$2 NLHE: Not sure if I played this correctly

[jaded848]

$2 NL HE: Not sure if I played this correctly

Villian Stats (VPIP/PFR/AF): 37/4/1

Ok so I was in a $2 sit n go and there were 7 players left including myself with blinds at 40/80. I am still getting used to interpreting HEM but from what I gathered and observed I felt that the villain was quite a loose player- he had called some bets on the flop with nothing but ace-high. I was a bit confused about what to think of the flop- I felt the odds of him having a queen were slim since two were out there, and the 2 didn't scare me. From his earlier play I assumed he simply had two mid-size/large value cards, but none of which had hit, and that he was chasing because he had the chips for it. When he raised I put him on either a pair of 4's (like K 4) or a pair of 2's (like A 2) or even a pure bluff. Any advice on how to better approach this hand or did I play it right?


Stacks:
* BTN with 2742
* SB with 1930
* BB with 1363
* UTG with 1560
* MP with 2275
* CO with 1125

Blinds:
Site: full tilt poker
* * Dealt to BB:5♣ 5♦
* * Sklansky group 6
Preflop:
* * Hero calls [80]
* * 3 players fold.
* * BTN calls [80]
* * Janina08 checks
* * 1 players folded.
* * Total folds this street: 4
* * Potsize: 280
Flop:
* * Q♥ Q♦ 2♥
* * Janina08 checks
* * Hero bets [180]
* * 1 players fold.
* * BTN calls [180]
* * 1 players folded.
* * Total folds this street: 1
* * Potsize: 640
Turn:
* * 4♣
* * Hero bets [400]
* * 1 players fold.
* * BTN raises to 1,840
* * Hero calls [703] [ all-in ]
River:
* * 6♣

Poker Hand Converter By Cardschat.com Poker Forum

 

[Jillychemung]

Sorry but opponent having a Q fits right into the kind of limping range that opponent would have. Since he was so loose and your small PP is so easily conterfitted here, IMHO, you should have checked the flop with plans to float a reasonable bet and check the turn to see if he'd 2-barrel. The other play would have been to just shove the flopsince any reasonable amount of betting would have you committed.

 

[jaded848]

This might be a dumb question but what main attributes help you determine his range? Is it the VPIP or the description I gave about him or both?

 

[Jillychemung]

This might be a dumb question but what main attributes help you determine his range? Is it the VPIP or the description I gave about him or both?

Both. A player like this will almost always limp along with most any Qx hand but also all PP below KK, AA.

Even if you assign him a huge range like this
23,34,45,56,67,78,89,9T,TJ,T8,J9,QT+,K9+,A2+,22+
you are only a 60-40 favorite on this flop but you increase to a 70-30 favorite on the turn. Now an opponent like this will almost always float a flop bet when they are last to act thinking that anyone with a Q would have checked here to try and induce a steal. They will even call overbets but sometimes even shoves with just A-high. But also they will almost always make a flop bet if it is checked to them but usually it will be a smaller bet like 80 or 160. So given this, IMHO, the better play is to check this flop to control the pot and then evaluate the turn.

Note: I'm assuming that you were indeed the BB and got to see the flop for free with the 2 limpers

 

[jaded848]

Thanks for the advice. I was actually UTG and I limped in with the initial plan to see if I can hit a set on the flop and fold if it misses. When the flop came, I perceived it as helping me more than hurting me because only the queens and high pocket pairs would have me beat. Maybe I shouldn't have played the 5's to begin with, or should have raised with them from the get go?

 

[Jillychemung]

OK you being UTG does change it. Yes I would have folded 55 preflop here especially with that opponent on the BTN. Now if you could have counted on 3-4 more limpers then set mining 55 in this spot would be OK. If you originally intended to set mine then you need to check when you didn't hit. This hand shows how easy it is to limp in EP and then get yourself in trouble with an active player in position behind you.

 

[ImolAyrton]

If the player was loose.. He can play simply every hand a Q is in his range for sure.. when you get raised after you bet 400 on the turn, you should know your hand here is beat..

 

[trewtrew]

so many Qs are in his range of hands. There are loads of hands in his range that beat u but only a few u can beat. His betting styles in this hand seems like he had a Q. i would have folded the turn

 

[kidkvno1]

you were ok till the bet, it was best to check the hand down, fold to any raise, or bet.

 

[JustRaiseTheBlinds]

Since there was no action post flop your opponent can have anything here, so let's look at this situation from your side...
After the flop you are leading most of the time so your bet there is ok I think...
After the turn it's better to check the hand down till the end.
Because you have a a medium hand here and you don't want to blow up the pot or raise yourself out of it.
Now you bet...
-If he fold you better could have checked the hand down.
-If he call you don't now what to do after the river...while you have a big pot already.
-If he raises like here you don't wanna call because you don't have a very strong hand.

Also...post 3 times BB with your 55's pre-flop. After your limp you can't say anything about his hand anymore...