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Today's marginal hands

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  1. #1

    Default Today's marginal hands

    How'd I do today. These are the marginal hands that I could use advice on.

    HAND #1 -- Villain is new to the table but is a Shorty
    PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

    BB ($29.25)
    UTG ($15.40)
    MP ($120.30)
    Button ($60.25)
    Hero ($72.25)

    Preflop: Hero is SB with J, 7.
    UTG calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero completes, BB checks.

    Flop: ($1.50) T, 4, J (3 players)
    Hero checks, BB checks, UTG bets $1.5, Hero calls $1.50, BB folds.

    Turn: ($4.50) 6 (2 players)
    Hero checks, UTG bets $2.4, Hero calls $2.40.

    River: ($9.30) 9 (2 players)
    Hero checks, UTG bets $3, Hero calls $3.

    Final Pot: $15.30


    HAND #2 -- No read on villain as he was a short timer. What do you think of the turn bet? I'm guessing turn is a fold since villain could have any better 2 pair or str8 here.
    PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

    CO ($50)
    Hero ($50)
    SB ($58.50)
    BB ($10.95)
    UTG ($41.45)
    MP ($8.50)

    Preflop: Hero is Button with 8, 9.
    UTG raises to $1.5, 1 fold, CO calls $1.50, Hero calls $1.50, 2 folds.

    Flop: ($5.25) 8, J, 9 (3 players)
    UTG checks, CO checks, Hero bets $4.5, UTG folds, CO calls $4.50.

    Turn: ($14.25) T (2 players)
    CO checks, Hero bets $8.5, CO raises to $25, Hero folds.

    Final Pot: $47.75


    HAND #3 -- Villain is a solid LAG @ PS50NL(Marathoner) 34/28/3. I have seen him raise anything from QQ to Q2s for 3BB.
    Should I just give up and fold the flop or maybe even raise it? I don't engage him much because I usually 3bet or give up through respect.
    PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

    Hero ($129.55)
    SB ($26.05)
    BB ($30)
    UTG ($165.45)
    MP ($47.35)

    Preflop: Hero is Button with A, T.
    UTG raises to $1.5, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.50, 2 folds.

    Flop: ($3.75) 4, 2, 4 (2 players)
    UTG bets $2.5, Hero calls $2.50.

    Turn: ($8.75) Q (2 players)
    UTG bets $6.25, Hero folds.

    Final Pot: $15


    HAND #4 My only other hand with LAG villain early on today. I didn't know it at the time, but he hasn't really been playing back at my 3 bets. Probably only time of the day out of maybe 6 3bets.
    PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (5 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

    Hero ($50)
    UTG ($41.50)
    MP ($81)
    Button ($157)
    SB ($40.85)

    Preflop: Hero is BB with A, Q.
    2 folds, Button raises to $1.5, 1 fold, Hero raises to $6.5, Button calls $5.

    Flop: ($13.25) J, 9, 7 (2 players)
    Hero bets $9, Button calls $9.

    Turn: ($31.25) 4 (2 players)
    Hero checks, Button bets $22.25, Hero folds.

    Final Pot: $53.50
    Playing live . . . thanks alot Bin Laden.
  2. #2
    hand 1 : when the shorty who fish-limped utg fired the 3rd bullet, I think you're beat almost 100% of the time. His range is huge preflop, but with this action he's unlikely to be 3 barelling a semi-bluff in my experience

    hand 2 : deciding what to do when checked to you is tough here. It's not terribly likely villain just made a straight, but then again he may have made a marginal flop call with a QJ ish hand. Once he c/r I'd prob pitch it as well. Usually I just check behind here as I think there's little value in betting.

    hand 3 : an aggressive lag is firing 2 bullet in this spot a whole lot. He might have hit a queen, but if you raise here, my feeling is you'll take down the pot vs a hand-reader a lot of the time ( his thought process will probably go "LOL TRAPAMENTS i'M DONE WITH MY Q10".

