$300 NL: Turn & River Play w/ 2d Nuts

mxp2004 · #1 10-28-2007, 02:17 PM

This hand comes from a live 1/2 NL game with $300 max buyin. It's late in the session, and I've come back from some early coolers (AA v. KK pockets, made straight v. rivered full house) to start the hand with about $400 behind. Opponent is an average player who has busted out once, left, and now returned to the table with $300 behind.

Opponent is MP, and he opens the pot for $11. I am in the CO, and I decide to call with 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. FWIW, I know that this was a loose call, but everyone had been getting out of my way when I opened for a raise or called a raise, and I thought that there would be a lot of situations post-flop where I could take the pot away from this particular Opponent with position on him.

In any event, the Button called, and 3 players saw the flop with a $36 pot.

The flop was K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Opponent cbets the flop for the $20, and I decide to call behind with the OESD. Button folds.

The turn completes both the straight and flush draws:
K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

Opponent leads again into the $76 pot for $40. I raise to $100. Opponent tanks for a minute or so, but makes the call. The pot was now $276.

River was a harmless 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. The final board read K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Opponent checked, and I checked behind.

I'd appreciate some comments on my turn and river play. Thanks for any help.

AlexB182 · #2 10-28-2007, 02:23 PM

When villain only called your turn raise and then checked the river, I think you could've put in at least a little value bet. I know that's always a little scary but I think it's worth the risk. Close to no live player would b/c the turn and check the river with a made flush, instead you could be called by everything from trips over two pair to something like KJ...
Rest is fine, I also have no problem with the PF call.

FireStorm · #3 10-28-2007, 02:26 PM

PF is fine, it's 1/2 NL live, this type of hand is gold. As played, looks good, you can probably put in a small river value bet, your chances of getting C/R'ed are slim.

chopsticks · #4 10-28-2007, 02:31 PM

PF call is good imo, at these stakes you have good implied odds (especially in live play) if you hit something nice and these hands are superior ace crackers.

With villains line he almost never has XsXs here. I think he has something like AsKx, AA, maybe KK and is pretty sure you wouldn't play a flush like that. 1/3 or 1/2 pot value bet on the river would be my line.

PokahPokah · #5 10-28-2007, 02:40 PM

The PF call is good. 1/3 ish value bet on river, checking behind is loosing value from a set/2pair and live players are especially bad so u cud get a call from AK, villain can easily have AK with the A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

mxp2004 · #6 10-28-2007, 03:50 PM

Thanks for the comments. My straight was good. Opponent didn't show, but from discussion after the hand, my guess is that he had either AA or AK with the As.

I didn't bet on the end because I felt that, after betting $100 on the turn and with $276 in the pot, the smallest amount that I could bet on the river was another $100. With that kind of bet, I felt that this was a situation in which I only get called by the hand that beats me. These types of value bets are probably a "leak" in my game that I need to work on correcting.

After the hand was over, I replayed the betting sequence in my mind, and it seemed clear as day to me that Opponent could not have been playing a flush and almost certainly had AA or AK. This happens to me a lot... meaning that I'm a lot better at putting an opponent on a particular hand after the battle is over or while I'm on the sidelines watching others contest a pot. When I'm in a hand, I tend to place opponents on a broader range of hands than is appropriate.

What do you guys do to improve your reads while in the battle? Is it just a matter of slowing down to do some thinking before betting?

ncboiler · #7 10-28-2007, 04:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]

What do you guys do to improve your reads while in the battle? Is it just a matter of slowing down to do some thinking before betting?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mostly yes. I'm kind of the same way. After I look back at a hand and see the sequence and the opponent I realize how bad I played the hand. If, however, I slow down while playing I obviously do this a lot less.