HU in the UPC: Edler vs Brunson

[jdefoe]

I was watching the Ultimate Poker Challenge (UPC) on tv recently and Dan Harrington was doing commentary on the match.

I remember it something like this:'

blinds 100/200

Bill Edler has about 10x the chips that Todd Brunson has.

Anyways, Bill limps with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and Todd Checks in the BB with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

The flop comes: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Todd checks, and Bill checks.

Dan Harrington made a comment saying that he didn't like that play. He said Bill should have just bet out there. What's wrong with checking MPTK with a massive chip lead here?

[jdefoe]

no one can answer this for me?

[toke]

Nothing wrong with checking a hand like this behind occasionally to mix up your plays. Controls the potsize and avoids tough decision when todd checkraises the flop. But without knowing the effective stacksize or the flow of the game I can't know if that was a particulary (it could have been) bad spot to check behind. Btw having the lead or not having the lead shouldn't influence this decision unless you think it's influencing your opponents play. Only effective stack should matter.

[jdefoe]

[ QUOTE ]
Nothing wrong with sometimes checking that behind (it's called mixing up your plays) but it shouldn't have anything to do with being in a lead or not. Only effective stack counts.

[/ QUOTE ]

can you explain this to me please?

I'm guessing Harrington isn't a fan of giving the free card here

[toke]

Give the effective stack (smaller stack) so I have something to work on.

[jdefoe]

If i remember correctly, Brunson had about 2000, and Edler had about 20,000

[toke]

Wow that's strange play from both. Edler should be pushing this hand preflop and todd should call a push or push when facing a limp. As it played out though I don't see how this flop check by edler could be bad but then again I disagree a lot on the advice that harrington gives in his books.

[Gonso]

I don't think there's a tremendous amount of difference whether he leads out or slowplays here. He will almost certainly bet the turn, which is now more likely to be read as a bluff.

I agree with Dan though, my tendency would be to bet out here with MPTK, but that's only because I'd bet with a whole lot of hands here.

TB's play is defensible - a limp/check by his opponent likely means he's behind here.