playing JJ UTG

10/20 game with a 1/2 kill, I was under the gun and the kill was on, in late position.

I raised with JJ. The next two players called, the kill poster called, the next two players called, and the big blind did, too.

Wow! Tight game, and a lot of respect for an under the gun raise! Seven players to the flop for 2 bets.

The flop came J, 6, 6. What a flop! With this many opponents, I elected to play it fast, so I bet. One player called, and the next said raise! Everyone else folded to me. I re-raised, and they both called.

Turn was a blank, and I fired. The first player folded, and the other raised again! I re-raised, and he called. My ony worry was if he had 6,6 and had flopped quads, but considering that too remote a possibility, I felt a re-raise was clearly in order. If he had popped it again on the turn, I might have to slow down.

The river was an ace, and I fired. He paid me off, and I raked a monster pot. He didn't show, but based on the action, he put me on an overpair (of AJ, though I'd been playing pretty tight, and he is a fairly observant opponent) and he had a 6. Considering the board texture, I thought it was unlikely I could make more money slowplaying the hand and trying to let other people in.

My opponent played this pretty well. I might have played an overpair in much the same way (though, I wouldn't have re-raised the turn or bet out the river). Though, once I did re-raise the turn, it was going to cost him another $60 to see the river. When I re-raised the turn, that put $495 in the pot, so if he figured that it would cost him another $60 to get to the showdown, he was getting more than 8 to 1 to just call it down. If he thought that there was any chance I was on a bluff or an overpair, those odds could be worse (he also had been crushing the game, so had a mountain of chips in front of him).

The final size of the pot was $585.

T,7s in the blind

I was in the small blind with T,7 suited in spades.
There were 3 limpers, including the button, and I called. The big blind checked, and we took the flop 5 handed.
The flop came great for my hand: K, 9, 6, with two spades - I flopped a gutshot straight draw and a flush draw - 12 outs.
I checked, hoping to have a big field see the turn with me. It checked to the button, who bet. I called, and everyone folded behind me.
The turn was a blank - offsuit trey.

Check or bet?! I checked, the button bet. Check-raise, fold or call? I called.

The river was another blank - offsuit deuce. I checked, the button bet, I folded.

A pretty uninteresting hand. With position, I may have been able to take this pot, even without hitting my hand. I checked the flop because I didn't want a raise to shut out the field. If the big blind had bet and everyone called, I might have raised to build a big pot.

Since it folded to the button, I smooth-called, hoping for overcalls.

I could have led or check-raised on the turn. I'm confident that if I hit the straight or flush, my hand is good. I might also win by catching a 10. But, I check-called.

I think I played this hand weakly and meekly. My opponent was very loose and somewhat aggressive, especially with position. I did nothing to give him a chance to fold, and since I didn't catch, he took down the pot. The only benefit to my play is that I probably could have check-raised the river.

Of course, if I check-raise the turn and miss, and then bet, he'll likely call with any pair. If I bet out the turn, he might fold. If he calls, I can re-evaluate on the river. If I am raised on the turn, I can play back at him, or call with lots of outs.

Preflop: I think calling for 1/2 a bet from the small blind with T,7s is a good play.
Flop: Checking into a big field after a king flops (and with a coordinated board) is a decent play. A strong argument could be made for betting here, too.
Turn: After the field folded to the flop bet, I should have bet the turn. This is a much better play than check-calling, as it gives me another way to win: my opponent might fold. Betting the turn might also help me to get paid off if I do catch my draws on the river (opponent might be less likely to think I'd bet on the come).
River: Check-folding the river isn't a bad play here. My opponent wasn't going to lay down any pair, and with a Ten high, I had little chance of taking the pot.

Comments welcome.

KTs - rethinking the play

The player UTG limped, and I limped behind him with KTs in clubs.
It was folded to a middle position player who raised, two players called behind, as did both blinds and the UTG limped.
I considered re-raising, but opted to just call.
If I raise, I create a big pot, one that I'd be correct in chasing with almost any piece of the flop. If the flop missed me completely, I could easily let it go; if I flopped a draw of any sort, it would likely be to the nuts.
If my holding was KQs, I like the re-raise. With a two-gap suited connector, it's borderline at best, and, preferring a lower variance play, I smooth called, closing the action.

The flop came A, 9, 3, with the Ace and 3 both clubs. It was checked to me, and I bet. The pre-flop raiser pumped it, and only the UTG player called.

