blonde poker forum

Hand from UKPT Newcastle about 3 months ago:

Very early on - first orbit - both myself and the button have 10k.  I am in the BB.  Only information is that button is an online qualifier, but this could mean he is good or bad I guess.

Folded round to button who makes it 200 (blinds 25-50).

I call in the BB with  5s 5c

Flop is an encouraging looking  5d Jh Td

I check and button bets 400.  I flat call.

Turn is  Aspades

I check, button bets 600 and I check raise to 2000.  Button instacalls.

River is  Kd (pretty much worst card in the deck)

I check, button bets 2000 again and I pass.

I lose about 3k of my stack in the first orbit.

Thoughts on how I played this hand?  Given lack on information should I lead the flop?  Is my check-raise one street too late?

He showed his hand after I passed, so I'll fill that in a little later.

why the fuck are you check calling a set on a drawy board like that? You are 200BBs deep to start the hand so in order to get all of the money in (which should be the objective when you flop a set) you need to start building a pot. So against most unknowns I check raise here. Yes, he will often be just auto c - betting and will just give up. But there are plenty of times he flops TPTK // has an overpair // has flopped a draw // spazzes out with something random for you to want to get money in here and lead almost every turn. This board can bring many scary turn cards that kill your action so it is not a time to feign weakness or a time where he would expect you to have a very polarized range. Additionally, is flop bet is not sized like a standard c - bet would be - most likely he has flopped at least a pair and wants to protect on a drawy board or he has flopped a huge draw and wants to get all - in. So just get money in on the flop and keep shoveling chips in and try to get the double up - and if you have been set over setted or he flopped a monster draw and gets there so be it.

Another way to look at it is what would you do if you defended with Axdd preflop and got that flop? Like if you flopped two air or a combo draw I would be very surprised if you are just going to check / call a strong potsized bet(and I certainly wouldn't think you should).

On the river when he bets here he either has the nuts or nothing given the board texture. It is very, very rare for someone to turn showdown value into a thin value bet or a bluff (and bad live players will even check a set back there some of the time). As such, he has to have luckboxed diamonds / the straight on the river or he is bluffing because you have checked a card that completes everything and it is an awesome time to take a stab. AdJd or Adxd can be in his range given the strong flop bet, and he has sized for value and he is an unknown so I like the fold. But we are calling 2k to win 7200 so if the villain was known to be the kind who doesn't give up on pots I'd never, ever fold and just pay the man.

pretty much agree with wha lloyd says. Personally against an internet qualifier, i like to lead this flop, as often players will seem weak folding to the donk lead and want to establish an early image that they wont be pushed around. Personally i raise nearly all of my range if i am villain and you donk lead into me here, or if i flat im probably floating to hit the kind of river he did but am looking to ake it away on the turn. A lot of people can sapz out early and try and claim early chips so im trying to get as much in on the flop as possible. Lead the flop or check/raise and lead the turn would be my plays.

As played i reckon the villain probably has KQ or AQ and we make a good disciplined fold so early in the tournament.

Yeah I think you have to raise the flop here. Builds the pot for a start. Plus you're just offering him a free river card out of position by flat calling the bet and checking the turn.

If you're gonna flat call on the flop, perhaps lead the turn cos he might well raise you here and you can shove it in.

Tbh I'm not sure about the fold on the river. He probably value bets 2 pair here cos he has to assume from the way you've played it you don't have the straight or the flush. It's fairly likely he has you beat though so can't fault you for it too much.