Thursday, July 21, 2005

Shorthanded: Folding a solid hand

I folded on the Turn with a solid hand because the raise screamed to me that I was beat. This was the first time I played against the big blind, and I did not have a read on him. But based on the check-raise on the Turn into a bet and a call, I pretty much knew the jig was up.

30/60 Hold'em (4 handed)

Preflop: Yao is UTG with As, Qh.
Yao raises, Button calls, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (8 SB) 5c, 5s, 6s (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Yao bets, Button raises, SB folds, BB calls, Yao calls.

I call because I think a Ace or a Queen could be outs. It is also possible the button is raising on a flush draw, in which case I may actually have the best hand. The big blind calling the two bets is problematic. That's exactly what a player with a 5 would do. I'm hoping he is either on a draw too, or has a middling pocket pair.

Turn: (7 BB) Ac (3 players)
BB checks, Yao bets, Button calls, BB raises, Yao folds, Button calls.

The big blind check-raised into two players. I am sure he either has a 5 or pocket 6s (for a full house). I probably have two outs (two Aces), but even then, it is not worth it to call. Using DIPO, the expected pot size may be around 14, but with only 2 outs (EPS x Outs = 14x2 = 28; non-outs = 44), I don't have pot odds to call.

River: (12 BB) 5h (2 players)
BB bets, Button calls.

Final Pot: 14 BB

Results below:
Button has 6d Jd (full house, fives full of sixes).
BB has Kh 5d (four of a kind, fives).
Outcome: BB wins 14 BB

I was able to see the hand since the button called. As you can see, it is probably safe to identify the button as a poor player - cold calling a raise with J6s. He is probably a guy that plays many suited hands.

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