Your Story Doesn't Add Up
I know you've heard it before, but I'll retell what a lot of professional players have said before. A hand of poker is like a story. A preflop that is the beginning, a flop and turn that act as the body, and the conclusion that is the river. I played a hand recently that I can say that the conclusion was up in the air and fell in my favor. I saw the story and for some reason on the turn it didn't add up. Take a look.
I am in mid position in a live eight player cash/ring game with a pocket pair (8,8) in the hole. There are two limpers, the first had won a few big hands recently in a row, so he was chipped up and good to go. The second was swaying back and forth literally from to much beer. Can you say "LUSH?"
Ok, so I bump it up just to double the blind, a straddle of sorts, because it is a low buy in table, but really call heavy. This is a pot builder bet, so if I hit my set I will have atleast one caller for all their chips later in the betting rounds if need be.
One caller, behind me, a gambler from what I could tell, also the big winner and the Lush call as well. So we go to the flop:
FLOP: Q, 10, 6
Not the best board for my hand, and the first two check, I check as well and so does the player behind me. Now this is by far not my usual style, but I figured I might be done with the hand. Normally I am going to make about a half pot size bet here to see where I'm at, but I took the check figuring I was beat, not to mention the information I needed would be suffice if everyone checks, not the trickiest bunch of people here. Here is the Turn:
TURN: Q
The BW and the Lush check, I put in a half size feeler bet that begs a call. The gambler behind me calls, BW folds, but the Lush after sitting for a few seconds sloppily grabs a stack of chips and raises a little more than the pot.
Porque!?
I am diliberating, about this, he had made big bets at pots and not shown down a hand in a few... Now I don't know about all drunks but I am thinking that this drunk would have made a huge bet at the Queen if he had it on the flop. That was his way and I can't believe that he is one to change his way in mid sway.
My real concern is the player behind me having a 10. I can't give her credit for a Queen because she would bet it. I know her as a player that bets her pairs because she hates to be outdrawn and counterfeited. Who doesn't?
I KNOW my hand is good against the Lush, no question. I am pretty sure my hand is good against the gambler, I'm worried about the 10 though, but I am playing the hand back in my head thinking that she would have most likely, bet the 10, she is quite aggressive for an older woman.
So I come to my conclusion certain my hand is good and Say "Abracadabra!" and push all in. The Gambler thinks way too long for her to have a Queen, at this point I know my hand is good, but she calls!? And the Lush calls after someone has to tell him its his turn to act, He said he had to call, there was too much money in the pot.
We all reveal our hands:
The Lush: 7,9 needing a 9 to win because of the gambler's hand.
Me: 88
The Gambler: J, 9 counterfeiting The Lush's Straight to an 8
So I have to dodge a J, 9, or 8 to win leaving them with a combined seven outs. Now, granted I came to the conclusion that my hand was best, I didn't know that I was in this good of shape considering that both their draws semi-counterfeited at least one of their hands. I knew I was getting in with the best, but that doesn't garauntee me the pot. I was trying to push them out of the pot. No matter the outcome I feel I played the hand well considering the fearless call heavy table I was at. Here's the river:
River: 6
I won and more than tripled up my stack with three pair Queens, eights, and sixes to their missed draws.
I love the fact that I am learning more and more how to read boards and players better everyday and come to a conclusion that helps me make the most appropriate decision for the given situation. This is the best non fiction reading I have ever done and I love it.
Finally, through the roof,
Trae
I know you've heard it before, but I'll retell what a lot of professional players have said before. A hand of poker is like a story. A preflop that is the beginning, a flop and turn that act as the body, and the conclusion that is the river. I played a hand recently that I can say that the conclusion was up in the air and fell in my favor. I saw the story and for some reason on the turn it didn't add up. Take a look.
I am in mid position in a live eight player cash/ring game with a pocket pair (8,8) in the hole. There are two limpers, the first had won a few big hands recently in a row, so he was chipped up and good to go. The second was swaying back and forth literally from to much beer. Can you say "LUSH?"
Ok, so I bump it up just to double the blind, a straddle of sorts, because it is a low buy in table, but really call heavy. This is a pot builder bet, so if I hit my set I will have atleast one caller for all their chips later in the betting rounds if need be.
One caller, behind me, a gambler from what I could tell, also the big winner and the Lush call as well. So we go to the flop:
FLOP: Q, 10, 6
Not the best board for my hand, and the first two check, I check as well and so does the player behind me. Now this is by far not my usual style, but I figured I might be done with the hand. Normally I am going to make about a half pot size bet here to see where I'm at, but I took the check figuring I was beat, not to mention the information I needed would be suffice if everyone checks, not the trickiest bunch of people here. Here is the Turn:
TURN: Q
The BW and the Lush check, I put in a half size feeler bet that begs a call. The gambler behind me calls, BW folds, but the Lush after sitting for a few seconds sloppily grabs a stack of chips and raises a little more than the pot.
Porque!?
I am diliberating, about this, he had made big bets at pots and not shown down a hand in a few... Now I don't know about all drunks but I am thinking that this drunk would have made a huge bet at the Queen if he had it on the flop. That was his way and I can't believe that he is one to change his way in mid sway.
My real concern is the player behind me having a 10. I can't give her credit for a Queen because she would bet it. I know her as a player that bets her pairs because she hates to be outdrawn and counterfeited. Who doesn't?
I KNOW my hand is good against the Lush, no question. I am pretty sure my hand is good against the gambler, I'm worried about the 10 though, but I am playing the hand back in my head thinking that she would have most likely, bet the 10, she is quite aggressive for an older woman.
So I come to my conclusion certain my hand is good and Say "Abracadabra!" and push all in. The Gambler thinks way too long for her to have a Queen, at this point I know my hand is good, but she calls!? And the Lush calls after someone has to tell him its his turn to act, He said he had to call, there was too much money in the pot.
We all reveal our hands:
The Lush: 7,9 needing a 9 to win because of the gambler's hand.
Me: 88
The Gambler: J, 9 counterfeiting The Lush's Straight to an 8
So I have to dodge a J, 9, or 8 to win leaving them with a combined seven outs. Now, granted I came to the conclusion that my hand was best, I didn't know that I was in this good of shape considering that both their draws semi-counterfeited at least one of their hands. I knew I was getting in with the best, but that doesn't garauntee me the pot. I was trying to push them out of the pot. No matter the outcome I feel I played the hand well considering the fearless call heavy table I was at. Here's the river:
River: 6
I won and more than tripled up my stack with three pair Queens, eights, and sixes to their missed draws.
I love the fact that I am learning more and more how to read boards and players better everyday and come to a conclusion that helps me make the most appropriate decision for the given situation. This is the best non fiction reading I have ever done and I love it.
Finally, through the roof,
Trae
posted by Trae3ab at 10:19 PM
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