PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Hand delivered by Upswing Poker - https://upswingpoker.com/convert

UTG: $2.45 (123 bb)
MP: $2.34 (117 bb)
CO: $2.00 (100 bb)
BU: $2.52 (126 bb)
SB (Hero): $2.01 (101 bb)
BB: $2.00 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is SB with J♠ K♣
UTG raises to $0.06, MP calls $0.06, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.05, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.20) J♦ K♥ Q♣ (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.10, MP calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.20, UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10

Turn: ($0.80) T♦ (3 players)
Hero bets $0.38, UTG calls $0.38, MP folds

River: ($1.56) 6♠ (2 players)
Hero bets $1.37 (all-in), UTG calls $1.37

Total pot: $4.30 (Rake: $0.15)

Showdown:
SB (Hero) shows J♠ K♣ (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 40%, Flop: 18%, Turn: 13%, River: 0%)

UTG shows A♠ T♣ (a straight, Ten to Ace)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 60%, Flop: 82%, Turn: 88%, River: 100%)

UTG wins $4.15

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PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Hand delivered by Upswing Poker - https://upswingpoker.com/convert

UTG: $1.86 (93 bb)
MP: $2.00 (100 bb)
CO: $4.97 (249 bb)
BU (Hero): $2.15 (108 bb)
SB: $2.28 (114 bb)
BB: $1.99 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with K♣ K♥
UTG raises to $0.04, 1 fold, CO 3-bets to $0.14, Hero calls $0.14, SB calls $0.13, 2 players fold

Flop: ($0.48) 2♠ T♦ Q♠ (3 players)
SB checks, CO bets $0.23, Hero raises to $0.46, SB folds, CO calls $0.23

Turn: ($1.40) 9♥ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $0.70, CO raises to $1.70, Hero calls $0.85 (all-in)

River: ($4.50) 3♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $4.50 (Rake: $0.16)

Showdown:
CO shows 9♣ 9♠ (three of a kind, Nines)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 19%, Flop: 14%, Turn: 86%, River: 100%)

BU (Hero) shows K♣ K♥ (a pair of Kings)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 81%, Flop: 86%, Turn: 14%, River: 0%)

CO wins $4.34

Hand 1-

Pre- KJo is not a good hand. especially out of position against two players. You can use it to 3-bet defend your blinds against some looser players, but here I'd just fold.

Think about it... what does a good flop look like for KJ? On those flops, how will you know you're ahead if you are out of position?

Flop: I like checking there, but I'd check-raise more. A Min raise makes no sense. You want to make any QT, JT, KT pay a lot or fold outright (KT wont fold). You want value from AJ, AQ as well. You can probably raise pot here. (bet around 60 cents)

Keep in mind as you do this that you aren't really comfortable with a call either. There are many hands that have you beat. Many cards to come will have you beat too. You will have to check the turn.

Turn- As played, check fold. It's the worst card to come, you have to give up.


Hand 2
Pre- I'm bad with preflop reraising dynamics... I think with Kings you can cold 4-bet people though.

Flop- What's up with the min-raising man? If he's calling a raise there, he'll call a bigger one for sure.

Turn- His check raise when the 9 hits is not good, but at the same time there aren't many hands that make sense here. You block KJ, and this guy probably doesnt have a lot of 8s in his hand.

I think you have to call for the price... but there are very few hands that you beat here. Again, it's a confusing spot because you didn't 4-bet... his 3-bet was after a min-raise pre, so it's not like a traditional 3-bet.

KKs should always look to gii in micros pre...

In hand 1 you should have folded preflop. On the flop there are many different ways to play your hand, and the check mini-raise cant be that bad. On the turn any A and any 9 had a straight, and there is no other option than to just check-fold. Losing the rest of your stack here is a very big mistake.

In hand 2 you should have 4-bet preflop, and as played raised much larger on the flop. Both of that would likely have gotten 99 to fold, and you would have avoided the cooler on the turn. As played its never ideal to get raised, but at the same time your hand is to strong to fold.

Originally Posted by fundiver199

In hand 1 you should have folded preflop. On the flop there are many different ways to play your hand, and the check mini-raise cant be that bad. On the turn any A and any 9 had a straight, and there is no other option than to just check-fold. Losing the rest of your stack here is a very big mistake.

In hand 2 you should have 4-bet preflop, and as played raised much larger on the flop. Both of that would likely have gotten 99 to fold, and you would have avoided the cooler on the turn. As played its never ideal to get raised, but at the same time your hand is to strong to fold.

My gut told me the same as what you wrote but I do have a question about bet sizing on the 2nd hand as played. The raise on the flop was too small, but what’s the optimal bet size here? I’m thinking at least a 3/4 pot sized raise, maybe a full pot sized raise? If villain still calls that and check-raises the turn, I’d strongly consider folding because I only have an overpair and so many other hands could beat me.

I would raise to around 75-80c. If someone call, there is almost 2$ in the pot, and we have around a half pot sized bet left for the turn.

1st hand you should have either folded pre or be more weary on the flop. It's an extremely wet board that is super connected.

2nd hand you should have 4-bet pre. Sure there was a 3-bet, but it was super small. A 4 bet may push the 9s out or at least isolate more and show your opponents that you aren't messing around. Then you put in a strong C-bet on the flop and don't have to run into the set.

In both hands I'm not going to go into the technical "best way you could have because on both you could have saved a lot of headache by on the first check shoving the flop my argument for this is either your good or your not and fd call enough at this lvl i think it is close to positive ev. and then on the second just shove pre the people have shown enough hand strength i feel they are calling enough here to make it easy plus ev. easy 4bet cold shove your not playing against 25 50 2k buying grinders

On the first hand I dont like your play on every street, I probably would have folded pre flop, Kj off suit doesn't play well oop against multiple players.
I would have check called the flop.
On the turn your hand effectively becomes a bluff catcher, the only hands that are going to call are hands that have you beat, it seems you may have become frustrated and felt the pot belonged to you.

