ITH Poker Forum

[avi]

First hand of the tourney, so no reads. What would you have done differently?

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, 11 Tournament, 10/20 Blinds (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Replayer from Poker Hands Replayer



saw flop

MP1 (t1440)
MP2 (t2210)
CO (t690)
Button (t3420)
SB (t1240)
Avi (BB) (t1500)
UTG (t1500)
UTG+1 (t1500)

Avi's M: 50.00

Preflop: Avi is BB with ,
3 folds, MP2 calls t20, 1 fold, Button calls t20, SB calls t10, Avi checks

Flop: (t80) , , (4 players)
SB checks, Avi bets t60, MP2 calls t60, 2 folds

Turn: (t200) (2 players)
Avi bets t100, MP2 calls t100

River: (t400) (2 players)
Avi checks, MP2 bets t200, Avi calls t200

[the_hawk]

First hand of the tourney, so no reads. What would you have done differently?

In a nutshell, tried to extract a bit more value.

I think 3/4 of the pot on the flop is about right, but I'm definitely betting more than half pot on the turn and check-calling the river looks like monsters under the bed. After checking the river, when villain only bets half-pot I'm strongly considering a check-raise; a hand that beats you would surely bet more here (?). I expect villain to have some sort of top pair hand and to call a moderately sized river c/r.

[ciaran]

You could probably bet a little more on the turn, but otherwise this looks fine. I think c/r the river is over-aggressive readless, and if you bet you're going to have to call a raise, so I prefer to check-call to let him bluff his missed draws (which seem like a lot of his range), and you'll still get bets from some Ks and avoid paying the maximum vs 76 and slow-played flushes.

[Clint]

The player you played against has the largest stack at the table and appears to have won a sizable pot against the previous button. It most likely went to showdown due to the size, or a big fold by the loser.

In hindsight it definitely looks like a busted flush and perhaps pair plus flush draw. I think I would have hit the flop a little harder to define their hands and hit the turn just as hard to chase out the straggler once they don't re-pop you.

But early in a tournament having played and won the previous hand, villain is probably not going anywhere until the river unless you go nuts too early.

The river bluff size was based on the size of pot and you didn't build enough of it with the best hand. My advice, realize in that situation your profit (and risk) is based on your flop and the turn action if you're lucky enough to dodge the 4th suited card. The river should play itself, but earlier streets determine your profit in this case. If the pot was 1,000, he has to bluff more or check.

Post #2, out!

[avi]

Tnx for the replies guys.

[chrisjp]

I'd bet close to pot on flop and turn. Build the pot and make them pay to draw against you. Checking the river is my recommendation too. Or bet very tiny on the river, like 20-50 chips. Sometimes that will induce a bluff.

Chris

[cowboyinexile]

I'm with what everyone else has said. Your only mistake here was betting too little on the turn. Part of me thinks I might have popped a big bet in pre-flop just to take the hand down quickly, but with a medium pp in an unraised blind, you cannot play it wrong by checking.

You value bet a scary flop and got a caller. If he is drawing you have to put him to the test on the turn. If its instead of on the river, nothing you can do but fold and you kick yourself for not putting him to the test on the turn.

As played, easy river call. Either he flopped it and he trapped you or he is sitting on something like and knows he is screwed on the river and is confused about how to play TP on this board.

[ImBetterDude]

I don't mind the turn amount here. Giving our opponent 3:1 on a probable flush draw is going to be +EV in the long run, right? Plus, if we're being rope-a-doped by a made hand (flush), why stick more money in there? Also, if our opponent does likely have a beaten hand of some sort (...likely pair plus flush, or A clubs), do we really want to chase him away by not giving him proper odds to call? 888 is pretty strong and I'm really not looking to chase people away, especially when it's likely that he's only drawing at about 8/45.