blonde poker forum

This got a good reception on another forum I posted it on, lets see what the Blondites think!

This hand is from the WPT's 'Poker by the Book' special event. You play the part of legendary author David Sklansky.

Its six handed and the blinds are $3000 / $6000 with a $1000 ante. You have just less than the $250,000 starting stack.

The pot is $15,000 to start and you are in the big blind.

Phil Hellmuth, Mike Sexton and Mike Caro fold. Doyle Brunson raises to $26,000. TJ Cloutier folds. You are in the big blind with the 3s 3d and decide to call for $20,000 more. The pot is $61,000.

The flop comes 5s 4c 2s. You check. Doyle bets $30,000 and you call.

The pot is $121,000 and the turn comes the 7d for a board of 7d 5s 4c 2s. You check and Doyle checks.

The river is the 3h for a board of 7d 5s 4c 3h 2s. You check and Doyle bets $35,000.

The pot is $156,000. Do you call, raise, or fold? Would you have played the hand any differently on the earlier streets?

He must call for whats in the pot, Also Doyle could be Bluffing, and he may not have an ace, your set might be good here. I would Call.

I'd fold, then write a bestselling book about it.

If you took all the zeroes off the ends of the bets, then that's probably how I would have played it too.

Looks like Doyle is giving you odds to at least call here.....and that's what I'd do. You're not crippled by the call and you could be good.

ALLIN, no doubt about it.

I can't see all-in being the play here - he's only going to call with an ace or a six. I'd probably call, but I'm very suspicious of the river bet, only 1/4 of the pot - looks like it wants a call.

Then again, if I'm Sklansky, Doyle will know that I know it looks callable, so it could be a bluff. However, he will also know that I know that he knows that I'd know it looks callable, so it could be a value bet made to look like a bluff :)

I don't like the checking and calling all the way though - we're at the river, yet we don't really know anything about Doyle's hand.

In summary, I think Doyle probably does have an Ace and but would still call. I'd have been tempted to check-raise the flop, to try and take it there.

Without reading other responses...

Doyle could have the ace here. You have acted weak all the way through so why is he only betting 1/4 of the pot on the end. I think his continuation bet on the flop buys him two cards, he has hit his straight and now he wants to get paid. The way you played the hand, he has to think you are drawing but your faliure to bet on the river means its likely you missed. You didn't bet on the end and because he didn't raise you on the turn, a check-raise with a str8 is risky play on the end (hence i think, he thinks you've missed). If you had acted more strongly throughout and he had the ace, he would have checked behind you on the river to see if he had the best hand. If he was bluffing then i would have expected him to bet more but i think you have played in a way that has induced a bluff so you have to call but expect to be beaten.

What would i have done differently? Well call me stupid but i would have shoved my whole stack in on the flop. The low cards will look to have helped me and i doubt that they have helped doyle. If i go all in, i may have the best hand now, i have an up n down straight draw (if doyle has an overpair) and doyle is not getting the odds to draw (unless he has A-x spades). Doyle will seriously have to consider the fact that i may have flopped two pair and i'm betting to protect it. Finally, any raise at any point in the pot is a large part of my stack so i think i have to decide to go for it on the flop or let it go.

I raise on the flop.