In thinking about this hand later, I think a check-raise is the better play. I have the nut-flush draw, and want to build a big pot with my big draw. By betting and giving the pre-flop raiser a chance to raise, I shut out the field, many of whom would have been drawing thin or dead. They might call one bet, but are less likely to call 2. I put the pre-flop raiser on an Ace, and so thought it highly likely he would bet. In retrospect, on this hand, I think I should have gone for the check-raise. On the flop, with the nut flush draw, I am a 2 to 1 dog to make my hand, so even with only 2 opponents, I am basically even money on a check-raise here (or, can re-evaluate situation and simply call).

I do like to play my draws aggressively, but in early position, and with the raiser to my immediate left, I was perhaps hasty.

The turn was a Jack, giving me a gut shot straight to go with my nut flush draw, increasing my outs from 9 to 12. I was confident that the pre-flop raiser had an Ace, so I had to hit to win, but if I did make my hand, it was going to be the nuts.

UTG checked, I checked, pre-flop raiser bet. UTG and I both called.

I considered a check-raise, since my hand had improved, but didn't think that there was any chance a semi-bluff would get my opponent to lay his hand down. With 12 outs, I was about a 3 to 1 dog to make the hand, meaning I'd rake the pot about 25% of the time. I didn't think I could improve that number with a raise, but the pot was laying me enough to make a call correct, so I did.

The river was no help, UTG checked, I checked, and the pre-flop raiser showed his hand, perhaps fearing one of us was slow-playing two pair. He held ATs, and took the pot.

This hand speaks to many concepts, and I think I could have played it better. By betting and allowing my opponent to raise on the flop, I shut out the field, which was probably a mistake.

If I had held an overcard to the board, different story, as I would be happy to improve my chances of winning by hitting the overcard.

But, with the nut flush draw and no overcard, I want as many callers as possible. I can then decide to check-raise my big draw or simply call.

I do like to check-raise nut flush draws on the flop; it confuses opponents, and as long as I have trapped enough players, it shows a big profit. I can then choose to lead the turn or check, depending on what hits. If I make the flush, I'd be inclined to bet; if I miss, I might get a free card. But, it's unlikely that I would make the flush and then be able to check-raise the turn after check-raising the flop.

I've been running bad recently. The game has been very loose and aggressive, and my big starting hands aren't holding up. AK losing to Ax when my opponent makes a dirty two pair on the river. Or, flopping the nut draw and not getting there. Short term, these results can be painful, but by examining my hands played, I can continue to learn and improve.

Here's hoping you always get raised when you're holding the nuts.

I cost myself money

Playing 10/20 hold 'em with a 1/2 kill, I was sitting in the small blind. I had won the previous pot (holding AQ in the big blind, I flopped top pair, and took down a big pot without a showdown on the river).

Three players limped, and I looked down to find AQ, suited in diamonds. Since I had already posted the $15 kill, I could knuckle and take the flop, but I felt my hand was more than strong enough to raise against the big blind and three limpers, even with my poor position, so I popped it.

Everyone called, and the flop came K, J, 3, all diamonds.

What a flop! My first thought was, how do I make the most money? I basically owned the deck, holding both the Ace and Queen, with the King on the flop. But, it would be suspicious to check.

So, I bet. The big blind folded, and the next player raised. One player called and it was back to me.

I put her as reading me for AK, maybe with a diamond, and I put her on two pair. I figured she would bet the turn, and I could trap the middle caller with a check-raise. So I called.

The turn was a Jack. Now, I was unsure if my opponent -- an "auto-bettor" -- made a full house. I was pretty sure my flush was good; in fact, if she bet, I might still check-raise (she loves to bet and loves to bluff, so her checks are actually more scary than her calls). But, I stuck to plan and checked, half hoping she'd bet, half hoping she wouldn't. She checked, as did the third player.

The river was a blank, I fired, she called, the other player folded, and my Ace high flush was good (she had flopped two pair, King Crab, kings and threes).

I kicked myself as I raked in the pot. Given the action, checking the turn when the Jack paired made sense. If there was action, I couldn't be sure that my flush was good, yet the pot was big enough that folding would be incorrect.

My big mistake was not three-betting the flop. I bet, she raised, and the third player cold called. I should have raised, hoping she'd pump it again and building a pot. The Jack on the turn is a horrible card, giving my opponents a possible full-house (if she flopped Kings and Jacks or if he flopped a set).

As it turned out, my hand was good, and I raked a nice pot -- $300. But it could have been bigger.

I was victim of what Mike Caro calls "Fancy Play Syndrome." And cost myself at least another couple of bets.

But, it's tough to kick yourself too hard when you're raking the pot.

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