3

6max Nlhe, home-game, blinds are 0.5/1, deepstack (everyone approximately ~350 stack)

Villain is a very experienced and regular winning player, very tricky, capable of unorthodox plays as well. We have played around 100 hands during the night. We don't have a particular history between us, other than he considers to be more experienced than me. Generally, my image is tight, and that night in particular rock-like player.

  1. Pre flop Villain raises to 3.5 from early position.
    I re-raise from Dealer Button with A⋄A♥ to 12
    Everyone folds and the villain calls (pot~25, our stacks~340)
  2. Flop comes A♠K♠7♠

    Villain bets quickly 20, I re-raise to 60, he thinks for about 1 minute and calls (looks like he was thinking to raise in my opinion)

    (pot~145,our stacks~280)

  3. Turn comes 6♥. Pretty much a blank.

    He quickly checks. I bet 70 and he snap calls.

    (pot~280, our stacks~210)

  4. River comes 2♠ putting a 4 flush on the board.

    He takes some time and bets only 60


What should I do?
I was between folding and calling obviously, but I want to hear your thoughts as to how I played the hand generally (given the info) and for the final decision.

PS. I will give the results later ;)


Results:

I called relatively fast, just the way Dr.DrfbagIII described. My Opponent held AK, just top two pairs, without any flush. He was shocked he was beat at the end, he put me on a hand type like AQ through the entire hand and at the end he was thin value betting, at least that's what he told me. In the flop, he told me he was thinking of re-raising with the intention of getting his entire stack in, but he decided to play it a bit slower, since we were pretty deep-stack. I found the hand very interesting that's why I posted it, although I think I could have got more value in such a spot (top-set vs top two pair).

3 Answers 3

3

Preflop is standard and flop is fine. At that point, the only hand that beats you is a flopped flush and even then you have a strong re-draw to a full house.

On the turn, I'd bet more. Your hand has a lot of value but is vulnerable with one card to come--charge him more to see a river. The issue with a bigger raise though, say 100, is that it sets up a situation where any re-raise by him will be a situation where you're playing for stacks right then; but that's something to worry about if/when it actually happens, for now a bigger bet seems better.

It's interesting that he quickly bets the flop and considers re-raising it (in your opinion), but then doesn't take the opportunity to check-raise the turn. He likely knows you're going to bet, so with a flopped flush that would seem to be an obvious move. That leads me to believe he does not have a flush at this point. Some possibilities for his hands would be AK (not too likely since 3 aces are out), a set of 7's, or the Q of spades--maybe with an A, J, or 10 which would make the hand appear even stronger.

The river sucks of course. His small bet looks like one of two things: either a small value bet (probably w/ Qs) because you're not likely to call more or to bet yourself OR a type of blocking bet. If he did have AK or 77, the last thing he wants to face is a good size bet from you after he checks, and he knows that's what he'd be facing quite often. He wants a cheap showdown, so he bets small--if you raise, he knows he's beat, and if you fold that's fine from his perspective too.

With the pot odds you're getting, you only need to win >15% of the time to make this a call. I'd expect to lose most of the time, but since there is that chance of him making the blocking bet I describe (and a small chance he's on an elaborate bluff), I'd make a crying call. The other benefit is more of a meta-game consideration: if he or the other players see how easily you fold in that situation, you might face more bets down the road on scary boards. I think it's close, but you also get the information about what the opponent had when you call so that's what I'd do, fully prepared to start going on a rant about how everything is rigged :)

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  • Agree with all your points 100%, my thoughts exactly. As for the turn, I didn't bet a lot firstly to keep his marginal hands in and secondly not to become commited in case he had a flush and reraised me. Hadn't he bet in the river, I would have checked back hoping for a good showdown. Jun 30, 2017 at 6:17
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You flop the second nuts on what is still a very scary board for you. I think you need to play it more aggressively than you did.

Not likely either of you hit a flush on the flop as you would not play spade combo that way. Villain might be on QJs or JTs but that would be a pretty lose open pre. AK is block to Ax and Kx.

Villain would have 3 bet pre with KK. Maybe 3 bet with QQ.

There is also a straight draw - they could be on QJs, QTs, or JTs.

