Hand against unknown NL2

Jailblazers · #1 10-12-2007, 05:04 PM

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

BB ($3.69)
UTG ($4.96)
Hero ($2.84)
MP1 ($0.98)
MP2 ($4.78)
CO ($1.36)
Button ($4.95)
SB ($3.93)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. CO posts a blind of $0.02.
UTG calls $0.02, Hero raises to $0.12, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.12, 4 folds, UTG folds.

Flop: ($0.31) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets $0.3, MP2 raises to $0.9, Hero calls $0.60.

Turn: ($2.11) 5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, MP2 checks.

River: ($2.11) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets $1.82 (All-In), MP2 calls $1.82.

Final Pot: $5.75

This guy has played pretty passively but for the most part he is unknown. All I remember from this hand was that my thinking process really f'd up this hand.

Flop: I think I just called because I was scared he had a 5 or KK because you barely see people raising this big, awful right??? Should I have just shoved because he probably calls here with any king.

Turn: Check because I'm not really sure, but I think I wanted to let him have a free card because for some reason I felt that if he had a flush draw, I wanted to let him hit his hand. AWFUL I KNO!!! Shoving here probably would have been the correct play again.

River: Looks like his flush hit, I think he calls here w/ any king or possibly an 8 or a high flush anyway so I shove. The mofo flips over 88!!!!

Wow...so somebody plz explain how badly I played this hand and what would have been the correct thought process. Thx

Jailblazers · #2 10-12-2007, 05:08 PM

Also, this hand followed pretty closely against the same villain.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (7 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

SB ($4.63)
BB ($4.95)
Hero ($2.87)
MP1 ($2.04)
MP2 ($7.50)
CO ($4.47)
Button ($3.73)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Hero raises to $0.08, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.08, CO calls $0.08, 3 folds.

Flop: ($0.27) 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 players)
Hero bets $0.2, MP2 calls $0.20, CO folds.

Turn: ($0.67) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets $0.4, MP2 raises to $1, Hero ?

Final Pot: $1.47

This minraise really annoys me. Because he took off a huge pot last hand he may feel really confident and that he would probably put pressure on the man he just stacked. How often does he do this really ghey minraise w/ a hand better than mine?

SunyD · #3 10-12-2007, 05:20 PM

It's damn near impossible to put people on hands at these stakes. On hand 1 - I probably bet out on the turn, considering you only have 1.82 left, I probably put it all in. Hand 2 - you beat nothing, no draw.. Easy fold.

Pokey · #4 10-12-2007, 05:22 PM

First hand:

Preflop is fine. You could probably get away with an even bigger raise, but that's going to be table-dependent.

On the flop, I'm three-betting all-in. Your opponent likes his hand and I want to soak the kings. His range is heavy with non-5 hands, and KK is unlikely as well. Get him to pay you off with his AK or QQ hands -- put it all in the middle.

As played I open-push the turn. Against a known aggressive opponent I would probably check to let HIM bet me all-in, but against a passive opponent I'll do the work for him. I still love my hand, here, and I'm not going to let him off lightly. Also, the idea that you want to let him catch his flush is a bad one -- he'll miss the flush 75% of the time and then you'll get no extra cash from him. On the turn he has potential, and that's an expensive commodity. Make him pay a premium for it.

On the river, you might as well get all the money in the middle if you can. The downside here is that if the river were a NON-spade, villain would fold all his juicy flush draws that would have paid you off on the flop or turn.

When you've got a big hand like this, get the money into the middle as quickly as you can.

----------

Hand 2:

You're on tilt, and it shows. Your preflop raise is OK, though AJo is one of the weakest hands you should be raising preflop. UTG at a seven-handed table I'm folding this preflop. I'd also fold it UTG at a six-handed table; it's just slightly too weak for me to play comfortably.

You got called in two places -- time to give up. The flop comes and you've got AIR. You're OOP, you've got two opponents, the board is paired (good for you) and flushy (bad for you). Against unknowns, I'm check-folding this flop most of the time. You rolled the dice, you missed, you're out of position, you're done.

OK, you got frisky on the flop. Now a scare card hits on the turn. You're heads-up, you've got air, and your opponent doesn't know it. That K should freak him out some -- AK is VERY safely in your range. If you're still betting this turn he's got to be worried. You make a pansy-sized bet and he RAISES you. Well, he called your bluff. You're finished. Get the hell out of the pot. You don't have enough money behind to successfully bluff, and villain's almost surely not folding to your bluff. A passive opponent just RAISED you on the turn -- you have no chance. Let it go.

Take your penis out of the game. You don't have to prove your bravery to your opponents. Your goal is not to win pots, it's to win MONEY. This strategy won't do either. Calm down, stop letting your anger rule your game, and play your cards. The wins will come eventually, but not if you force it.

Jailblazers · #5 10-12-2007, 05:25 PM

Actually, now that I think about it, he is going to be calling regardless of the river in hand 1 w/ his 88 because he might think I'm bluffing w/ AQ or some sort of overcards. Guess I should be stop being so results-oriented.

You say its near impossible to put people on hands at these stakes. I agree, but if I learn to do this will I be like the hand reader masta??? Or am I just wasting a ton of effort when i could be 6-tabling and just value-betting so I can build my roll and play real stakes?

FWIW, I am actually a winner at NL2 but over only like 2k hands because I really don't play that much but think about poker alot.

SunyD · #6 10-12-2007, 05:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]

You say its near impossible to put people on hands at these stakes. I agree, but if I learn to do this will I be like the hand reader masta??? Or am I just wasting a ton of effort when i could be 6-tabling and just value-betting so I can build my roll and play real stakes?

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont think your "wasting a ton of effort" trying to put people on hands. It's difficult, but its good practice and experience. But the consensus for strategy at these micro-limits has pretty much been play ABC poker and value-bet your good hands. No fancy play.