Wow....I forgot why I stopped these things
The SnGs at Pokerstars are just nuts again. I keep thinking it is easy money, I should do well playing solid poker. After all, there are these hands:
Seat 1: kar100 (3735 in chips)
Seat 3: sbsb (1390 in chips)
Seat 5: stillandbox (4710 in chips)
Seat 8: IlliniFan (2055 in chips)
Seat 9: Kasey2004 (1610 in chips)
Kasey2004: posts small blind 100
kar100: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to IlliniFan [Jd Ks]
sbsb: folds
stillandbox: folds
IlliniFan: calls 200
Kasey2004: folds
kar100: raises 400 to 600
IlliniFan: calls 400
*** FLOP *** [8d 9c 5h]
kar100: checks
IlliniFan: bets 500
kar100: calls 500
*** TURN *** [8d 9c 5h] [9d]
kar100: checks
IlliniFan: checks
*** RIVER *** [8d 9c 5h 9d] [7d]
kar100: checks
IlliniFan: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
kar100: shows [Qd Tc]
(a pair of Nines)
IlliniFan: shows [Jd Ks]
(a pair of Nines - King kicker)
IlliniFan collected 2300 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2300 | Rake 0
Board [8d 9c 5h 9d 7d]
Seat 1: kar100 (big blind) showed [Qd Tc]and lost with a pair of Nines
Seat 3: sbsb folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: stillandbox folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: IlliniFan (button) showed [Jd Ks]
and won (2300) with a pair of Nines
Seat 9: Kasey2004 (small blind) folded before Flop
Guy is just straight up crazy. Tries to steal pre-flop and I smooth call. Checks the flop, so I bet, trying to represent more than I have (but less than he has as I find out). So I take his money. The problem is when these morons get lucky (which is happening more than probability says they should). Look at this:
Seat 1: kar100 (2535 in chips)
Seat 5: stillandbox (4410 in chips)
Seat 8: IlliniFan (2455 in chips)
Seat 9: Kasey2004 (4100 in chips)
Kasey2004: posts small blind 100
kar100: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to IlliniFan [Ah 4d]
stillandbox: folds
IlliniFan: calls 200
Kasey2004: folds
kar100: checks
*** FLOP *** [6s Js As]
kar100: checks
IlliniFan: bets 600
kar100: raises 1735 to 2335 and is all-in
IlliniFan: calls 1655 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [6s Js As] [5h]
*** RIVER *** [6s Js As 5h] [2s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
kar100: shows [3c Ts] (a flush, Ace high)
IlliniFan: shows [Ah 4d] (a pair of Aces)
kar100 collected 5010 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5010 | Rake 0
Board [6s Js As 5h 2s]
Seat 1: kar100 (big blind) showed [3c Ts]and won (5010) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 5: stillandbox folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: IlliniFan (button) showed [Ah 4d]and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 9: Kasey2004 (small blind) folded before Flop
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH...this joker check-raises on a 50/50 draw out of the BB. Why do I do this to myself? This is about the 6th time in a row I've been outdrawn to finish on the Bubble. What the hell am I doing wrong?
posted by IlliniFan97 @ 5:17 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Illini ...
I'd say that what you are doing wrong is limping when you should be raising preflop.
Think about it. There are four people left, and you have A4. One person folds (effectively giving you the button). You are now in position against 2 random hands (blinds).
Your goal with A4 is to win the blinds without a fight - that's it. You don't want to compete in a hand with A4. You want to take the blinds with A4. If you happen to get a call, and flop your ace, well, at least you have top pair ... but that isn't what you wanted to happen.
What you wanted to happen here was to win the blinds uncontested.
But ... you chose to limp. You represented weakness; and gave the BB a reason to try to bluff you.
Turns out he was wrong - but won anyway. That's part of poker, but the mistake you made was not raising preflop.
This did three things: it gave random cards a chance to beat your - we'll call it "decent" holdings - preflop.
It also introduced the bluff opportunity to your opponent. I bet your opponent would have folded his T3 to even a 1x raise.
Thirdly ... if you had raised 1x preflop and the blind called you anyway, once you BET the flop ... he was more likely to fold, rather than try a bluff, because preflop you represented strength and since you flopped your ace, and then bet it, you would have confirmed this strength in his mind.
What you are failing to realize is that any two cards can lose - even AA. When you limp, you introduce the bluff option for your opponents. They can be wrong, but win anyway.
So, my suggestion would be this - if you think your two hole cards are worth playing, then you should err on the side of raising them. (You can always fold to the preflop re-raiser.)
You give yourself more opportunity when you raise than when you just call.
Think about it, the blind who must react to a raise has three options: he can fold, call, or reraise.
The blind who must react to a limp has two options. Check or reraise. He has NO OPTION TO FOLD.
Thus, you have eliminated one of the best ways you can win the hand ... by getting everyone to fold.
Once again, the Pundit speaks truth. My own fault for limping with A-rag. But I'm learning, and appreciate the comments.
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