Big pairs 2 hands
 

We all know these smaller broadway pairs will win their share and lose their share. That is not my issue.

My concern is learning to play them optimally. Did I? Or could I have played them better?

2 nd orbit at the table. Table seemed about normal for .25/.50 I had no stats or reads on villain in this one so I assumed typical/reasonable play from him.

PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
UTG calls, <font color="#666666">4 folds</font>, Button calls, SB completes, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, UTG calls, Button calls, SB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG calls, Button folds, SB calls.

Turn: (5.50 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG calls, <font color="#CC3333">SB raises</font>, Hero calls, UTG calls.

River: (11.50 BB) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, Hero folds, UTG folds.

Final Pot: 11.50 BB


This one was a few hands later. I had no useful information on either player. Except that BB was the same villain in the hand posted above. Again I am assuming reasonable play.
PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">6 folds</font>, Button calls, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, BB calls.

Flop: (6.40 SB) 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button calls, BB calls.

Turn: (4.70 BB) 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
BB checks, Hero checks, Button checks.

River: (4.70 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero calls, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, BB calls, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.70 BB

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

hand 1 good
hand 2 bet the turn and fold the river the 2nd time

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

hand 1: it's fine. you can't check the turn, and then you can't fold, and then you don't beat anything on the river.

hand 2: b/f turn, especially if you're gonna call when bb bets the river anyway. and yeah you don't need to overcall button's raise; one pair is no good here.

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

hand one

almost missed the flush draw you picked up ... I call the turn ... fold the river

hand two
bet/fold the turn or check and forget about it

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

i think the first hand is fine. i call down especially cause another ace rolls off.

second hand b/f the turn

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

Grunch:

Hand 1 looks perfectly played to me.

Hand 2 I would not have slowed down on the turn. Why give credit for the gutshot? After checking behind the turn, I just don't know what the best play is -- calling seems as reasonable as any.

If I bet the turn and was c/r'd, I think I would also call down as this seems a reasonable board for overpairs and A7-type hands.

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

bet folders, I guess range of villain's raising hands is so narrow on this board that we'd fold our overpair? Pot will be a decent size, especially if it's a BB c/r.

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

we bf the turn on hand 2 so we don't have to make a weird calldown on the river (or at least that's my rationale)

Re: Big pairs 2 hands
 

Grunch.

1) Looks close, but I think I play it the same. You're getting 10.5/1 on the turn, assuming utg calls behind you. So if your flush outs are good half the time, a call is fine.

2) If you're calling the river, you should just b/f the turn instead. No one will bet a worse hand, and there are still draws/single pairs/overs that are getting a free shot.