Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Party Poker 30/60 Hold'em (7 handed)

Preflop: Yao is MP2 with Qs, Kd.
2 folds, Yao raises, 1 fold, Button calls, 1 fold, BB calls.

Comments: I raised in middle position with KQo. Both callers (Button and Big Blind) are below average players based on what I have seen. The Button has no problems cold-calling raises pre-Flop, even when it was only 4- and 5-handed. The Big Blind is a slightly tricky player. From the few hands I've played against him, I notice he likes to bet at odd times, and check-raise when he has a hand. The Big Blind seems to have a Mr. Opposite type of personality - slowplay/checkraise when he has a quality hand, and bluff and bet when he doesn't.

Flop: (6.50 SB) 6c, Kh, 3d (3 players)
BB checks, Yao bets, Button calls, BB calls.

This is a great Flop for me. I have a pair of K's with a great chance of having the best kicker (no re-raise on the Flop probably means no AK out there). Both players call, but I'm not too concerned. I'm hoping one of them will raise me on the Turn with a hand like KJ or KT.

Turn: (4.75 BB) Ah (3 players)
BB bets, Yao calls, Button calls.

The Ace is the ugliest card. But given my description of the Big Blind, I'm not nearly as worried about his bet as I would be if someone else bets. I also don't like raising here because the Button will definitely call me with any Ace. Since I can't get either player to fold a better hand, I shouldn't raise. Since there is still a good chance I have the best hand, I shouldn't fold. So calling is the best option here. When the button calls, I am not sure if he has a K or an A...or possibly something completely different, like Q6 (for a split pair of 6s).

River: (7.75 BB) 4c (3 players)
BB checks, Yao bets, Button folds, BB folds.

Once the Big Blind checks, I'm comfortable I've got him beat. Although he will check-raise with a solid hand, I don't think he will do that here (nor do I think he has an Ace), given the fact that he bet out on the Turn, and then checked on the River. So I'm most worried about what the Button has. If he has an Ace, he will call if I bet, but he will also bet if I check (and I will call). I don't see inducing him to bluff here, so my only hope is that he will call with a worse hand than mine (K with a worse kicker or a crappy pair). If I check, he won't bet with one of those worse hands that he would call with.

So I bet, both fold. This means neither had an Ace or a King (I wouldn't be able to say that about every player in this spot, but I am very comfortable saying that about both of these players given what I have seen - even if it was only about 25 hands worth). They were chasing me with a crappy pair, a flush draw picked up on the Turn or some kind of straight draw.

The interesting points about this hand was the action on the Turn and the River. Given how the big blind plays, I was very comfortable calling his bet and then betting on the River once he checked (I may have folded if he check-raise the Turn). Given the button's play, I was comfortable betting into him on the River.

No comments: