$1.50 NLHE STT Turbo: $$1.50 NLHE STT Turbo: AA v QJs...How should I have played this differently?

[DoofusBazaar]

$1.50 NLHE STT Turbo: $$1.50 NLHE STT Turbo: AA v QJs...How should I have played this differently?

This was a $1.50 buy in 6-max turbo sit and go, fairly early on 7 hands in. I've only been playing poker 3 months so still have lots to learn. Love going through the hand analysis comments on here been learning a lot, so wondering if I should have played this hand differently?

Blinds 15/30

Hero: MP (1166 in chips, 39BB)

Villain: BU - (1947 in chips, 65BB)

***PRE FLOP:***

UTG - folds

Hero (MP) raises 60 to 90
CO: folds
Villain (BU): calls 90
BB: folds
SB: folds

*** FLOP ***
[8s 2h Js]
Hero: bets 123
Villain: calls 123

*** TURN *** [8s 2h Js] 3♣

Hero: checks
Villain: checks

*** RIVER ***
8s 2h Js 3c 8♦

Hero: bets 330
Villain: calls 330

*** SHOW DOWN ***

Hero: shows [Qh Jh] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
Villain: shows [Ad As] (two pair, Aces and Eights)
Villain collected 1151 from pot.

Am I right in saying villain played this hand very strangely and passively? Not even a big bet at the end? Just called the entire way.

Left me super short stacked but luckily I still managed to grab 2nd place!

 

[Collin Moshman]

Nice work on the 2nd place!

I would normally bet the turn because it's a fairly coordinated board with possible straight and flush draws. If he calls, then I would check/call this river to allow him to bet busted draws.

But your line is fine and I really like that you posted this hand -- I think you're going to do very well in the $1.50 6-max games.

 

[fundiver199]

Preflop
With 39BB you could raise a little smaller like 2,5BB, but its not a big deal.

Flop
If you put this situation into a solver, you are probably supposed to check most of the time, when someone called you in position. But in a 1,5$ SnG I would also bet this for value. People call much to wide preflop, and they are to passive postflop. This mean, that having a weak checking range is not all that much of a concern.

Turn
I agree with Collin Moshman. As played I would bet again on this complete brick turn card to get value from draws and deny equity to some hands, that might fold. And then I would check the river and make a decision, if he bet. Usually call but it would depend on the card and his sizing.

River
As played its perfectly fine to go for a second street of value now. If I calculate it correctly, pot was around 500, so maybe I would have gone a bit smaller, since this is a somewhat thin valuebet. But its nitpicking.

Results
Seeing AA is obviously rather unexpected, both that he did not raise it preflop, and that he did not bet the turn when checked to. But at the end of the day it does not matter, if he has AA or 87s. Its part of the game, that we are sometimes going to bet the worst hand for value on the river. If that never happens, you are not betting thin enough, and you are leaving money on the table

 

[DoofusBazaar]

thanks!! Definitely interesting your method of betting on the turn, that's not something I had thought about but can bring that to my game now

 

[fundiver199]

Here is an example of the bet flop, bet turn, check-call river line. A little different from your hand, since it was a limped pot. But the main thing is being out of position with a hand, that probably cant bet all 3 streets for value. Obviously this line works best against aggressive opponents, who will do a lot of betting when checked to.

CardsChat Poker Hands Converter

 

[DoofusBazaar]

Here is an example of the bet flop, bet turn, check-call river line. A little different from your hand, since it was a limped pot. But the main thing is being out of position with a hand, that probably cant bet all 3 streets for value. Obviously this line works best against aggressive opponents, who will do a lot of betting when checked to.

CardsChat Poker Hands Converter

thank you - so you'd bet the flop and turn for value as you know the villain is likely to have draws and would continue to call? Then check the river to allow him to bluff, or if he's made a hand and bets too large you can consider folding if you have a marginal hand?

 

[fundiver199]

thank you - so you'd bet the flop and turn for value as you know the villain is likely to have draws and would continue to call? Then check the river to allow him to bluff, or if he's made a hand and bets too large you can consider folding if you have a marginal hand?

Yes exactly. In this particular hand he would need to bet extremely large to get me to fold though. If he bet a normal size, he can even be betting a worse hand like top pair for value. and then I am obviously not folding two pair, even though some better two pair or straights are possible. Against an opponent, who is a complete calling station, I would have bet the river. But I did not have that read on this particular player, even though he limped preflop. Not betting river also protects me from getting raised, which would really suck.