4/180: Please tell me how to play 77

mikesh · #1 08-02-2007, 06:06 PM

Two hands about 45 mins in to the tourney, literally one hand apart, I get dealt 77, and I think play them awful. Help! These smaller pairs kill me - major leak in my game.

First hand. Villain just arrived at the table. I just play scared here, don't I?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

BB (t1760)
UTG (t975)
UTG+1 (t2190)
MP1 (t1385)
Villain (t3670)
MP3 (t1055)
CO (t2495)
Button (t945)
Hero (t2365)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
3 folds, Villain raises to t150, 5 folds.

Final Pot: t125

Second hand. No real reads. I know I played this one bad . I convinced myself he had a higher club. Should I have raised PF?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)

Button (t1610)
SB (t925)
BB (t2090)
UTG (t1385)
UTG+1 (t3745)
MP1 (t1055)
MP2 (t2745)
MP3 (t945)
Hero (t2340)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
3 folds, MP2 calls t50, MP3 calls t50, Hero calls t50, 2 folds, BB checks.

Flop: (t225) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
BB checks, MP2 checks, MP3 bets t450, Hero folds, BB folds, MP2 folds.

Final Pot: t225

BlueEcho · #2 08-02-2007, 06:20 PM

In the first one I'm not so sure if it's a spew or not but I call because I feel like I have a reasonable hand to defend the blinds with. That said you should really have a plan for any kind of flop.

Second hand on the flop it's a fold for me. IMO it looks like a K wrongly overbetting to protect his hand. PF is standard.

tlw1230x · #3 08-02-2007, 06:26 PM

First hand I can't imagine folding there and I'm re-raising most of the time. Prolly bump it up to 500.

Second hand I play exactly as you did. You could raise PF, you have two early limpers and coupled with the BB, you have a reasonable chance at seeing 4-5 to the flop for the min. Perfect set mining opp. On that flop that's a total fish bet, 2x the pot and half his stack? That screams scared to me.

chh · #4 08-02-2007, 06:28 PM

first one you call for set value, stacks are deep enough.

second one is about as easy a fold as it gets, he does not bet twice the pot here against three people with at least 2 pair or the Ac and you will never know where you stand throughout the hand while having very little chance of improving

BlueEcho · #5 08-02-2007, 06:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
First hand I can't imagine folding there and I'm re-raising most of the time. Prolly bump it up to 500.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you calling or folding to a 4-bet from villian?

Brandonjp13 · #6 08-02-2007, 07:22 PM

I call and see a flop on the first hand, your OOP though so any read that will allow you to play better postflop is only going to make me want to call this more.

Second hand was fine preflop occasionaly if i've got a read on the MPs I may raise looking to end it now. On the flop you did fine, to many limped hands in these things got you beat right now regardless of clubs, save your chips for a better situation.

MJBuddy · #7 08-02-2007, 08:13 PM

First = Easy call. Reraising this early is a spew.

Second = Easy fold.

Sherman · #8 08-02-2007, 08:44 PM

In #1 I call for set value. If the raise had come from the CO or the button, I'd re-raise.

#2 looks fine to me. You'd like to make a call HU, but your relative position on the flop sucks and this overbet screams that you are behind a K. You aren't getting the right effective odds to call, nor are you getting the right implied odds (for a flush) because he isn't going to stack off on a 4-flush board. All signs point to a fold.

kerk · #9 08-03-2007, 12:30 AM

[ QUOTE ]
First = Easy call. Reraising this early is a spew.

Second = Easy fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

JoeyJoJo Shabadu · #10 08-03-2007, 12:50 AM

[ QUOTE ]
In #1 I call for set value. If the raise had come from the CO or the button, I'd re-raise.

#2 looks fine to me. You'd like to make a call HU, but your relative position on the flop sucks and this overbet screams that you are behind a K. You aren't getting the right effective odds to call, nor are you getting the right implied odds (for a flush) because he isn't going to stack off on a 4-flush board. All signs point to a fold.

[/ QUOTE ]