Hand From the 5k
I won a huge pot the very first hand after I sat down, nearly doubling up in today's 5k event at Bellagio. It was a steady decline after that, mainly because I didn't have many good hands and I got reraised on five consecutive steals during the 100-200-25 and 200-400-50 levels. There really isn't much to report, but I did play an interesting hand against J.J. Liu in the first level that I am scratching my head on and could use advice on.
J.J. is a very aggressive, bludgeoning, and in my opinion, excellent player. We have had a few encounters in th
e past but she plays so much I don't know how well or if she remembers me. She had about 12k entering this hand in the first level and I was at 18k. She had seen me play one hand where I flopped a set against an obvious overpair and raised a bet on the flop, just called when he bet the turn, and then bet strong on the river. Blinds were 25-50 and she raised to 225 in late position. I had ace-queen of clubs in the small blind.I'm guessing most people would say make a solid reraise here, and maybe that is appropriate. I don't like reraising, especially big cards out of position deepstacked against tough players. I just called. The flop came Q98 with one club. I bet 350, J.J. made it 1300, and I called. The turn was an 8, I checked, J.J. bet 1600, and I folded.
What do you guys think was the best way to play this hand? What's the best way to play it after the flop if you just called preflop? Keep in mind that J.J. is a very aggressive, fearless player who likes putting pressure on people.
posted by GnightMoon @ 2:12 AM
8 Comments:
I like a solid reraise here. It sends a message and helps find out where you are in the hand.
Considering her position, table image and chips counts, a solid reraise will hopefully get her to fold most hands.
She most likely doesn't have AA, but if she has KK, she'll let you know and you won't get in trouble on a Q high flop. That was a tough flop for your hand, but by reraising, she'll probably fold most hands that would have helped her there.
Agree?
No reason to reraise JJ Liu here preflop--for the same reason you shouldn't lead at the flop. No reason to play a big pot against her with AQ.
Your hand is strong enough to check-call here but not strong enough to call a raise and another bet on the turn. A check-raise is out of the question.
That's why I don't like leading at this flop because her hand range is SO wide leading at it only opens you up to a raise. She's raising with KQ, QJ, QT, JK, AJ, JJ, TT, AQ, A9, KT, possibly AK for ego's sake. Three possibilities have you crushed, 99, 88, and JT but I think the range is so wide on this flop.
If you choose to call the flop I think you have to call the turn. I don't think JJ is going to fire a third barrel without 2 pair or a set, so check-calling two streets isn't a bad play.
I am obviously not in this caliber, but I would check-raise her on this flop. Keep the pot size small and see what she does. If she checks behind you get a free card which could really help your hand. If she is going to bet 350, you check-raise it and see what happens. But to lead out into an aggressive player OOP and the call her raise is a mistake.
I probably check call flop. But if you are going to bet out flop I think I would dump to the raise if you are just going to check fold turn (unlikely she checks behind most turn cards?).
Moon chose to just call here and lead out on a very draw heavy board. But she probably surprised him with a check raise, which he called. There's a good chance she's trying to find out where she's at in the hand and she has position. She now also has the lead in the hand.
I agree with not trying to play a large pot here out of position...that's why by reraising preflop, you could take it down right there and you help to define your hand somewhat.
Giving a free card in poker is a cardinal sin. On this draw heavy board, to me, checking and calling, especially OOP, is out of the question. You don't know where you are in the hand and this is not a board to give a free card on. I think J.J. read Moon's check on the turn as weakness, she bets, and now Moon has no idea where he is at.
If J.J.'s raise had been in early or even middle position, maybe a call on the flop is O.K. But all things considered, I like a reraise.
Knock out the BB, define your hand, and go from there.
I like a flatcall pre. Then a check/call on the flop. Reevaluate from there. Lots of good advice from previous commenters.
"J.J. is a very aggressive, bludgeoning, and in my opinion, excellent player. "
This quote is the key information you need to analyze the hand. You don't bet out mediocre hands into extremely aggressive players. You know where you are at in the hand much better if you check/raise to 1300 rather than bet/call to 1300. Check/call is also a viable option and can even scream strength. The flat call pre is ok, but betting out might have been the mistake. I say might because it's entirely possible that J.J simply had AQ beat.
Very good advice everyone - well played, better than I did.
I folded the turn mainly because JJ bet 1600 into a pot of over 3000 - it felt like a bet she wanted called. I thought if she wanted me to fold she'd have bet big there on the turn. But I could be wrong.
My favorite line after this advice and some discussions with others is to check-call twice and then check the river again and probably fold, but possibly call.
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