HELP !!!! How do people call this ????

[doh742]

Trapped

I will try a different route with you this time. Lets forget all the specifics of the two hands and start with a couple of questions.

1. When you posted this question, what were you
looking for. Was it an answer to "how could you call this bet? Was it for someone to point out what you might have done that led someone to believe that ace king might be good in that situation? Or were you wanting to be reassured that you made the right play and the caller (who made a terrible call by the way) was a moron and superdonk?

2. If you did want questions 1 and 2 answered from someone elses perspective, then why did you respond to all answers that suggested that you yourself may be the cause of the calls, or that you may have misplayed the hand in addition to the villian being completely poker retarded, with venom and defenses of your superior play.

3. If you really do believe your play was superior, then why be put off by a temporary run of bad results and come looking for reassurance from the rest of us, who you clearly seem to think are not worthy of advising you.

I will now try to answer your intial question "how do you call this". In "the case" when you pushed all in with top pair and got called, terribly I will admit, by ace king with no straight or flush draw, there are a couple of factors that led to that call. To start with, you massively, comically overbet the pot. This almost always in my mind screams bluff. You are practically begging me to go away. Strong means weak, weak means strong. Most people are not capable of going against there instincts. And human instant is to act srong when weak. Second factor, the caller clearly is not playing optimal poker. To make that call with ace king high for that much money is lunacy. But...you will run into a bunch of online players, with too much money and not enough skill, who cannot fold ace king. Hell, they can't fold ace 5 in that situation. They chase aces, or they don't know odds or probability or bankroll management. So he can't get away, "dooah, a king or an ace and doaah I am the winner, right?, ok, I call" and cracks you.

Finally, from your other posts, it sounds like you push vigorously on flops you hit. You are pushing Jack 10 like its trips. You also pushed back in the cash game, with queen jack? Top pair is not a reason to get all in. In fact, I have folded top pair with good kickers to bets that put me all in or would leave me crippled. Its not a hand you want to roll everything with. I would say that people probably pick this up about you, or at least that you "bully" when you are in pots, or so it seems. So, how do people say you handle a bully, you punch him in the grill, or at least don't back off.

Look, this is why you don't overbet. You are laying the odds when you do. Second, if someone is going to fold, a pot sized bet will do it. If they are calling a pot sized bet, they are calling an overbet. Read Harrington on Holdem if you haven't, and if you have, read it again. Don't overbet bluff, its not worth it.

Now, you can come back and defend you actions again, or you can look at this for what it is. You put yourself in that position. You were the one who got your whole stack in on top pair only. Whether the call was right or not, you wanted him to go away. And if you want him to go away, you shouldn't be overbetting allin. Lets give you credit for your victory in the $200 tourney. To win that, you must have some strengths to draw upon, why put yourself at risk defending top pair. Its not worth it. When playing against terrible, ignorant competition, leave yourself an out. You controlled that betting, you elevated it to an all in state without need. He went along for the ride and lucked out. Had you made a pot sized bet, you could have got away and had a chance to crack his donkey ass later with a better hand than a pair of jacks with a 10 kicker

Maybe you don't agree, but this is how I see it. If you don't, then I am sorry. Best of luck at the tables.