Joe The Pro

Call me Calling Station

$0.5/$1 No Limit Holdem
6 players

BB is a solid but sometimes tricky regular.

Stacks:

Hero		($100.88)
UTG+1		($76.68)
CO		($150.15)
BTN		($111.32)
SB		($100.50)
BB		($139.23)

Pre-flop: ($1.5, 6 players) Hero is UTG

Hero raises to $4, UTG+1 calls $4, 1 fold, BTN calls $4, 1 fold, BB calls $3

UTG I raise to 4BB (larger than my usual 3.5BB) because I am UTG and the table is sort of loose. I want this to be heads up and I want to remove all trash hands from calling, so I can read the flop texture more easily. If I am reraised, I will probably muck b/c my UTG 4 dollar raise represents real strength as I am not really ever out of line. I get 3 callers. At this point I'm going for trips. If I see any overcards, I'm probably check-folding.

Flop: ($16.5, 4 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $10, 2 folds, BB raises to $25, Hero calls $15

Interesting flop for me. I am pretty sure that QQ-AA would have wanted to not play multiway. The only hand that was ahead of me preflop was JJ. Most likely I have the best hand and I'm up against people with lower pocket pairs or overcards. I bet just under 2/3rd pot if I'm reraised I'm out. At least that's what I was thinking until the BB reraised me. At this point I should fold, but in my head I was thinking, he is a tricky player. I'm still ahead of his overcard flush draw combos, or he could just be doing this with a lower pocket pair and I'm way ahead. I'll call and get to see what he does first on the turn.

Turn: ($66.5, 2 players)
BB bets $33, Hero calls $33

This does not change the situation at all. I believe that I have to call if I thought I was ahead in the first place.

River: ($132.5, 2 players)
BB bets $40, Hero folds

Again, does not change the situation at all, but I didn't believe he would 3 barrel bluff with overcards or a missed flush draw because he saw how committed I was. I decided to cut my losses and pitch to his most likely set of 3s or 4s.

Final Pot: $172.5

BB wins $169.5 ( won +$67.5 )
BTN lost -$4.00
UTG+1 lost -$4.00
Hero lost -$62.00

My problem here was making the initial reraise call on the flop. After that I talked myself into calling the turn. If I was a good thinking man, I would have put him on a set right away. The most likely cards BB would call with and then check raise with is a pair. Most of the time, he WILL not be calling with overcards like KJ or AJ in a 4 way pot out of position. There is too much reverse implied odds that hurt him. He could have also limped with suited heart connectors.

SO, I'm up against a set and getting destroyed, maybe up against JJ that didn't want to squeeze, or a flush draw. Best case scenario, I'm not that big of a favourite. I should have just ditched my hand.

posted by joe | permalink | 0 comments