0.5/1 - Isolating tight-passive player with QTo

[Harkon]

Sounds like a terrific idea, doesn't it? Thought so.

Villain's stats are around 20/2/0.5 over <100 hands. He will call flop and turn somewhat loosely if he has a pair or a draw. Doesn't give action without a monster.

I bet the flop, planning not to fire second barrel if called. Checked behind on the turn as planned, he could be going for a check-raise with J. I considered bluffing this river since I felt there was a reasonable chance to push him off K- or A-high. But the pot was so small I decided against it.

Poker Stars
Limit Holdem Ring game
Limit: $0.50/$1
10 players
Converter

Pre-flop: (10 players) Hero is CO with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
UTG folds, UTG+1 calls, 4 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Hero raises</font>, 3 folds, UTG+1 calls.

Flop: 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (5.5SB, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, <font color="#cc0000">Hero bets</font>, UTG+1 calls.

Turn: J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (3.75BB, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.

River: 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (3.75BB, 2 players)
UTG+1 checks, Hero checks.

Results:
Final pot: 3.75BB

[sean c]

Given your post flop read this is a bad player to be doing this against because you are going to have to fire two barrels maybe even three for it to work. You want to do this against someone who likes fold post flop.

[relativity_x]

maybe I'm new to limit poker, but why would you try to isolate with a weak hand like QTo?

[Harkon]

[ QUOTE ]
maybe I'm new to limit poker, but why would you try to isolate with a weak hand like QTo?

[/ QUOTE ]

I probably shouldn't against this player. But there are places where you can do this and steal the pot with flop bet if you get it HU with a weak-tight player. Or if the limper is really loose/bad, you can make a hand (say top pair) and value bet with confidence HU.

[jrz1972]

1. It's generally not a good idea to isolate on a tight player who limped up front. You should be looking to isolate loose players who limp in middle/late position, not this guy in this position.

2. For the love of all that's good and holy, bet the [censored] turn. You know this guy will give loose flop calls. Well, you bet the flop and what do you know, Mr. Loose Flop Calls called the flop. But now you get scared and see monsters under the bed and assume he's slowplaying top pair against you, so you check behind on the turn and basically give up on the hand. You just got outplayed by a rock. If you bet the turn and he check-raises, is it really that hard to figure out what to do with your hand? Is it worth firing an extra 1 bb out there to take down the pot? If it isn't, you shouldn't have isolated.

[Gap23Razor]

i think you picked the spot pretty well...and you got a ragged flop to bluff/bet with...with 20% preflop chances are he missed the flop...nice idea, it does not look like just a flop bet is enough (did you look at what his stats were for continuing to later streets/showdown?)

trying to isolate has gotten me into a lot of trouble at times...i don't play it as much now, but it is another arrow in my quiver.

[davelin]

[ QUOTE ]
maybe I'm new to limit poker, but why would you try to isolate with a weak hand like QTo?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because you can pick this off with a bet on the flop sometimes.

[Harkon]

[ QUOTE ]
You know this guy will give loose flop calls. Well, you bet the flop and what do you know, Mr. Loose Flop Calls called the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I said he calls flop and turn somewhat loosely if he has a pair or a draw. Beside an unlikely gutshot there are no draws to straight or flush, so when he calls the flop he almost always has a pair (not necessarily J) and will not release on the turn.

I give up because I don't think there's any way I can win the hand (edit: besides spiking a Q or T on the river).

[jrz1972]

If he has an AF of 0.5, he's peeling flops with less than just pairs and strong draws.

[NIX]

I don't really like this hand at all. You said that the Villain will make loose flop/turn calls. If you plan on isolating him, I'd much rather do it with a hand that has more showdown value than QT. Something more like AT or 66. If you are isolating with a QT type hand, I'd much prefer getting heads up with a player that needs a hand/good draw to call on the flop and will quickly release if he misses.

As played, I'm firing again on the turn. If he has a jack, he'll raise and you can fold and not show down your QT, which if he is thinking, can inspire him to make more loose calls against you in the future, which would make it harder for the play you attempted to work later (not that isolating someone across the table is the easiest thing to do).