$2 NLHE 6-max: 2 pair with an new unknown opponent, Call the all in?

[JR1987]

This was up against a new player at the table, I think they had only been in for about 3 hands prior, So I wasnt able to get a read on them.

I dont know if this was the right way to play. I tend to get frustrated with myself being bullied off the pot sometimes due to alot of silly avoidable losses when I very first started playing poker (Im still very new however, but with more understanding of the game)

I could have been beaten here but I am wondering if I made the correct call given the pot and stack sizes?

Any advice is most appreciated

pokerstars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: $2.00 (100 bb)
MP: $3.47 (174 bb)
CO: $1.34 (67 bb)
BU (Hero): $4.59 (230 bb)
SB: $1.98 (99 bb)
BB: $2.55 (128 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with Q♣ J♥
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.06, Hero calls $0.06, 2 players fold

Flop: ($0.15) Q♥ 8♣ 7♥ (2 players)
CO bets $0.07, Hero calls $0.07

Turn: ($0.29) J♦ (2 players)
CO bets $0.14, Hero raises to $0.28, CO raises to $0.70, Hero calls $0.42

River: ($1.69) T♠ (2 players)
CO bets $0.51 (all-in), Hero calls $0.51

Total pot: $2.71 (Rake: $0.09)

Showdown:
CO shows K♠ K♥ (a pair of Kings)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 86%, Flop: 80%, Turn: 18%, River: 0%)

BU (Hero) shows Q♣ J♥ (two pair, Queens and Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 14%, Flop: 20%, Turn: 82%, River: 100%)

BU (Hero) wins $2.62

 

[GreenDaddy1]

So, without stats CO is either an aggressive short stacker or more likely a recreational player of some kind.

QJo is fine to get involved against a smaller stack like this. I'm actually inclined to 3 bet light. Firstly because I want to isolate this player for a heads up pot with me in position, and secondly because I even further reduce the stack to pot ratio going to the flop. This is going to make decision making easier and ensure that if I hit anything decent at all I am attempting to get his entire stack in. Two pair hands or better are like gold against a player like this with stacks short and so you want to play for stacks, without going crazy if the board runs awfully against you. I actually dont think this board got too scary until the river (at which point sure, it is a bit hideous!), and by that stage the money could have all been in the pot, and it was such a fraction left behind you needed to call with your two pair given how the action went.

As played you call pre and he C bets the flop. I don't mind calling here with your top pair because if you get too aggressive you will just give him an easy fold with any bluffs. So a call and a plan to ramp up the aggression if possible on the turn is fine. I'd much rather be the aggressor on this board though, another reason why the 3 bet pre would have been a good option. Being the aggressor is giving you more ways to win the pot besides always having the best hand.

You get a dream turn card, and you definitely want to be aiming for stacks in asap. Personally I'd go for about 3x his raise with your reraise, increasing the chances that he will just jam his stack in response. Note my earlier comment about 3 betting, if this was a 3 bet pot stacks would easily have gone in on this turn without too much concern.

With only .51 more to see the showdown on the river obviously with two pair you need to look it up as played. Sure you are beat sometimes, but that is poker. You just have to be winning often enough to be profitable in the long run. Now, there are plenty of players at the micros who have you beat every time you find yourself in this spot with them. That is the whole trick really, make sure you are playing these pots against the right villains, and stay the hell out of the way of the regs, nits and anyone else who seems to be competent.

The thing to remember with the sorts of players who cannot let go of hands like KK regardless of how the board runs out or how their opponents are behaving, is that they don't see beyond their pretty hole cards. If they want to get the money in, it is going in somehow. That is why you can 3 bet them quite loosely and play bigger pots with reasonable aggression if you hit something to make sure all the money goes in when you think you are ahead most of the time. There can be some short term variance involved in this, but if done right you come out ahead.

 

[Rajten]

I would have played it in the same way, only on turn I would have used bigger sizing. On river you should always call, you are committed.

 

[Aballinamion]

This was up against a new player at the table, I think they had only been in for about 3 hands prior, So I wasnt able to get a read on them.

I dont know if this was the right way to play. I tend to get frustrated with myself being bullied off the pot sometimes due to alot of silly avoidable losses when I very first started playing poker (Im still very new however, but with more understanding of the game)

I could have been beaten here but I am wondering if I made the correct call given the pot and stack sizes?

Any advice is most appreciated

PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: $2.00 (100 bb)
MP: $3.47 (174 bb)
CO: $1.34 (67 bb)
BU (Hero): $4.59 (230 bb)
SB: $1.98 (99 bb)
BB: $2.55 (128 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with Q♣ J♥
2 players fold, CO raises to $0.06, Hero calls $0.06, 2 players fold

Flop: ($0.15) Q♥ 8♣ 7♥ (2 players)
CO bets $0.07, Hero calls $0.07

Turn: ($0.29) J♦ (2 players)
CO bets $0.14, Hero raises to $0.28, CO raises to $0.70, Hero calls $0.42

River: ($1.69) T♠ (2 players)
CO bets $0.51 (all-in), Hero calls $0.51

Total pot: $2.71 (Rake: $0.09)

Showdown:
CO shows K♠ K♥ (a pair of Kings)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 86%, Flop: 80%, Turn: 18%, River: 0%)

BU (Hero) shows Q♣ J♥ (two pair, Queens and Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 14%, Flop: 20%, Turn: 82%, River: 100%)

BU (Hero) wins $2.62

The hand was played fine. You opponent should be folding its KK OTT, but we know that at the micros, only a few cats are able to leave QQ+ postflop.

Regards;

Carlos 'Aballinamion' Barbosa