I would not have called with KJo. Shorthand no-limit thrives on aggressive play. You should be the aggressor most of the time. I would have folded preflop because you can hardly do a deceptive 3-bet because someone has already called. You also play out of position after the flop. You are taking a very big risk. After the flop you have to re-raise. You did that right. The flop is relatively draw-heavy. You have to protect your hand. But after the T comes on the turn, you have to play more carefully. A straight is now very likely. Even every 9 beats you now. I would have tried to see the showdown as cheaply as possible. I would have placed a small bet on the turn. If your opponent reraised you will know for sure that you are beaten and you can fold. If he just calls you can still see the river card cheaply. Who knows, you might still hit the full house. After the river, I would have checked and folded a big bet. Only if villian had bet small I would have called.

With pocket kings I always raise preflop. I would have made a 4-bet. The CO might have already folded after your 4-bet. If he had called, he probably wouldn't have raised the flop because of the two overcards. After a C-bet from you, he would have folded more easily. Let's just assume he called your flop bet too. Of course I would have bet the turn too. But if he had raised me then I would have folded. Most of the time he has the straight or two pair and beats you. Admittedly, I wouldn't have suspected a set. But I would have folded on the turn.

No point saying anything, typically Fundiver says it all

Originally Posted by fundiver199

In hand 1 you should have folded preflop. On the flop there are many different ways to play your hand, and the check mini-raise cant be that bad. On the turn any A and any 9 had a straight, and there is no other option than to just check-fold. Losing the rest of your stack here is a very big mistake.

In hand 2 you should have 4-bet preflop, and as played raised much larger on the flop. Both of that would likely have gotten 99 to fold, and you would have avoided the cooler on the turn. As played its never ideal to get raised, but at the same time your hand is to strong to fold.

Originally Posted by Bluebottle88

PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Hand delivered by Upswing Poker - https://upswingpoker.com/convert

UTG: $2.45 (123 bb)
MP: $2.34 (117 bb)
CO: $2.00 (100 bb)
BU: $2.52 (126 bb)
SB (Hero): $2.01 (101 bb)
BB: $2.00 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is SB with J♠ K♣
UTG raises to $0.06, MP calls $0.06, 2 players fold, Hero calls $0.05, 1 fold

Flop: ($0.20) J♦ K♥ Q♣ (3 players)
Hero checks, UTG bets $0.10, MP calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.20, UTG calls $0.10, MP calls $0.10

Turn: ($0.80) T♦ (3 players)
Hero bets $0.38, UTG calls $0.38, MP folds

River: ($1.56) 6♠ (2 players)
Hero bets $1.37 (all-in), UTG calls $1.37

Total pot: $4.30 (Rake: $0.15)

Showdown:
SB (Hero) shows J♠ K♣ (two pair, Kings and Jacks)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 40%, Flop: 18%, Turn: 13%, River: 0%)

UTG shows A♠ T♣ (a straight, Ten to Ace)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 60%, Flop: 82%, Turn: 88%, River: 100%)

UTG wins $4.15

---------------------------------------------------------


PokerStars, Hold'em No Limit - $0.01/$0.02 - 6 players
Hand delivered by Upswing Poker - https://upswingpoker.com/convert

UTG: $1.86 (93 bb)
MP: $2.00 (100 bb)
CO: $4.97 (249 bb)
BU (Hero): $2.15 (108 bb)
SB: $2.28 (114 bb)
BB: $1.99 (100 bb)

Pre-Flop: ($0.03) Hero is BTN with K♣ K♥
UTG raises to $0.04, 1 fold, CO 3-bets to $0.14, Hero calls $0.14, SB calls $0.13, 2 players fold

Flop: ($0.48) 2♠ T♦ Q♠ (3 players)
SB checks, CO bets $0.23, Hero raises to $0.46, SB folds, CO calls $0.23

Turn: ($1.40) 9♥ (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $0.70, CO raises to $1.70, Hero calls $0.85 (all-in)

River: ($4.50) 3♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: $4.50 (Rake: $0.16)

Showdown:
CO shows 9♣ 9♠ (three of a kind, Nines)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 19%, Flop: 14%, Turn: 86%, River: 100%)

BU (Hero) shows K♣ K♥ (a pair of Kings)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 81%, Flop: 86%, Turn: 14%, River: 0%)

CO wins $4.34

Thank yo for sharing these hands with us BlueBottle,
We are excited for the opportunity to help you level up your game!

As many have said, for hand #1 I prefer to just fold the hand.


If it were suited then it's a hand that plays well multiway and can justify a call, but being offsuit and being out of position JKo is usually going to be trouble (because you'll often be outkicked when you make a pair).


As played the flop check-raise is ok, but should probably be bigger. And on the turn you would likely benefit from just shutting down. It's too easy for 2 pair to be behind.

I have a video on preflop play that you may find helpful

You Tube

And this one too which discusses absolutely hand strength vs relative hand strength. think it's a topic you'll find extremely useful and relevant to this situation.

You Tube

For the second hand, you would probably be better off raising again before the flop and trying to knock out opponents.

Pocket kings is a hand that usually prefers just one opponent rather than many, and the way to achieve this is by raising again before the flop.

Hope the videos and the tips from our CC community can help you level up!

Well the first thing about learning is admitting your mistakes.
So it's a good sign you are here.

SB is the worst position, I'd tighten up a lot on the SB while you are still learning.
Either way 2 pair on a board with 4 to a straight is essentially bluffing.

You also have to be raising with KK preflop and not slow-playing in low stakes.

Hope that helps