I suck at pot control

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ilostmysoul

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Hey everyone!
So here's the thing. Yesterday I played 2-table NL2 and made pretty awesome winnings (100BB+/hour). However one thing that kept those earnings from increasing was TRYING to pot control.

Say I have A2, flop comes A8K without any flush draw, I bet, 2 players call. Then turn comes a card that doesn't change anything, say a 4. Here I try to pot control because I have a bad kicker. So my plan is to check; if everyone checks back I will check/call river, if someone bets I will call and check/fold river if that same person bets again.
In this example, everyone checks. Then comes another card that doesn't seem to help anyone, say a 6.
Now I check, someone bets, and I call. Then that person usually wins. This call I make here can be of absurd value. In my mind, even if someone makes a pot-size bet, I have a better hand with top pair, and I call, because I think "Well everyone checked turn so he is smelling weakness and trying to win with a weak hand". The bigger the bet, the more I think he's trying to get everyone to fold.

I know pot control is easier in position, since you know what everyone else did and you have few people acting after you, so for the sake of the discussion let's say I'm OOP. 1st or 2nd to act. This way it's tougher to make a decision. Any idea on how to improve this?
Thanks in advance :)
 
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HooDooKoo

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Your problem is with hand selection and with evaluating the river, not with pot control. The pot control you described in the hand above was fine. You just need to learn to fold the river when you're behind.

And don't play A2. In any position. Ever.

-HooDooKoo
 
EvertonGirl

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Your problem is with hand selection and with evaluating the river, not with pot control. The pot control you described in the hand above was fine. You just need to learn to fold the river when you're behind.

And don't play A2. In any position. Ever.

-HooDooKoo

+ 1

Totally agree with this 100%

A2 is way too spewy imo and often you will be out kicked.

The only time I would ever think of playing A2 is when I am on the button and I get to OR for a steal or if I am the SS at the table and with 1 person left to act I will shove.
 
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ilostmysoul

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That A2 would be a hand I played yesterday on BB and ended up hitting top pair.
A better example would then be KTs that hit T as top pair on a dry flop (then J comes on the Turn). Same action all around, I called a 1/2 pot bet on the river only to find out the guy had made 2 pair on the Turn with J8 :p

Thanks for answering ^^
 
EvertonGirl

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That A2 would be a hand I played yesterday on BB and ended up hitting top pair.
A better example would then be KTs that hit T as top pair on a dry flop (then J comes on the Turn). Same action all around, I called a 1/2 pot bet on the river only to find out the guy had made 2 pair on the Turn with J8 :p

Thanks for answering ^^

On the flop I would of bet 2/3 of the pot if I was the aggressor, I don't like to check too much as you are giving your villain a free card for hitting his 2 pair. You were unlucky that he got his two pair, but if you had showed agression would your villain had called with just a pair of 8s? Did you have any reads on him?
 
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ilostmysoul

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On the flop I would of bet 2/3 of the pot if I was the aggressor, I don't like to check too much as you are giving your villain a free card for hitting his 2 pair. You were unlucky that he got his two pair, but if you had showed agression would your villain had called with just a pair of 8s? Did you have any reads on him?

I bet the whole pot on that flop. But most flop's pots on NL2 are $,06 so he would always call
 
EvertonGirl

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I bet the whole pot on that flop. But most flop's pots on NL2 are $,06 so he would always call

Ahhhhhh I thought you meant you checked when you said about the same action. Yea that is unlucky that you were against a calling station, these players will often call with the worst hand most of the time, which is what we want, but every now and again they get lucky. As long as you play it right, that is all that matters and the long run they will be donking their chips in your direction. I don't play cash games that much, I am more comfortable with tourney play.
 
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ilostmysoul

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Ahhhhhh I thought you meant you checked when you said about the same action. Yea that is unlucky that you were against a calling station, these players will often call with the worst hand most of the time, which is what we want, but every now and again they get lucky. As long as you play it right, that is all that matters and the long run they will be donking their chips in your direction. I don't play cash games that much, I am more comfortable with tourney play.

Bet flop, check turn (folding if clearly behind or calling otherwise), check/call river (check/fold if a player has been showing strength since the Turn and my hand is only fair). That's my general pot control strategy.
Tourneys are pretty cool but I prefer to play with money and have a direct access to my winnings/losses :p
Thanks for answering ^^
 
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limpnfold88

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hey HooDooKoo when do you want to play our first round HU match? I can't pm you i don't have enough posts as I am a new member. Let me know so one of us can post the date and time on the thread. Thanks.
 
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