$10 NLHE Full Ring: Should I have folded? Am I beat in similar situations?

Hey all! I play on ignition Poker and I haven’t figured out how to export hand histories, so I am going to type out the action here as I see it in the client (you can review your hand history). If anyone knows how to do it, please help, thanks!


Here it goes:


Full Ring, 9 players. I’m UTG+1, the villain is UTG (to my right). For the record, after about an hour of play, I have observed that the villain is a pretty solid player.


I’m dealt AA. UTG limps in for a dime. I raise to $0.60 (I vary my opening raises between 3x-6x the BB). There’s one caller in mid position, everyone else folds, UTG calls me. Pot is now ~$1.95 (minus a few cents for rake).


Flop comes K hearts, 7 hearts, 8 spades. Villain checks. I now have top pair and there is a flush and straight draw on the board. I bet $1.40 to take away pot odds from someone who may be drawing (smart or stupid?). Mid position folds. The villain raises me to $2.80.


I take some time to think…limped pre-flop, flat calls me to the flop, and is now raising me. He could have trips. I rule out KK immediately based on previous action. He could have 7-7 or 8-8, though. A flush/straight draw seems unlikely, but possible. I wasn’t going to give up top pair just yet, so I just call another $1.40, making the pot ~$7.55.


Turn is a 4 diamonds, putting a possible straight on the board. Based on the villain’s solid play, I didn’t think he was playing a hand like 5-6 in early position. Villain bets $3.77, about half the pot. I take some time to think.


If he had trips on the flop, his raise makes sense. If he’s on a flush draw, he could be trying to chase me away, but if that was the case, he’d bet more than just half, right? Finally, he could also be trying to trap me with his possible monster hand. I decided that this bet felt like a probe…but, I was suspicious of being beat.


Instead of folding, I raised to $8.00. He calls. The pot is now ~$23.55. I really felt like this was a bad decision on my part…I should have just called instead of raising, but I’m not sure. The fact that he called my raise really made me nervous (and gave me more info, albeit very expensive info).


River comes 3 of spades…I highly doubt that helped him. Villain checks and I check behind. He turns over 5-5 and I take the pot with my AA.


I’m looking for some constructive criticism here…any insight would be helpful. Thank you very much for your help in advance, and thank you for reading this far!

V is no solid player. He limps UTG & heavily overplays a small pp. He's a pure fish
If it was 100BB eff your raise should put in the stacks.
If not I'd just size it up turn to GII on river. But calling down turn & betting river is fine as well with deepstacks.

Alucard said:

V is no solid player. He limps UTG & heavily overplays a small pp. He's a pure fish
If it was 100BB eff your raise should put in the stacks.
If not I'd just size it up turn to GII on river. But calling down turn & betting river is fine as well with deepstacks.

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This makes sense. I guess what I mean by "solid" is that I had observed him showing down good hands throughout my first hour at the table. I had about 15 dollars in my stack and he had about 17 dollars when we entered the hand.

What do you mean by "GII"? Get it in?

yeah GII - get it in
also it's not trips but a set. trips means two from board one from hand
If I've seen him play this way previously I have no problem getting money in, but if it's the first time we could play it conservative

His flop raising value range is basically 2 combos of 78s, 6 combos of 7s & 8s which are unlikely. Kings are highly unlikely. I'd expect all these hands to 3bet jam to your turn raise.

Alucard said:

yeah GII - get it in
also it's not trips but a set. trips means two from board one from hand
If I've seen him play this way previously I have no problem getting money in, but if it's the first time we could play it conservative

His flop raising value range is basically 2 combos of 78s, 6 combos of 7s & 8s which are unlikely. Kings are highly unlikely. I'd expect all these hands to 3bet jam to your turn raise.

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Huh...in all my years playing poker (about 10 now) I never knew that a set and trips were different! Crazy! Thanks man!

I appreciate your input. Really helps...thanks!

Given the board on the flop Kh8s7h and preflop action UTG limps and you (UTG+1) makes it 6 BB it is very unlikely that someone is on a straight draw. Flush draw and sets are possible yes.
Anyway the raise on the flop is good I also like the sizing. Villain min-raises you and I like your call.

Villain bet half pot on turn (4.77) => meaning he invested about 7.50 in total giving you guys a remaining effective stack of 7.50 if you call.

I would call here with your holding and give the opponent the opportunity to bluff on the river for about a pot sized bet (your remaining stack) (GII ). If he has it he has it and your doomed to loose your entire stack. But given the fact that their is a K on the board he can have besides flush draws have so many Kx hands that your hand is probably ahead against most of his range. You decide to raise and your opponent calls the min raise even with the gutshot draw and pair (6 outs) he should have folded here and only continue with his top hands.

On the river you could make a thin value bet (all-in) targeting Kx or even a stubborn QQ as it is very unlikely that he beats you as he did not make a value bet himself. If I am correct your remaining stack is so low that he gets superb odds.