reason I assumed OP said he knew villian had it in five cards. If he just believed what the guy told him, yea it's probably BS. Maybe the guy picked up 4 spades with a pair with his spade draw and that's why he bet 6th again. I'd like to know what hole cards were shown.

Jeff

[piranha]

Thanks for the feedback.

I actually played last night. Yeah, I was very surprised at the level of play although I rarely play in casinos. There were 3-4 players in the game that seemed very weak. The games I play are "home" games near Boston. I play online but lower limits and almost exclusively hold-em. I'm planning on going back tonight and playing - I've got two days before the tourneys start.

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same guy. He mentioned that he plays at Foxwoods sometimes. He had blond, maybe bleached, spiked hair. I'm guessing he is about 5'11. Seemed like a nice guy.

He didn't show me 3 spades. I watched him look at his hole cards and when he turned them up, I knew which one was his river card. He also confirmed with me that he had it after 5. Unless he's got quick hands and is lying (which I don't see any reason why he would), he had it in 5.

Yeah, I was very surprised he didn't re-raise me on 6th. I asked him about it and he told me, "It's definitely the right play". I couldn't come up with a reason why it would be right - that's one of the reasons I posted it here.

[Jeffage]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure if we're talking about the same guy. He mentioned that he plays at Foxwoods sometimes. He had blond, maybe bleached, spiked hair. I'm guessing he is about 5'11. Seemed like a nice guy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, this is a different guy in town for the tournament.

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I was very surprised he didn't re-raise me on 6th. I asked him about it and he told me, "It's definitely the right play". I couldn't come up with a reason why it would be right - that's one of the reasons I posted it here.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you really saw his cards right, he made a terrible play on 6th. He failed to reraise you on 6th when he had the nuts but leads when you could have boated and he will have to pay off a raise. If he's one of those players who "likes to realize things," a bluff raise on the end might have had a remote chance of working. But it's doubtful (though he botched sixth bad so who knows).

That game is excellent though - enjoy it while you can (then get the hell out and leave the fish for us AC grinders). /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Jeff

[Bartholow]

Ok, given that the dummy didn't reraise you with a board lock...

I would think that in this game it's pretty common for people to not believe an ace who raises 3rd; if that's true, then I think you probably make more money pulling the trigger earlier. If he has the aces he'll keep pushing back a little at least, if not you get him at a point when he is more likely to call rather than fold. Obviously you don't know he is going to hit his spades, but raising on 5th when he has 3 spades really seems to reveal your hand. I'm guessing from other descriptions that even kings up would not raise much in this game there.

Obviously, given that he didn't 3-bet 5th I'd raise 6th and play river the same as well.