is this the right way to play this hand?

[jmitchell42]

i know i should hav raised preflop, but other than that, are there major flaws with this hand?

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre> </pre><hr /> PokerStars 0.25/0.50 Hold'em (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
[color=#CC3333]UTG raises</font>, [color=#666666]6 folds</font>, Hero calls, [color=#666666]2 folds</font>.

Flop: (5.40 SB) , , [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

Turn: (3.70 BB) [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]UTG bets</font>, Hero calls.

River: (5.70 BB) [color=#0000FF](2 players)</font>
[color=#CC3333]UTG bets</font>, [color=#CC3333]Hero raises</font>, UTG calls.

Final Pot: 9.70 BB
</pre><hr />

[NIX]

Mistake 1: Messed up the converter. Change it from FTR to 2p2
Mistake 2: Not 3-betting preflop
Mistake 3: As played, not raising the turn.

[RemyXO]

(1) Select 2+2 format when converting your hand
(2) 3-bet preflop. The call is VERY bad.
(3) Given that you didn't I either raise or fold on the flop, depending on your reads of the opponent.
(4) You luckbox. Flat call on the turn is VERY bad.
(5) River is the only street you didn't screw up.
(6) I am gonna go and puke now.

[Buzz-cp]

thread ends here. Nix &amp; Remy said it all. Tho more beration will likely ensue.

[jmitchell42]

like i said, i realize i should have raised preflop, but lots of bad experiences have pushed me away from that.
the bettor might have bet with a decent pair, but i figured to call for the straight. then on the turn. wanted to slowplay a little so as to not give it away too much that i hit the straight. thought i might get at least one more bet from him.

[jmitchell42]

sorry, to post something that has to be shut down so fast. i realize that preflop i played this bad. sometimes the same hands that have come before made me timid to that hand.
But, i posted this because i thought that i could get some feedback without being shut down as to why. i have been reading here for a week or so, and finally got the courage to post a hand i actually won, but thought i played possibly poorly to get some feedback on it. sorry it wasn't advanced enough for the posts.

[RemyXO]

jmitchell,

Don't worry about it - if you don't post and don't get berated, you don't learn [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I hope you realize you made mistakes here. Although I bet you thought you played the hand very well. You are making typical newcomer's mistakes, we have all been there. I'll try to explain why they were mistakes.

(1) Repeat after me - I WILL NEVER EVER COLD CALL WITH AK. NEVER EVER EVER. This is an excellent hand, it wins a lot of pots and you have to raise it for value. Nevermind your past experinces - in my tracker I am showing AK/AKs winning 65%. That's huge, my friend. Your bad experiences are most probably from playing AK badly postflop.
Now, AKo plays MUCH better in heads-up situations where you'll usually win by spiking a pair and a lot of times unimproved when your opponent folds. You definitely want to raise this on the button to knock out the blinds and play it heads-up and in position and with control. If he four-bets, you can also narrow down his holdings very well usually.
That's why flat calling is very bad.

(2) To the flop we go.
The villain will bet with anything, really. But it's safe to assume you are beat and need to improve. You are saying you called for a gutshot straight. The odds of a Queen coming on the turn are 11:1. The pot is laying you 6.5:1. You don't have enough odds to call for gutshot. You are wasting money.
However, you also have overcards. We can't count them as 6 outs, obviously, since flop is coordinated and you can spike an ace or a queen and lose to a straight or two pair. All kinds of reverse dominating hands and redraws out there. Let's be generous and give you 2 more outs. The odds are still not there to make a call.

Now, a RAISE would be a good alternative! As a matter of fact, I usually do raise here (unless I have reads to tell me otherwise)! You will most probably get a free turn card, scare the opponent into submission if he whiffed the flop of holds an underpair. You can get a look at 2 more cards for just 1 big bet. If you do hit your straight, you'll get paid off, since it's disguised. If you spike A or K on the river, you can get a cheap showdown. Lots of upsides to raising.

(3) Turn ... ugh ... slowplaying ... Do you really need an explanation why the slowplaying is bad here? You have the best hand. Bet and raise and reraise for value. That's a simple as that. Forget about deception and disguise and trapping. This is low-limit hold'em. You will get paid off consistently. What if he hols TT, JJ or QQ?? How many extra bets do you miss by not raising?
And you are not gaining anything versus smaller hands by slowplaying. You just get 1 bet on turn and 2 on river versus 2 on turn and 1 on river if you raised. That's ... three bets either way.

If you have more questions - fire away.
/ Remy

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
like i said, i realize i should have raised preflop, but lots of bad experiences have pushed me away from that.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you 3-bet 94o preflop against an early position raiser and flopped quad nines, would you start raising 3-betting 94o preflop because you have good luck with that hand?

[jmitchell42]

remy,
thank you for the further explanation. i really appreciate the time spent. and for future refference, berate away. that is the only way for me to get better. i just don't like to be berated without know why i am. so, again, thanks a lot for the analysis.
James

[Xylocain]

save the micros