Learn Texas Holdem

Question:

Hi!

I've written you a couple times here and I'm still going on a lot of the things you've written. Even more than the strategy, you taught me dealing with losing and what being a professional poker player means. I'm not yet where I want to be so I'll just call myself a decent student of the game.

I recently played two very interesting hands that affected each other. The game is $2.5/5 NL Hold'em. The very hand before the other one I raised on the button to $20 with A-J and got three callers, making it a multiway pot. The flop came Q-Q-3 and everybody checked to me. Normally in this spot I'll just check, having flopped nothing and it being a multiway pot but I knew that they'll know that and unless one of them flopped trip Q's here they won't like the situation. I wanted to set up the image that I won't need a monster to bet into a multiway field (which generally tends to be true). So I bet a value bet like $24 and "LaBarca" called, everybody else folded.

The turn came a K and he checked. I felt complete weakness in him. I felt that he just wanted me to check it down and him to see a cheap showdown. I thought he must have a PP of 6-6 through 9-9. It didn't seem like he was thinking at all about how to get maximum value on his trip Q's. Normally there is at least some pondering like that going on when that's the case. I didn't believe he'd just play it the obvious way and check it to me, hoping I'll just bet randomly. That won't work in the long run and he must know it. Besides, I have been playing fairly tight up to this point and everybody knows that multiway pots are taken more carefully without big hands. So I also felt I could represent great strength here, if my read is right.

So we're on the turn and I feel weakness in my opponent. What will I do? I'll fire again. This is a bigger game and I don't want to just give away money on random bluffs. But that's not the thing. I'm a poker player and I act on my reads. I have the confidence to take action based on my assessment of the situation. Poker is about making the correct decision and if you don't trust yourself in making those decisions, then who will you trust? I'm proud of myself that I didn't stop to hesitate about any of these things. I was playing a poker hand and I calmly acted on my read.

Now before I go any further let me clarify this: I?m not a bluffer. I don?t play poker looking to take every pot away. This hand is an exception.

I bet $40 and he called again after some hesitation. I didn't like that but my read didn't change, he was weak. If nothing strange happened on the river my read wasn?t going to change. My instincts were just yelling at me that he just wanted to see a showdown as cheaply as possible. I now also had the T for a straight and an A or a J for a probable winning pair.

The river came a random blank and he checked again. Now I'm just asking myself, "do you have the heart to fire the third bullet when you feel that's the right thing to do?". Again, I didn't hesitate and bet another $80 into the pot. "LaBarca" hesitated for a longer time and finally called again. I fell a little bit to the ground and expected to see a Q after all. I'm thinking "I guess a Q with a bad kicker like a 9 was possible, but oh well". Also I guess I could?ve bet more on the river. Maybe $120-$150. Just betting $80 gives some pretty damn good odds to call. But as said, I was more on the value bet bluff than a total run over bluff.

So after all this, what does my opponent turn over? A-8 off for no hand and no draw but Ace high!! We split the pot with the Q's and the K being in there! I don't know what went on in his head thinking I'd bet just two complete napkins three times. Actually I sort of did but there was no indication that I did. I made small value bets in a multiway pot and three times. Looks like I'm playing in some great games. People obviously fear getting bluffed too much still here on the 2.5/5 level. Great!

The very next hand I'm dealt A-4 of hearts in the cut off and I limp behind another limper. The button and the BB limp as well (SB folded) and we take the flop four handed. It comes off decent, 8-6-3 all hearts. Gin! The first limper checks and I quickly bet $10. Now everybody just saw me fire three bullets the last hand. The button calls and the first limper min re-raises to $20. At this point I don't know what to make of it but I see no point in re-raising here, having sort of selled the idea that I might be weak again. I stall for a moment and call. Now the button comes off re-raising again to $56 and the limper calls. At this point I'm onto them. The button has flopped a flush as well and the limper has either a set or two pair. I'm at a perfect spot here. I have the nuts and I have my opponents confused and committed to the pot unless the ultimate scare card comes on the turn (Kh).

I'm not going to go all-in here though. I'm still selling either a draw or just one pair. Also I want to make sure that the board doesn't pair right on the turn. If it does, I've already decided I will be able to get off the hand. If it doesn't and a random blank comes, my hand strength is as hidden as it'll ever be and neither of my opponents will likely get off their hands. The turn comes a 9c, changes nothing. The limper checks and I check. The button goes all-in for $418! The limper hesitates for a second and calls all-in for about $300. I don't waste any time and call with the nuts. Time to sweat the river for a board pair or, gulp, a straight flush. It comes the Ks and I get to see that I was exactly right on my read of the situation. The button showed Q-9 of hearts for a flush and the limper showed 3-3 for a set of 3's.

Now before I get cocky about how well I played the hand, it has to be said that I did get the perfect spot. I just coolered two big hands into a big pot. But none the less, I took advantage of the situation the best I could. Had I just moved in on the turn, the limper would've had the chance to fold his set. Also I would've been defenseless against a board pair. The button unlikely would've folded but we'll be playing again soon and he'll remember these two hands. Hopefully my trickyness will lessen his aggression in some future spots where I'll be able to get f.e. free cards.

I guess there's no real reason why I decided to post these hands but I felt good about my actions. But specifically I can again thank you for making me a student of the game and in turn, building the confidence and understanding of the psychology of the game in me. These two hands are a part of the result so far.

/Johan

Answer:

Hi Johan

Thanks for your kind words.

It's great that you developed your poker game with the help of Learn Texas Holdem, and I think you played the hands excellently. I have one small question though: why was there a split pot in your first example?

If, as you say, a "random blank" came on the river, you should have won the hand with AKQQJ against your opponents' hand with a lower fifth card. Only an A,K,Q or 3 on the river would have resulted in a split pot, and I would not characterize those cards as blanks in this case.