$3.30 NLHE: A9 on SB vs BB

[ryodejaneiro]

$3.30 NL HE: A9 on SB vs BB

Hey guys - I took a look around but couldn't find anything that was similar to this one (I could've overlooked it however), so I thought I'd post to get feedback on this hand. The only thing I would like to add is that the other player involved in this hand (in the BB) had been short stacked for quite a while but at the same time, has shown a tendency to shove all in preflop as well. Also, there was one other instance where I limped from the SB and he check-folded.

Other pertinent info - we were getting close, but still about 20 players left before the money. My table image has been on the tight side as I got short stacked in the beginning stages of the tourney (54 out of 531 paid out) and had to climb out of the hole. I do not, however, recall how long the player in the BB has been sitting at the table alongside me.

As for my thought process, preflop, I didn't want to fold to the BB but I was hesitant to raise because the BB had shown that he would/could raise all in. Given that he allowed me to limp in an earlier round, I sensed that I could limp again, knowing that I would've had to hit the flop pretty hard to play with confidence. After the flop, I bet out half the pot to feel out the situation - I didn't like my A9 that much. Also, I didn't want to check here because I didn't want to give him a free card if he was on a flush draw.

The lingering question for me is - should I have bet more/less after the flop and should I have flat called his raise post-flop? As always, I'd appreciate any feedback - thanks much!

Stacks:
* MP1 with 17773
* MP2 with 15580
* CO with 14054
* BTN with 25200
* SB with 10550
* BB with 8166
* UTG with 35209
* UTG+1 with 9529

Blinds:
Site: full tilt poker
* * Dealt to SB:9♦ A♣
* * Sklansky group 8
Preflop:
* * 6 players fold.
* * Hero calls [250]
* * BB checks
* * Total folds this street: 6
* * Potsize: 1000
Flop:
* * A♦ 8♦ A♥
* * Hero bets [700]
* * BB raises to 2,000
* * Hero raises to 7,400
* * 1 players fold.
Uncalled bet of 5,400 returned to Hero Hero wins the pot (5,400)
* * Total folds this street: 1

Poker Hand Converter By Cardschat.com Poker Forum

 

[Melkor]

The flop bet is fine and the raise is the right move. I don't think the 7400 is a shove so if it isn't just shove the flop. Two diamonds are calling and a lower ace will call the vast majority of the time. He won't have a higher ace as he didn't raise preflop.

There is no point in calling as it doesn't achieve anything other than giving a diamond draw a cheaper free card to see. It looks like he was bluffing the ace so if you had called you would not have got anything more out of him on the turn so may as well take it down on the flop.

I would raise preflop to take down the blinds as even if he has shown he can playback I believe A9 is strong enough to call with. I understand the hesitation but if you get the feeling he is restealing his range is quite wide and A9 is probably ahead of it.

I don't hate limping though as I suppose it allows you to see a flop with quite a strong hand so it is a sort of slowplay. If raised I would shove from the SB actually.

 

[Jillychemung]

I would raise preflop to take down the blinds as even if he has shown he can playback I believe A9 is strong enough to call with. I understand the hesitation but if you get the feeling he is restealing his range is quite wide and A9 is probably ahead of it.

Absolutely raise this preflop and call a shove when the BB has shown a tendency to shove preflop.

 

[absoluthamm]

Given the back story on your bio of the Villain, I probably wouldn't have raised either. Actually, about the only thing that I probably would have done different would have been re-raising up to 4k instead of pushing. I know you would still be pot-committed, but there might be a slight chance of a call with 3.5:1 odds for him. He'd probably still fold, but maybe you could get a couple more chips out of 'em.

 

[mecoble]

i like limping preflop out of position, on the flop i would have called his raise and checked hoping for him to push with an 8. i dont like the suggestion of min-reraising too obvious u have an ace.

 

[ryodejaneiro]

Thanks again for the feedback all - I couldn't reply the past few days since I was out of town. It seems like the opinions are a bit mixed here about limping preflop vs raising/shoving preflop. Now that I think of it, I'm feeling that I should've raised given that my hand wasn't too bad of a holding. Now of course, the question then becomes would I have had enough in me to call an all in re-raise if the guy did shove, but that's probably a post for another time.

Also, I should make one bit of clarification - I probably worded things incorrectly when I said that the guy had a "tendency" to shove preflop. I probably should've said that he shoved several times preflop when short stacked - so not necessarily a tendency to take down the pot against limpers but from what I saw, it seemed like somewhat timely shoves with decent holdings.