Vegas Hand
 

Just got back from Vegas. The 15-30 was quite juicy and featured some of the worst play I have ever seen. I am pretty sure I sat with one of you briefly. I also saw some guy throw his cards which hit David Sklansky's neck.

In generally I played wayyyyy to many hands pre-flop and only netted $300 profit for about 20 hours at the tables. That, and my ex-girlfriend is having sex with a 23 year old.

In addition, I have never been lectured more in my life on how I play bad at poker. Specifically, I got critcized for

a) Raising out of the BB after 3 people had called. Obviously always a bad play.

b) Calling with 96s and 47s in the SB getting about 10 to 1. (Both turned into full houses).

Anyway, I can't think of any really interesting hands to post except for maybe this one.

Villian is Peter. Asian regular with a hat. He doesn't play too bad IMO. HE views me as a tag and respects my play.

He opens in MP. I defend in the BB with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Flop 5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I check, he bets, I think about raising and just call.

Turn: 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

I c/r in rythm and he thinks for an eternity about folding and just calls.

River is 10d [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and I bet.

Later Peter told me I played this hand perfectly but I disagree.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

It seems really well played if you got him to lay down an overpair...more likely just a better Ace high, yes?

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I personally don't like it that much. To me your post flop line doesn't seem consistent with a made hand. When you check/call the flop, then check/raise the turn, what are you representing? If you had a piece of that low flop (believable since you were BB), I'd expect you to play it faster on the flop, since you likely have a vulnerable hand vs. overcards. Then on the turn, what hands would you risk checking through (and missing value, maybe even giving a 6-outer a free river)?

Your hand smells like a semi-bluff, but then the diamonds did get there on the river. I don't know; I'd probably look you up with any pair or better. Also I kind of wish I could evaluate this hand without knowing your hole cards since I don't know to what extent I'm being biased a priori.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

perfectly played, he could fold a better hand when the flush scare hits

Re: Vegas Hand
 

But what would you do with Ace high on the turn? I'm in the BB, I'm representing a big hand- namely a 4.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

These semi bluff turn c-raises don't seem to work much anymore at the 15/20 level. Players are too aware. They work better at the 5/10 level against weak-tights and those "trying to play well".

A better line may be to c-raise the flop, check again on the turn with the intention of raising his bet again or taking the free card. Then lead out the river regardless.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I'd checkraise the flop just like I would with any pair or draw. Since you didn't I'd just check/call the turn and try to get there or maybe already be there and have the river go check/check. Sure he wins with better ace high but he very well may not fold that hand anyway. As played the river bet is a good one though, a scary card hit and vegas guys in particular can talk themselves into calling you down and then talk themselves out of it on the river.

-DeathDonkey

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I do a fair bit of c/cing with lots of pairs/draws in the BB, with the intention of c/ring the turn, since I peel with a slightly embarrassingly large range in blind defense situations and c/f the turn often. To be fair that's online & shorthanded, where I can generally count on guys to fire twice with garbage. I would take the exact same line and FWIW think you played it well. c/c, c/c, c/f river isn't the worst line either, vs. a tight Vegas guy.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I will say that I would get mighty suspicious if I were villain in this hand as to why you would not put action in on the flop, but wait until the turn on this drawy of a board. I guess you are trying to rep a 4? Well you would have to show it to me. This is mostly dependent on your blind defense history in this game.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I can't remember the last time a tight player c/r me on the turn and he actually had something.

Re: Vegas Hand
 

I like how it is played. If you don't bet the river then the power of your check raise on the turn suffers. People are more likely to call the check raise on the turn when there is a good chance of a free showdown.

The only way I don't like this play is if you have been seen check raise bluffing the turn lately, or with any kind of frequency during the session.