S
ssbn743
Visionary
Silver Level
Hand #1
So Raymer was seated two seats to me left in a recent tournament. IMO he hadn’t been playing very well and had managed to lose about 60% of his stack in the first 10 minutes he was present at my table. This made him push all in from middle position with what turned out to be Q 3 off suit – he won, being called by As Js and beating a paired jack on a two spade board with a miracle queen of clubs on the river. So that’s how things went up to this point.
Raymer had about 15-18K and I had just over 30K. The blinds were 800 and 400, no ante.
Raymer is UTG and raises to 1700, everyone folds because Raymer raised (his table presence was amazing by the way) and I find As Ks in the Small Blind. I don’t think I ever flat here, so the two options remaining are fold and raise.
1. Fold - I’m out of position with Ace high against an UTG raise from an established poker professional.
2. Raise - I’m out of position with Ace high against someone I almost certainly have a skill disadvantage against.
If you choose option 1 I have to wonder why and if you’re cut out for poker? Option 2, on the other hand, presents some other challenges; like, how much should I raise?
I ended up raising all-in to which Raymer folded. Thoughts? Could I have got more chips or even busted him by playing differently? In the end I only got 1700 from him, but I don’t see many other options without adding in more risk, like a flop for example.
Hand #2
The very next hand I’m dealt the two red kings from the button and everyone folds to me.
1. Raise – with position and a premium.
2. Call the BB and re-evaluated based on pre-flop action.
I would prefer option 1 here, but the downside is that I may just win the blinds despite having the best position and hand. Option 2 presents some interesting options should any one of the blinds get frisky.
I choose option 2 and called the BB. Raymer raise to 2K after the SB completed the bet. Now this is exactly why I just called, hoping he would raise, but…
What now?
I called, and spiked a King on a safe looking board. Raymer bet 4.5K and I pushed all-in, to which he folded.
Could I have won more chips of even busted him by playing differently?
So Raymer was seated two seats to me left in a recent tournament. IMO he hadn’t been playing very well and had managed to lose about 60% of his stack in the first 10 minutes he was present at my table. This made him push all in from middle position with what turned out to be Q 3 off suit – he won, being called by As Js and beating a paired jack on a two spade board with a miracle queen of clubs on the river. So that’s how things went up to this point.
Raymer had about 15-18K and I had just over 30K. The blinds were 800 and 400, no ante.
Raymer is UTG and raises to 1700, everyone folds because Raymer raised (his table presence was amazing by the way) and I find As Ks in the Small Blind. I don’t think I ever flat here, so the two options remaining are fold and raise.
1. Fold - I’m out of position with Ace high against an UTG raise from an established poker professional.
2. Raise - I’m out of position with Ace high against someone I almost certainly have a skill disadvantage against.
If you choose option 1 I have to wonder why and if you’re cut out for poker? Option 2, on the other hand, presents some other challenges; like, how much should I raise?
I ended up raising all-in to which Raymer folded. Thoughts? Could I have got more chips or even busted him by playing differently? In the end I only got 1700 from him, but I don’t see many other options without adding in more risk, like a flop for example.
Hand #2
The very next hand I’m dealt the two red kings from the button and everyone folds to me.
1. Raise – with position and a premium.
2. Call the BB and re-evaluated based on pre-flop action.
I would prefer option 1 here, but the downside is that I may just win the blinds despite having the best position and hand. Option 2 presents some interesting options should any one of the blinds get frisky.
I choose option 2 and called the BB. Raymer raise to 2K after the SB completed the bet. Now this is exactly why I just called, hoping he would raise, but…
What now?
I called, and spiked a King on a safe looking board. Raymer bet 4.5K and I pushed all-in, to which he folded.
Could I have won more chips of even busted him by playing differently?