$20 NL HE 6-max: So Frustrated After This Hand - JJ v A8

[hood400]

Game

Hold'em

Game Format

No Limit

Stakes

$.10/$.20

Table Format

6-max (6 seats)

Currency

$

Some context
There's much wrong with this hand, I apologise in advance.
I prefer tournaments, but I've taken to cash games to improve my post flop play.
I'm also trying to improve my heads up game, have been playing some of those.
The playback speed of the replay is much quicker than how the hand actually went down.

Pre flop
I had this opponent noted as a solid player, I witness some impressive folds/calls.
I allowed him to bluff me off a couple of hands as well, he had been running well, and you will notice he doubled his buy in stack of $20.
He limped into my BB, I woke up with JJ to raise 3x, and I end up flatting his re-raise.

Flop
Earlier in the day I was trapped by a limper, so I was cautious here, perhaps his re-raise represented QQ.
Not only would he have the set, but the hearts stick out like a sore thumb too.
We both check, which I thought was sensible at the time.
I get a free card and it's possible I would've folded to a raise anyway.

Turn
I've hit a set of my own.
He checks to me, I raise half the pot, he calls.
I'm bewildered at this point - does he have QQ? Is he still worried about the flush?

River
He checks back to me now that the board is paired.
I'm not even thinking clearly at this point, and I'm worried about another cash game trap.
I check back to be shown his A8.
I instantly leave the table and call it day, I'm frustrated how that hand unfolded.
Want to keep my profitable day intact, and go to bed in semi-decent mood.

Conclusion

Cash games have been up/down past two or three days.
I've flopped TPTK a few times , only to be called to the river where the opponent has hit KJ against my AK, or Q10 against my A10, etc.

My QQ was outdone by j6 on the river at one point. He remarkably re-raised me on the turn when 6 hit, I thought maybe he made a set.
I call the bet and his J hit on the river, he checked the river and I only checked back. So frustrating to know he called the my flop CBet with J high!

Despite that , the cash game re-raise on the turn/river is a nightmare, especially because it's usually solid.
I acknowledge cash game players are better post flops players, but in these stake levels I've seen a wide mix of tight players, aggressive bluffers, and mad punters.
It's really difficult to assign a range at times.

The end goal is improve my post flop play in tournaments, as well as being able to hold my own in a higher stakes cash game.

As I said above, I left the table instantly after the hand at the top of this thread, so any feedback would be appreciated.
Likewise, general cash game advice is welcome.

Thanks for your time, and I hope you don't come to exploit me at the tables

 

[Station_Master]

I think you probably know what you should have done. Bet on the river, you rivered a full house! Playing way too scared , there are so few hands you loose to only QQ and 99 and wouldn't villain have been more aggressive with them? I think the rest of the hand is played fine.

 

[D0nk3y Hunt3r]

It's really difficult to assign a range at times.

Ha.

As I said above, I left the table instantly after the hand at the top of this thread, so any feedback would be appreciated.
Likewise, general cash game advice is welcome.

Thanks for your time, and I hope you don't come to exploit me at the tables

It's hard to exploit such passive game. With such stack I would start with betting the flop, obviously. You gave villain free card and then decided to attack. Without J on board would you check this out to the river? What if it was a flopped flush on his side?
It was played safe and good and scary.

 

[puzzlefish]

In this case I don't think you would have found any action after betting on the river since your villain had given up. He didn't hit the flush or any other decent draws to call any bets.

It sounds like you were running very bad before and it got into your head, which happens sometimes. Nothing wrong with taking a break. The hand itself isn't even that terrible as played. Scary pre-flop re-raise followed by a standard flop check and bet the set on the turn. Yes, you should bet the river, but based on all the action to that point you wouldn't get paid off and at least this way you saw what you were up against all along.

 

[722Wade722]

But you won that pot? Tbh with cash games you won’t profit every time and you’re gonna lose hands, the key is to lose the minimum $s as possible. The more you play and the more you see hands the less scary situations will be, because you’ll have been in the position before and know how to play them out. If you’re playing a stake that’s too high for your bank roll (less than 30 buy ins) you need to drop to lower limits. Review your hands often, especially the ones that trigger emotions and see what you may have done different, then apply it. Personally if I have a day where I’m down a few buy ins no biggie, cuz I have more days when I’m up. Practice will build confidence, study will help you make less mistakes.

Edit to add: You’re gonna run into people that play wierd hands from time to time, keep in mind the majority of the time they’ll lose and are pretty easy to take their stacks, but every now and again they get lucky, just know that statistically, you’re gonna come out on top the majority of the time with that player. I’ve seen it a few times and it’s just a matter of time before I turn the tables on them lol. Also if you’re Interested, check out David Kaye on twitch or YouTube, he plays 100/200/500NL and is excellent at explaining his play, and even he at these limits runs into random stuff from time to time.