Spade is less in your range as you are likely on TT+ or AK and only 3 spades there - you would have just called pre with a suited combo. Where I put villain on any pair and there is only one AK left and they could be on a loose suited combo play.

Flop villain donks for almost the pot. A spade should just check. They could be on AK or 77 wanting a fold or build value and hope a spade does not hit. Or they could be on a pocket pair with no spade taking a shot at taking down the pot.

On the flop I think you should have re-raised to $80-$100 to try and get a fold from a small spade or max value if villain has 77 or AK. There is a 35% chance a spade hits by the river that does not give you a boat. When they call $60 they likely have 77, AK, or a spade (but you don't know how big).

They would not check the turn with a made flush. I think you need to apply more pressure on the turn but they were not getting direct odds to call a flush draw. You were getting close to pot committed if you bet $100. The hands you want to call (AK, 77) would still call $100.

If you had bet $80-$100 on the flop you would be pot committed on the turn and need to jam to that blank. I am not putting them on made a flush and you would get a call from 77 and AK and should fold out a single spade (maybe not the queen) and a straight draw. It is only 1/5.5 that a spade hits on the river that does not give you a boat. Even a made flush you have 10 outs - 22% equity. Thing is if no spade hits you are still going to get value from 77 or AK on the river but I still think $80 flop and jam a blank turn is your best EV here.

Obviously a spade on the river is a bad card for you. That is not a bluff. That is a value bet or a blocking bet afraid you have a bigger spade. Jam and try to represent QQ with a spade would not be a good plan. I would call as you are getting over 5:1 but you are probably beat by a pair with a spade. About the only hands that you beat are 77 and AK and they could have played that way.

I agree with Dr.Drfbaglll you also need to call to not be let others see you fold easily.

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I want to hear your thoughts as to how I played the hand generally

Preflop : standard -> good

Flop : standard -> not bad - here, I narrow his possible range down to :

Ac-Qs / Ac-Js / Js-Jx / Ts-Tx / 7-7 (less likely JT with a spades / any 2 - air)

His quick $20 bet could be done to show some strength, impress you, protect his hand. When he took time to think, I think he was trying to read your hand more than playing with your nerves.

It's now a pretty standard WA/WB hand

Turn : standard, you keep your logic.

River : is he making a value bet or a blocking bet ? Either way, he's put you in trouble, facing a tough decision. Question is: are you facing any spades he's holding (if so, is it a small/big one) ?

I want to hear your thoughts [...] for the final decision.

60:340 -> 5.5:1 -> call

Now, in that spot, with information given, I would have, from the flop, acted differently :

  • flop: bet -> cold call
  • turn: check -> check (bet ? cold call)
  • river: ??? (depending on his move)

But then, on the river, with more clues, I might have gone with : check ? check. bet ? 2.5 raise, in order to put him under pressure, and have him scared that you hold a higher spades, or any spades if he has none (worth trying, no ? ^^) If he raises again, then you know almost for sure...

That way, I would have neither given a strong hint about my hand nor find myself pot-committed.

Better win (lose ?) a small pot than lose a big one ?

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  • Pretty standard play to not give a draw pot odds. Especially if the draw is the only hand that can beat you.
    – paparazzo
    Jun 29, 2017 at 14:41
  • I agree. I thought that way because OP said very tricky, capable of unorthodox plays as well. Therefore, you can also try and play different. Villain may have got in with 8s/9s. As I see the WA/WB from flop, I may play different, non-standard moves, and try not to be pot committed.
    – OldPadawan
    Jun 29, 2017 at 14:48
  • Not putting villain on 8s/9s coming in for 3.5 early and calling 12. Made flush would have bet the turn.
    – paparazzo
    Jun 29, 2017 at 14:59
  • bet the turn, yes, but he may also think hero gets a higher spades. OP said Villain bets quickly 20, I re-raise to 60, he thinks for about 1 minute and calls. From there, imagine Villain dosen't think about a raise, but rather puts Hero on AxQs ? He may want to put as little money as he can.
    – OldPadawan
    Jun 29, 2017 at 15:04
  • I agree we won't agree :) but I always take advice of all comments as they help in a way or another ;)
    – OldPadawan
    Jun 29, 2017 at 15:22

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