|
|
#1
05-09-2007, 09:02 PM
|
|||
|
|||
Beware of the slow player!
I hosted a home game a couple of days ago. It is a friendly home game-mainly friends gathering around for a good poker game. The player field consisted of 21 players of all levels. Most are average players with one or two below average and two or three who are above average players. I view myself as an average player but after the hand that took me out of the tourney, I think below average is a better description.
Were at the 5th level of the tourney which is 400/800 and a 50 ante. To this point I have had about four hands that I was able to play-two low pocket pairs, AQ and AJs. I stole the blinds once and am down about a 1000. I am in the big blind, two or three players limp around to me. My hole cards were AK (can’t remember if they were suited or not). I raise to 1600 in hopes of a call or at least picking up the limpers’ bets. Every one folds except the guy in mid position. The flop comes rainbow 6 2 8. I totally miffed the flop so I reluctantly check. They guy across from me thus far has been an above average player. He looks at me and says, “Check”. This is good I think. Turn comes 2, still no help. I again check and the other guy sighs and says, “Yep I have to check too.” At this point I am putting him on AQ-A10 and maybe he has the AK like I do. River comes A. I raise 1000 and he goes all in. I remember thinking I hope he’s not holding a 2, but dismissed this as nonsense and proceed to call him thinking I had his A beat with my higher kicker. I flip over the AK and he shows pocket sixes giving him the FB. I turn red in the face, shake the guys’ hand, and congratulate him on totally duping me and making me look like an idiot. I guess the only good thing about this scenario is that it taught me a few lessons-don’t chase-don’t go all in with TPTK when you only have a few reads on a guy and the ones you do have say he is a good player. And don’t check the turn, if I would have raised he probably would have re-raised making my lay down easy. 
|
|
#2
05-09-2007, 09:47 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
[ QUOTE ]
And don’t check the turn, if I would have raised he probably would have re-raised making my lay down easy. [/ QUOTE ] Why would he raise here? Your not getting raised here until the river.
|
|
#4
05-09-2007, 10:28 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
[ QUOTE ]
I guess the only good thing about this scenario is that it taught me a few lessons-don’t chase [/ QUOTE ] Is it 'chasing' if you check the flop and turn? Based on how you described the way it went down, I'd have probably done the same. You raised preflop and he called, which should have eliminated the thought of him pairing with that crap flop. When he reraised all in, you had to figure A. He's full of crap or B. He hit his Ace too, or C. he tripped his pocket pair. 2 of those 3 are in your favor. Tough beat... but I think (not knowing the player, sounds like you didn't either) I'd have done the same.
|
|
#5
05-10-2007, 01:13 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
[ QUOTE ]
How much was in your stack after your river bet? [/ QUOTE ] About 3000
|
|
#7
05-10-2007, 02:31 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
Middle guy limps and then you just min raise. Of course he's calling this. If he is a good player your check on the flop tells him exactly what you have - two overcards, and he's flopped a set. He knows you'll fold to a bet so he's hoping for you to bluff or hit your card. His wish is granted on the river. The pot is pretty big so it's not going to be too east to get away from.
I don't think you really have anything to be ashamed about though. He played the hand well. You don't mention how long you took to call him on the river but don't be afraid to take some time to really think about the hand, the board, the player, your image, his image, etc. before calling. Next time think about going all in. It puts a lot of pressure on a player with a small pair and takes away their implied odds. Also, Depending on the player the sigh is a big tell. Acting weak when they're strong. I play against a guy who frequently does the whole I'm weak act whenever he's got a big hand. Makes it so easy to A) not bet into him and B) fold when he finally (and reluctantly- still pretending he's got nothing) bets.
|
|
#8
05-10-2007, 05:48 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] How much was in your stack after your river bet? [/ QUOTE ] About 3000 [/ QUOTE ] NS is 100% right. You have to push here preflop, it's an absolute no-brainer. You had about T5650 to start the hand. Blinds are 400/800 with a 50 ante. You've got limpers and are on the button with AK. You have 4800 after posting. For you Harrington guys - your M is at about 3. You are in real, real bad shape. 1) There's already a fair pot with at least 3000 in it, maybe more, which would increase your stack more than 60 percent even if you're not called. 2) You're out of position. 3) Your hand doesn't play particularly well multi-way. 4) This is probably your last shot of getting someone to make a mistake. Even if you push here, anyone with two live cards is getting or is close to getting the right odds to call. You might even get a hand like 44 to fold if he's got players behind. 5) You have a good hand, and it's way toward the top of your range considering how short you are. Your push could fold a couple limpers and then get called by a raggy ace, which would be a great result. You don't need that strong a hand to push with your stack so short. This is one of the few plays where there isn't really anything to think about. There's no need for deception really, again your range of hands to push here is pretty fair. If you were HU, maybe you could pull a stop and go since you're OOP, but not here with limpers.
|
|
#9
05-10-2007, 05:53 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
It took me until the end of these posts to realize this wasn't talking about a player acting slowly. Heh.
I echo that if you're going to play, you push preflop. Hindsight is 20/20, and I'm not sure how I'd end this in your position (probably same), but big big hints for you in the future. Always be wary of these: * looking at you and checking ... this is not someone who missed completely * sighing ... a sigh on a missed draw is one thing, but this is a sigh on the turn, more likely to be Hollywooding * talking about checking ... the "I have to check too" is again too much "aw, gee, I missed, I got crap" to be legitimate But really, in the BB, you need to push with this hand if you're going to play it at all. NL is about position more than it is about cards. As you had no stack and no position and a drawing hand, you negate the position element by pushing and being done with it. This improves your chances to win, by allowing you to take it down right there.
|
|
#10
05-10-2007, 08:08 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Beware of the slow player!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] How much was in your stack after your river bet? [/ QUOTE ] About 3000 [/ QUOTE ] Super easy push preflop. If you had AA or KK and think he would fold to a push, a small raise preflop might be ok in order to milk him. You can't fault yourself for how you played once the A came out.
|
 |
|
|
Linear Mode
