$1.50 NLHE MTT: 2 Table 9-max SnG vs wide caller

[LuisBoaC]

Villain's HUD stats are based on 21 hands only, but he's limped pre-flop a lot and called a lot post flop. How do you think hero played this hand, what would you have done differently?

pokerstars, $1.29 + $0.21 - Hold'em No Limit - 25/50 (6 ante) - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: 2,042 (41 bb)
MP: 1,784 (36 bb)
CO: 3,034 (61 bb)
BU: 1,051 (21 bb)
SB: 1,521 (30 bb)
BB (Hero): 2,359 (47 bb)

Pre-Flop: (111) Hero is BB with 8♠ 3♦
1 fold, MP calls 50, 3 players fold, Hero checks

Flop: (161) 7♠ 8♥ 4♠ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets 161, Hero calls 161

Turn: (483) 3♣ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets 242, Hero raises to 675, MP calls 433

River: (1,833) 9♥ (2 players)
Hero bets 917, MP calls 892 (all-in)

 

[Marcwantstowin]

Villain's HUD stats are based on 21 hands only, but he's limped pre-flop a lot and called a lot post flop. How do you think hero played this hand, what would you have done differently?

PokerStars, $1.29 + $0.21 - Hold'em No Limit - 25/50 (6 ante) - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: 2,042 (41 bb)
MP: 1,784 (36 bb)
CO: 3,034 (61 bb)
BU: 1,051 (21 bb)
SB: 1,521 (30 bb)
BB (Hero): 2,359 (47 bb)

Pre-Flop: (111) Hero is BB with 8♠ 3♦
1 fold, MP calls 50, 3 players fold, Hero checks

Flop: (161) 7♠ 8♥ 4♠ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets 161, Hero calls 161

Turn: (483) 3♣ (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets 242, Hero raises to 675, MP calls 433

River: (1,833) 9♥ (2 players)
Hero bets 917, MPcalls 892 (all-in)

Hi Luis

As you say you do not have much data on the villain, and he is limping a lot as he did here. I expect, although do not know, is that he is a relatively new poker player, so is not sure at all what he is doing. Just come to play.

The only thing I would have done differently is on the turn where you hit two pair and board being so open, to any sort of holding. I would have check-raised him all-in, just in case he is holding a pair and trying to avoid you getting counterfeited.

It could be he is holding a big pair, any pair or AK, although I doubt it very much.

Hope that helps, aggression should always come out the winner in the end. :top:

Cheers and good luck

Marc

 

[jaworek1405]

Hello, I always play those hands differently. When I'm on the big blind with that hand and I catch weak top pair, I always risk and bet the flop, bet the turn and bet the river, because opponent usually limps weak hand, he often has two over cards that sometimes he doesn't want to fold. I play like this, because I don't afraid when on the turn or on the river will come up one or two over cards. I know it very risky move, but usually weak players limp various hands and even often they give up his cards when they have the air. As played - with two pair on the turn we have to go for all our chips. The board seems to be even safe. Only marginal hands beat you, like 56o or JTo, sometimes some sets. Gl

 

[fundiver199]

Preflop
Taking the free play with garbage like this is of course the right decision.

Flop
So you flopped top pair, which is of course almost as good, as it gets, when you have a hand as bad as 83 offsuit. However here its important to pause for a second and think about, why it is, that we never voluntarily put money in preflop with garbage like this.

And the reason is, that even when we hit a nearly perfect flop for our hand, we are still not in a great situation. We are likely to be ahead, but its not like, we have the nuts. We lose even to top pair, because our kicker is so bad.

The real issue however is, that there are so few turn cards, we are going to like. Other than an 8 or 3, which we were lucky to hit this time, we are pretty much only happy, if an offsuit 2 pops off. Any other cards will put a 1-liner to a straight, pair the board or put out overcards. And there is a flush draw on board as well.

In a multiway pot, which many limped pots are, the best play here is actually to simply check-quit. Let the limpy goofballs do, what they want to do, and dont even waste your time or chips on a silly spot like this.

However when its heads up, we are likely to be ahead, so I want to fight a little for this pot. And the best way to fight is by leading out, since you absolutely dont mind taking it home right here and now.

You check, which is not the end of the world either, but then he bet full pot. And honestly I probably just fold now for the same reason, I would fold in a multiway pot. Your hand is really bad, and there is no need to waste your time or get sucked into playing a big pot.

Turn
You improved to two pair, but since he bet so large on the flop, I lean a little bit towards taking the defensive route here and just check-call again. Hope for a clean river card and try to get to showdown without stacking off.

River
As played obvious spot to jam. This is why, you check-raised turn, so you made your plan there, and now you are just following up. If you were good on the turn, you are still good now, unless he has like exactly 98 or JsTs, which is pretty unlikely.

 

[LuisBoaC]

Thanks everyone, it's great hearing how the hand could have been played differently. I actually lost this pot, villain had 6dTd. At the time I considered it a horrible beat, became very tilted and busted shortly after. Regarding what fundiver said; looking back at the session I found this and a few similar hands where I feel I may have lost a larger pot than I could have done (and that I initially just considered to be bad beats). Your answer was exactly what I was looking for: a well-reasoned argument for playing the hand differently (that would have saved me chips). Just wanted to thank you and give credit where I feel it's due!

 

[300HPGOD]

I think you probably should be leading out on the flop here but checking is not bad. When he bets full pot I would take the bet as more of a bluff than a value bet since he is less likely to have an 8 since we do and seems to me he is trying to buy it or has something like A4 and wants to end it. I dont expect villain to make a pot sized bet with a set or two pair as it is a bet that is looking for a fold, not looking for a call. You flat call in this spot which is the correct move.

The turn brings out an obvious great card for us and checking is the correct play as if you lead out now it looks stronger than checking and we dont want to lose him at this point. The check raise is also the correct move in my opinion but I would have gone slightly bigger to the full 3x. Yes it is not that much more but every chip you can get him to call now just makes him calling the river that much easier. If he is calling 675 he will call 726.

The river is a card that brings some straights (which we know is what happened) but nothing I would worry about too much at the time other than if he now hit 97 for two pair but we cant think there are monsters in the closet all the time. As played the shove is correct. All in all I think you played the hand very well.

 

[fundiver199]

When he bets full pot I would take the bet as more of a bluff than a value bet since he is less likely to have an 8 since we do and seems to me he is trying to buy it or has something like A4 and wants to end it.

I think, he could certainly go big with made hands as well, since the board is so dripping wet. Its quite typical for people to panic about getting drawn out on, when they are strong. And yes we block top pair, but he can certainly still have it, or a set or a flopped straight. I prefer leading out on the flop, but when we check and face this action, I prefer to just get out. It turns out he was in fact bluffing, but he had 11 outs, so even against this kind of hand we are no better than a coinflip. And if he has value, we are crushed