Inside Ansky's Head: Hand 1 - Flopping a Monster

This was a hand that Ansky played during his $500+$30 Million Guaranteed FT finish on Stars (back on October 29th). It caught my eye because, plain and simple, I just don't think I would have thought to play the hand this way. That said, I think I really love how Ansky played it, though it is certainly debateable what the most profitable line here would be.

I think we'll need Ansky to chime in with some reads to really spice the conversation up, but this hand deserves some attention regardless. I know I am guilty of it, but I think a lot of times when we show strength PF, we often take a post-flop line that we feel inclined to take, even if it isn't the best line.

Questions for Consideration
1. What range can you put CO in after he calls/calls PF?
2. How does having MP1 all-in affect our PF decision? How about our plan for the flop?
3. Why check the flop? How do alternative lines compare?
4. Why smooth call the turn underbet? How do alternative lines compare?
5. Why push the river? How do alternative lines compare?
6. Assuming Ansky has his usual LAG image, combined with CO's loose-passive PF play, is there a better line for Ansky to take?

Poker Stars
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t200/t400
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t19200
UTG+1: t12440
MP1: t1220
MP2: t17640
MP3: t22610
CO: t44350
Hero: t20720
SB: t7200
BB: t3860

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is Button with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">MP1 raises all-in t1220</font>, MP2 calls t1220, MP3 folds, CO calls t1220, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises to t8000</font>, 3 folds, CO calls t6780.

Flop: 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (t19040, 2 players + 1 all-in - Main pot: t5480, Sidepot 1: t13560)
CO checks, Hero checks.

Turn: 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (t19040, 2 players + 1 all-in - Main pot: t5480, Sidepot 1: t13560)
<font color="#cc0000">CO bets t2400</font>, Hero calls t2400.

River: 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (t23840, 2 players + 1 all-in - Main pot: t5480, Sidepot 1: t18360)
CO checks, <font color="#cc0000">Hero is all-in t10320</font>

[mornelth]

PF - looks like Ansky's trying to buy a pot with a tond of dead money in there and his range should be pretty wide. CO's range is probably 66-TT, KQs+, KQo+, ATs, AJs, AJo, AQo. Check on the flop is good as the bet on this flop makes CO's range fold. Turn underbet is consistent with CO's range and Ansky is representing somewhat the same range. Turn shove is fine, it's only 1/2 he pot, he's going to get looked up pretty often and will get paid pretty much always.

JMDHO

[MaLiik]

1. What range can you put CO in after he calls/calls PF?
AJ+, 88+, KQs?

2. How does having MP1 all-in affect our PF decision? How about our plan for the flop?
The raise could imply to CO that we want to go HU against MP1. I wouldn't have a plan for the flop.

3. Why check the flop? How do alternative lines compare?
The only thing a raise could do is to drive CO out of the pot. No mather the size of the bet.

4. Why smooth call the turn underbet? How do alternative lines compare?
Same as 3, I would assume that CO want to test our hand and see what happens. He could have a set though.

5. Why push the river? How do alternative lines compare?
It could be taken for a bluff, I would however prefer getting called at this point so a raise of ~5000 would be more appropriate. Our hand will be shown no matter what since we have the MP1.

6. Assuming Ansky has his usual LAG image, combined with CO's loose-passive PF play, is there a better line for Ansky to take?
No idea!

[Mr.Poker]

PF is standard. CO has two chances to raise PF and flat calls both times so I think his range excludes AA, KK, QQ, AK and probably AQ aswell (these hands reraise Ansky's raise IMO). So that leaves mid pairs up to JJ and weaker aces (AJ, A10), maybe J10s, KQ although my first instinct would be mid pair.

So we flop a monster. We are not worried about either holding 22 and need to maximise value against CO's range. Betting folds out his mid pairs and possibly even some of his Ax hands, KQ can fold too. Checking induces them to bet on the turn for value/find out if their A/mid pair/K is ahead. Our only option for raising on this street is all in which will fold out a large part of his range. Let him draw to his one/two outer (for pairs) or second pair.

River bet size is standard given size of pot and we are almost certainly ahead. (IMO he bets his trip 8s if he got that lucky and im calling anyway)

Seems like Ansky did a good job of maximising his value against Villain's range IMO. Nh.

[AceLuby]

Why check the flop? How do alternative lines compare?

We aren't getting better hands to fold (set) and we're folding out any worse hands. May get called light w/ something like AQ or AJ, but you would have to have some history w/ the player.

[hencole]

This is one of those spots where I really struggle to work out what the CO has to call a raise like that out of position. Ansky only has 12K left and theres a lot of money in the middle. I struggle because I can't think of a hand I would do it with. I'd guess they have 99-QQ. Anyhting else would be even less likely. They hope no Ace comes out.

I don't know how Ansky's plays that much and would be interested to know his cont. betting frequency. I'm not sure the CO can call a continuation bet without all the chips going in the middle. By c betting you either end up with all the chips in or the hand ends there. I guess you then have to decide whether we can get more on average by giving them possible bluff chances. Given that I put them on a pocket pair checking is probably the better option, giving them the impression we have a similar hand to them and that I'm afraid of the ace. I think they fold too often to a bet, unless they have a good ace, which doesn't make sense given the call OOP.

[flyingmoose]

His preflop raise was a go-and-go (His stack = the side pot after his initial bet), but he flopped huge so he checked. Then he picked up the nut flush draw in addition to his already huge hand so he check/called the turn hoping his opponent would catch something. He pushed the river for value.

Seems like a good line, but I watched about 25 minutes of the video Ansky posted on PXF of himself lagging up a 109 rebuy and I saw lots of hands that intrigued me more than this one.

[AceLuby]

Yeah, this looks standard, and if I'm villain I'm calling this pretty much never (unless I hit a set). I mean we have an overbet PF raiser who is in position, who then doesn't c-bet an AKx flop. Red flags go off like crazy when an opponent does this to me. This is either a set, 2 pr, or an underpair about 80% of the time.

If I lead out on the turn and get smooth called you can bet it isn't an underpair and I'm only paying the river if it's a very small bet.

End random thoughts, I don't mind the play against a specific villain, but we are telling the story of a monster when we actually have a monster. It would be more ballsy/interesting if Ansky would of had queens.

[Ansky]

[ QUOTE ]
This is either a set, 2 pr, or an underpair about 80% of the time.

[/ QUOTE ]

no

[mbman]

Sorry for asking, but does Hero have a plan for the times when he misses the flop, or are we very sure that CO won't call? (Which might be very reasonable with regard to previous action..)