slow rolling pKK's on Harrington's 'rope a dope'

I thought I'd comment on my week end's play at my local casino.. Saturday night great entered tournie 100 runners came 5th went all in on FT with KQo 38000 got caller who had AKo blinds were 4-8000 just ran into a great hand. However, played a freeroll on Sunday 60 runners some really good prizes of entries into great big money tournaments. I wanted to do well but I think I messed up big style?
Got dealt KK UTG blinds are 75-150 only seven players playing at this point three others had left the table for breaks I raised 2x BB as I wanted some callers to my dismay everyone folded apart from the BB who called. Chip stacks were around 2500 apiece, flop comes 3h 5s 8c the BB bets 200 now I think about going AI but I know he'll fold, the flops good for me so I remember Harrington in his book saying slow play the KK's in this situ' so I call the 200 next card can't remember exactly but it was something like 7c BB checks I don't like the clubs on the board, so I bet 750 I still had 1300 left the pot was something like 1800 so he was around 2-1 on his money for the flush which is 4-1 to hit on the river. River comes guess what another club he goes all in obviously he's flushing and has hit I have to fold my great hand. Should I have gone AI post flop or on the turn going on the flop stops 2 pair but I wanted to milk it a bit what do you all think? I'm really dissapointed as I'd played well on the Saturday and looked like a donk on the Sunday. Thanks all the sniper...

You should have pushed all in after the flop. You want to take the pot down right there. I'm sure Harrington does NOT say slow play the kings in that situation, because the flop is dangerous,. There is a straight possibility, so you do not want to give a free card. With no ace on the board, you gotta go all in there.

as a matter of fact harrington sure as hell does not say slowplay KK,

like decker said you should have been all in after the flop....no way would he have called you and than you take the pot right there.

gotta know when to bet heavy

From what you said, it doesn't sound to me like he caught a flush. It sounds to me like he was trying to reel you in with a flopped set.

Harrington states in his HOC series that KK is a hand that he never limps UTG under any circumstances. In fact he points out that this is one of the few hands that he dosen't try and balance his range with.

You may referring to an example of limping with KK (not sure if it was UTG or not) which was done by Doyle Brunson against Daniel Negranau, but which Harrington gives as an example of meta game. The hand in question was an example of a meta game play by Doyle designed to make Daniel question his reading abilities. Doyle calls down the flop and the the turn and I believe bets out on the river, causing Daniel to fold a pretty decent hand but with a completely mistaken read. Doyle then shows him KK to make him question his reading ability over Doyle.

The value of the play was not the pot won, but the doubt it put in Negranau's mind.

Basically, you will never be up against an opponent whom is both skilled enough and you will be playing against enough to justify the potential cost of the play going wrong.

Thanks guys I just guess I messed up trying to be to clever, there is a small section in Harrington's vol 1 which mentions the 'rope a dope' using ppKK if I've read it wrong then it's my fault but I should have raised-shoved it's standard play and I wanted an extra bet but messed up. Thanks for telling me off...the sniper

Some you play right >>> Win Win
Some you play not so right >>> Loose Loose

If you play it not so right and Win then you look like a genius (Thats called Gamble). An statistical or situational or combination of the two decisions.
If you do the same move and loose you look like a Donk.

The point is there is not always the right and wrong way to play a hand.
If you want to win you have to put a little Gamble it it and make some coin flip decisions at times. You could play it safe or you could play it like a trap. Traps often trap the one who is trapping. Either way you will win some and loose some no matter what you decide.


Good Luck and play it from your read of the situation.

Just my opinion.

I think if I was you I would have went all in after the turn.. because once you see two of the same suit on the board you need to get him off his hand if he is chasing and if he calls and beats you then he got lucky. The worst thing that can happen their is he gets lucky on the river, but as long as their is no ace on the flop or the turn then you need to go all in their my friend.



B