Poking in the Dark

[isuck]

I was playing with a new face at the table.

Heres the situation:

I was dealt Queen 9 (Suit didnt matter the whole hand)

Flop came out 4 9 Jack. He bet out, and i called instantly knowing he didnt have the jack.

Second card came a 7. He bet and i re-raised and he called.

River was an ace. He bets again and i call scared of him having the ace.

Indeed he does have an ace.


I put him correctly on his cards knowing he had nothing but he bluffed it so hard to the river. Was there anything i could do? Or was he newbing it till the end and got lucky with a hit.

[Fnord]

Limit or No-limit?

[isuck]

no limit

[Fnord]

Raise the flop big here, particulary in a tourney. You must protect your pair if you're sure you're ahead

[isuck]

Yeah im an idiot. I was thinking about it. I was so sure he was bluffing it too, i shoulda reraised him hardcore before the turn.

[Krapp]

Ya I dont like the call on the flop. I would try raise or fold, depending on your tastes. Some folks might not like the raise unless they have top pair or strong draw.

[Makana]

If you don't think he has the Jack, the only way to find out is to raise on the flop. Especially if all you have is middle pair, because if he's betting 2 overcards you don't want him sticking around and catching one of them.

I use this against many players. If I have 2 overcards on the flop I often play it as I would a flush / straight draw. I fire a shot, hoping to get them off the hand, but if I am unlucky and they call, then I can still pick it up by catching one of my cards.

You will pair up on the turn or river about 25% of the time. So, if you think you can get them to fold 35-40% by betting on the flop then it's not a bad play (depending on the size of the pot).

The counter to this strategy is to raise them. If I was to fire a shot on the flop and get raised I'd probably let it go right then. Unless I had some sort of draw to hope for.

You will also find that even if he has the jack, a raise here could get him to lay it down if he has a crappy kicker or puts you on an overpair, two pair or a set.

[isuck]

You misunderstood me, i was SURE he didnt have the Jack, just trying to get money out of him because he was bluffing or attempting bluffing me. I kept calling /re raising and then on the river he caught a pair and raised, like usual i reraised and he called and won. He had nothing up till then which boggles my mind cuz i raised pretty damn big too and he kept calling with nothing

[Bvest65]

You misunderstood me, i was SURE he didnt have the Jack, just trying to get money out of him because he was bluffing or attempting bluffing me. I kept calling /re raising and then on the river he caught a pair and raised, like usual i reraised and he called and won. He had nothing up till then which boggles my mind cuz i raised pretty damn big too and he kept calling with nothing

You already had money off him, if you're sure he didn't have it, bet like your holding a set, and take what money he's already put into the pot.

This is the first thing I learned how to do, don't bet trying to get a call, just to make a little more change off 'em, they could make their draw and beat you. All this of course is invalid if you're holding the absolute nuts.

I was in a cash game with a HUGE fish, had AK, raised PF, one caller, flop comes AKx, I again bet a sizeable amount, enough to keep him in it with he paired up kings. Turn comes another A( to make my nut full house), again, throw a bet I know he'll call, and which he does. He now feels pot committed, and WILL not fold on the river, not matter how large the bet. I put him all in, he calls blindly (somewhat on tilt from the paired up aces)

He shows a lowly pair of kings, I act surprised, then drop the Aces full of Kings on him.....

Player reads are the most important aspect of my game, but I will NEVER try to bet looking for callers unless I"m on the nuts, just a little advice I learned early on by getting drawn out by callers with junk that actually make their hand when I was ahead and should've bet them out of it.


Billy

[Staple Gun]

if you got top pair and know you have them beat then i would try to win the money while you still have the lead, unless your top pair is aces or kings, if you got aces then you should play agressivley but not be so afraid of a call because it is less likley he can outdraw you, kings are similar because if he calls an ace is about all that could scare you