    Also, raising the flop isn't terrible. You'll take it down a whole lot of the time.

    hand 4 : fine. Checking the flop can be fun depending on how you typically play 3 bet pots OOP but it's no biggie.
    when the vpip's are high and the value bets are like razors, who can be safe?
  3. #3
    Thanks again for your responses, Genitruc. I feel I am picking up reads a little better since I am spending more time "thinking" poker. Your advice is invaluable. Some more question on the LAG. BTW FWIW everyhand he has shown down in my PT database is showdown worthy. I have yet to see a gross aggro bluff called down. I wish I could see his hands without showdown in PT. Anybody know how to view those?
    Quote Originally Posted by Genitruc
    hand 3 : an aggressive lag is firing 2 bullet in this spot a whole lot. He might have hit a queen, but if you raise here, my feeling is you'll take down the pot vs a hand-reader a lot of the time ( his thought process will probably go "LOL TRAPAMENTS i'M DONE WITH MY Q10".
    I would raise here when a heart hits the turn yes? Is a raise to $16 enough?

    Quote Originally Posted by Genitruc
    hand 4 : fine. Checking the flop can be fun depending on how you typically play 3 bet pots OOP but it's no biggie.
    I almost always fire OOP at a 3bet pot. Can you give me an example of a good board to CR or c/c & bomb the turn? Thanks
    Playing live . . . thanks alot Bin Laden.
  4. #4
    Hand 1: i check raise the turn.
    Hand 2: i play exactly the same
    Hand 3: I three bet him preflop
    Hand 4: I play exactly the same.
  5. #5
    hand 1, raise somewhere. I say flop due to reverse implied odds with many draws.

    hand 3, I think you have carte blanc to screw around on this flop. You can raise, call and float, even raise turn (in order of increasing variance). 3betting pre-flop is fine, too. vs a known guy with a clue, I would be heavily in favor of mixing it up.

    I agree with Gen on 2. And if he's trapping with a straight and you fill up ... $$$
  6. #6
    gabe's Avatar
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    1 i bet flop or just check fold it. usually bet though.
    2 dont bet turn
    3 good, just remember to bet the turn if he checks to you
    4 fine
  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Silly String
    Thanks again for your responses, Genitruc. I feel I am picking up reads a little better since I am spending more time "thinking" poker. Your advice is invaluable. Some more question on the LAG. BTW FWIW everyhand he has shown down in my PT database is showdown worthy. I have yet to see a gross aggro bluff called down. I wish I could see his hands without showdown in PT. Anybody know how to view those?
    Quote Originally Posted by Genitruc
    hand 3 : an aggressive lag is firing 2 bullet in this spot a whole lot. He might have hit a queen, but if you raise here, my feeling is you'll take down the pot vs a hand-reader a lot of the time ( his thought process will probably go "LOL TRAPAMENTS i'M DONE WITH MY Q10".
    I would raise here when a heart hits the turn yes? Is a raise to $16 enough?

    Quote Originally Posted by Genitruc
    hand 4 : fine. Checking the flop can be fun depending on how you typically play 3 bet pots OOP but it's no biggie.
    I almost always fire OOP at a 3bet pot. Can you give me an example of a good board to CR or c/c & bomb the turn? Thanks
    Sorry for the shitty format, String (dunno why it always fks up when I try to quote things).

    For the hand vs the lag (A10s), I'd actually call the turn if I developed the nut-flush draw since I wouldn't want to get bluffed off it and since hitting it would be very deceptive. After calling the flop he'll be hard-pressed to put you on hearts so you can usually pump the river when checked to and get paid off by a queen since your line matches with busted diamonds.

    The exception would be deepstacked, where I'd raise the turn hoping to get his stack when I hit (taking obv the risk of getting pushed off it by a three-bet). If I raised I'd make it about 20$ to go personally (to get max value on river when I do hit).

    Another thing to consider is that just because the villain hasn't shown down crap in a big spot doesn't mean he never 2 or 3-barrels, it's possible that he just picks his spots well.

    My suggestion of checking the flop in the reriased pot vs him is a pretty personal thing. I bet much less on flops than most players and don't bet/check according to typical thinking so I can usually see a lot of free turns. In this spot in the reraised pot, the flop hits a lot of hands he's calling preflop with implied odds. I feel like betting will get him to fold only when he has pure crap, esp since you've been reraising him light (making him more likely to put you on a non big pp).

    The reason I like check/folding in this spot is my feeling that you're getting called a lot on this flop, and a check can look like a trap, thus letting you see a free turn where lots of cards can make your hand interesting (bring up str8 draws, hitting a pair,etc.) at which point you may be going somewhere with the hand as opposed to bluffing with a hand that has the potential to develop showdown value.

    Your line is fine though .
    when the vpip's are high and the value bets are like razors, who can be safe?

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