07-26-05, LearnTexasHoldem:
Two Tournament Hand Questions
The game is somewhat loose but nothing too crazy.
After my last session I am questioning two hands that I played and hoped you could help.
Top 3 Beginner Rooms
Was this a good laydown or was I playing too tight?
Hand 2: Blinds are now 25/50 and were heads up. I'm in the big blind with 350 left and my opponent has about 1000. He has been very aggressive betting and calling everything and going all in a few time preflop. He goes all in again and I look down at A3 suited. I'm hoping my opponent has KQ or KJ. I figure even if he has a better A I can still gamble and hit a flush, straight, or 3. Given my short stack is this a reasonable call or was I just on tilt?
Thanks for the help,
Seth
Answer:
Hand 1: I think you have to play this hand. Obviously, I have no idea whether or not someone flopped a bigger flush, but if I had to guess one way or another, I would say you were ahead. Most likely how the betting would have happened if the player flopped the flush would be to call on the flop, then raise the turn. Most players would not immediately raise on the flop with other players left in the hand behind them if they did flop something like the nut or second nut flush. (That isn't to say that your opponents think like this.)
The advice I'm going to give you is how to play in such a way that it both protects it and maximizes it. My guess is that one person had a big King and the other person had a big spade draw. As far as you are concerned, only the big spade draw against you is trouble. For example, if the player has AsJd or something, then you will lose about a third of the time to the river. Your first instinct is to go all-in immediately to try and defend against this bigger draw. I don't think that is the best way.
Number one, let's say neither of them do have a draw that can beat you like this then going all-in will chase away potential chips. Secondly, even though you are currently ahead in the hand, you would prefer not putting your tournament life at stake for a situation that can go south 1/3 of the time. A better way to play would be to smooth call their flop bets. You do this because it both ties them into the pot more if they don't have big hands yet, and secondly because it puts you in a good spot to make a big raise on the turn.
What you are hoping for is the turn not to be a spade. If the turn card isn't a spade, then you can make a good sized raise which will skew the odds big time for the person with the nut draw. Now instead of hitting it a 1/3 of the time, he'll only be hitting it around 1/5 of the time. Plus, you may tie someone else to the pot that might not have been in other wise. Let's say the guy had KQ but no spade, maybe the turn would be a Queen, now sucking him in for more bets.
Now all of the this hinges on the fact that you aren't already up against the nuts. If you are, you'll most likely find out on the turn card after you get reraised. Depending on how large the raise is, you may have to fold then if after doing serious consideration. To make the correct choice then, you would need to take into account the type of player you were in the hand with -- and I can't help you there.
Hand 2: If your opponent heads up is pulling that all-in business every hand, forcing you to call with all your chips, you have to make a stand sometime. How long you wait for that hand you put your money in with depends on how many chips you have left. Since you only had 300 left after the big blind of 50, I say put in the rest with the A3. If he doesn't have an Ace or a pair, you are ahead. I would feel pretty comfortable with the hand since you said that he had been doing this repeatedly. You may even catch him with his pants down with something like J5. That isn't to say that the J5 won't get a lucky win a good portion of the time; it will, but all you can do is get your money in with what you think is the best hand.
Your rating:
Click on the clover of your choiceTop 5 Poker Rooms
| Colt Poker Free $10 | Read Review |
|---|---|
| Cake Poker Free $10 | Read Review |
| Minted Poker | Read Review |
| Poker Stars | Read Review |
| 888poker | Read Review |
