100NL - Butchered QQ: Comment On My Post-Session Analysis

[The Eureka Kid]

I'm better than this, and I know I'm playing so bad as I make the move, but I just can't stop it. We all make mistakes, but this hand was entirely avoidable. I'm posting it more to get comments on my analysis, rather than how bad I played the hand. Here goes...

Villain in this hand is 20/8/1.91 over 400 hands

Poker Stars, $0.50/$1 NL Hold'em Cash Game, 9 Players
LegoPoker Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $23.75
UTG+2: $101.50
MP1: $38.35
MP2: $124.70
CO: $102.60
Hero (BTN): $100.90
SB: $124.10
BB: $119.05
UTG: $97.75

Pre-Flop: Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] dealt to Hero (BTN)
<font color="red">UTG raises to $4</font>, 5 folds, Hero calls $4, 2 folds

<font color="green">UTG raise usually means a fair bit of stength, this villain raises 8% overall, so if we assume he is a little tighter in EP, he is raising about 6% in the UTG at most. Therefore, I can probably narrow is range to at most AA-88, AK-AJs. Only two hands have me beat at this point, the button is in front of me I have excellent position for the rest of the hand. For some inexplicable reason I decided not to raise here. Usually the only reason I would flat call QQ pre-flop is against an absolute nit who raises 1-2% of hands pre-flop or facing a three-bet or maybe to trap and overly aggressive opponent. Here, raising has two advantages, I make the villain pay to outflop and pay to play out of position against me and I continue the hand with the aggression behind me. It also gives the villain and chance to play back at me with AA and KK (he may just smooth call these hands though), but he could let me fold QQ soundly when he demonstrates he has AA or KK by 4 betting me.</font>

Flop: ($9.50) 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players)
<font color="red">UTG bets $7</font>, <font color="red">Hero raises to $21</font>, UTG calls $14

<font color="green">Okay, a pretty good flop, no overcards out there, so we are still ahead of AK-AJs, JJ has flopped a set so we are beating 88-TT only now. Flat calling pre-flop, I pretty much have to raise this flop, there is little sense in slow-playing one pair. So tick for how I played this street i think... BUT...</font>

Once he calls: <font color="green">SHUT DOWN! I have given him no reason for him to believe I'd stick in a raise like that on the flop on a bluff, yet he calls. There are no real draws on the board, I'm nearly positive he'd muck AK-AQ, 88-TT here. So, his range is now narrowed to AA-JJ and a small % assignment to AJ(The only hand I am ahead of in his range really, though tying with QQ).</font>

Turn: ($51.50) T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players)
UTG checks, <font color="red">Hero bets $40</font>, <font color="red">UTG raises to $72.75 and is All-In</font>, Hero calls $32.75

<font color="green"> Okay, even if he's peeled with TT, that has me beat now too. Don't put another chip in the pot, you will only be called by a better hand and you know he has one too. What are you doing!?!? NO...

Some say the most important decisions are made on the turn because the money gets big, and I think this is very true of this hand, I made a horrible blunder. I was so locked in on winning the pot, I threw all the theory out the window and just played like a monkey.</font>

River: ($197) 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 Players - 1 is All-In)


<font color="green"> I just seem to keep misplaying the odd hand like this, my win rate would be so much better if I could be focussed and controlled in these situations, instead of just blasting away. Look forward to getting some feedback as to whether my analysis of the hand post-session is alright... </font> <font color="green"> </font> <font color="green"> </font>

[TJ Eckleburg12]

Not re-raising preflop is inexcusable. Even for a tight player, you need to push your hand strong here. The whole hand plays differently when you do re-raise preflop.

On the turn check-raise, he could have JJ+, or AJ, or any JsXs that picked up outs. We don't know because we don't have information.

As played, the call is fine because the pot math necessitated it.

From the tone of your post I bet he picked up and hit the spades... which sucks.

Re-raise preflop, bet or raise a lead bet on the flop. If he comes over the top, push.

Much simpler, easy decisions that way.

[acseif]

If you can keep analyzing hands like this, and learn from your mistakes, as well as trust your instincts and reads in a hand, you will be fine. As played preflop, this hand is fine, even though its ugly.

[BlueBear]

It's certainly thought-provoking and strangely humorous that you say the words "SHUT DOWN" after his flop call but you still bet the turn anyway. I've done this many many times in my mind.

Your thought processes are certainly valid and checking the turn - praying for a cheap showdown, is the most logical way to play this. Both calling and re-raising preflop are fine.

[seki]

On a flop that dry, almost always he's only calling your raise with QQ-AA or a set. Check behind the turn, call 1/2 pot river or less if he can bluff or might block bet a mid pair.

[RapidEvolution]

I had an extremely similar hand today, and it was really valuable to see thinking during the hand compared to afterwards. I'll add that my thinking also included "I'm repping a set here, so either he'll fold his overpair or he'll call and I'll still be ahead of TT/JJ" (In my hand, the flop was 8 high)