Holdem question

[nevadanick]

Got a question about nlhe. I'm basically a longtime limit player, mostly stud. Playing the CC FR today (sorry, didn't get the HH) but had a hand (K,10os) where I called a min raise against what I felt was a LAG player, the blinds folded. That put us HU. If I recall, he was seat 6, I was 5.

The flop came K,x,x and I slow played the top pair. He came back with a pot bet that I called, still slow playing. (K,10 is a normal nemesis hand for me) Turn was a blank, I checked and he threw out a continuation bet, I called. River was a K giving me the set. I checked again and he went all-in, I had him covered and knocked him out with his 2 pair, K's on the board and his pkt 7's.

In the chat he ranted on about how bad my play was, by calling his continuation bet and complaining about how I just couldn't fold to that bet. Why would I? We were in the early part of second hour, so we were past donkey time for the most part.

OK, maybe some could say I shouldn't have slow played top pair. But the real question is - what is so wrong with slow playing any hand? I know the risks and benefits, but where are the rules in 'good' poker play that say I MUST fold just because someone made a continuation bet?

Seriously, was my play that bad, or was he just upset that he couldn't bet me out? If I hadn't hit the K on the flop he could have ragged about chasing a K, but I had him all the way.

Just curious. Always looking to improve my holdem game, and it's still one of my least favs but the most common one played online. Thanks.

 

[Richyl2008]

It's kinda hard to analyze the hand without the hand histories, stacksizes, betsizes, flop texture, etc, K10 can be a tricky hand to play in NL against a raise, but if you are comfortable playing these trouble hands post flop and know when to let go and when your good, I don't really have a problem with that. Considering he is a LAG, I don't see a problem with checking up front, since it is very likely he will bet almost 100 percent of the time, I probably would have thrown in a checkraise on the flop or turn, depending on the effective stack sizes, if I did decide to play the hand. Don't worry about his comments, he's obviously just pissed cause he busted out, and is tilting. His emotions just got the best of him

 

[wobuffet]

Slowplaying with a mediocre kicker is sort of questionable; check raise on the flop would be better -- if he calls, check (or call, lead turn).

The texture of the flop (any plausible draws?) also matters; you should be more eager to put in chips if there are draws, to make him pay to draw.

As an aside, three of a kind is only a set if you have a pocket pair in your hand and hit another one on the board; you had trips.

 

[mrsnake3695]

Althoug I can't say I would have played it like you did (not enough info), I will say that villian played the hand horribly and deserved to be felted.

First he mini-bet inviting in hands like K-10 in the first place. Simply horrible in my opinion. Then he bet and got called. This should have screamed, "I have a king and I'm not going anywhere.". He should have slowed down at this point and realized that just because you dealt a pocket pair it doesn't mean you're going to win.

Don't worry about his whining. It seems like most people that whine like that misplayed the hand in the first place.

 

[nevadanick]

As an aside, three of a kind is only a set if you have a pocket pair in your hand and hit another one on the board; you had trips.

As noted, I had K,10 and hit top pair on the rainbow flop. Only had the set on river K. I agree that 10 kicker was weak, and noting villain was a LAG, I put him on A,rag.

My problem playing those out is that all too often that nemesis ace will hit the turn or river. Since it didn't, I decided to let him bet out and follow the action. Yes, I know you can get whacked slowplaying, but overbetting those Kings just didn't feel right.

Maybe that's why I'm not a great holdem player ...

 

[KyleJRM]

" The flop came K,x,x and I slow played the top pair."

[x] major leak
[x] mark of a bad player
[ ] any possible justification

 

[theskillzdatklls]

slow playing top pair kings is never the best idea, you want to make it cost something to him to keep playing, because you may assume you have the best hand at the moment in a shaky position.

slow playing should be reserved for hands where you have the best hand with little possibility of losing with a turn/river, meanwhile your opponent must think their hand is best (i.e. tell by preflop raise)

you don't slow play hands that can crumble from several outs / hand combos.

don't worry about that guy though, him going all in with 77 with overcards on the board wasn't the smartest idea either.

 

[shinedown.45]

I actually prefer ppl to slowplay TP against me, it allows me to catch up most times while slowly decreasing their stack.

Just making a point of why you should never slowplay a hand like the one you indicated, if you insist on allowing ppl to catch up by slowplaying then you will lose more pots than you win.