blonde poker forum

Part 1.

Phil Hellmuth may have just won his 11th bracelet, and is amongst the greatest NLHE tournament players around, but when it comes to a high stakes cash game, perhaps his game isn't as up to scratch. Can you play this HSP cash hand better than he did?

The table is 8-handed, blinds are $300/$600 with a $100 ante.

Phil picks up  Ad 4c  UTG and raises to $3,500. Daniel Negreanu re-raises to $7,000 from the cut-off. Phil calls, stating, "You might have Jacks so I just call."

The pot is now $15,700.

Phil announces he is checking in the dark, Daniel counters this by saying he'll bet $10,000 in the dark.

Flop:

   Ahrt 6s Tc

Action over to Phil.

1. Obviously  Ad 4c   is a pretty junky hand to raise with UTG, but what would be your arguments FOR Hellmuth raising here?

2. Given Hellmuth's undoubted ability to read players, do you think he is justfied in calling the re-raise?

3. Finally, what is your move on the flop, and why?

Part two on Wednesday.

Hellmuth has got himself into a tricky situation here by raising with trash UTG when DN raises and Hellmuth calls OOP he has handed the initiative to DN, the comment about "you may have Jacks"  Well that all depends on how DN interprets it?

The problem with these cash games and having watched them on Challenge is that DN could be raising with anything and he knows that Hellmuth can also lay down a hand. 

Another thing about Hellmuths play is the check in the dark, that sometimes can indicate great strength but DN has countered that by betting in the dark, Phil no longer knows where he is, if he puts in a bet and is raised by or even just called by DN then he can easily put him on an Ace, he has to assume that DN has the better kicker.  A 4 is only beating 2 hands at this moment in time. 

I sometimes think that the betting in the dark says a lot about the players, has DN bet 10k representing 10's?  Has he flopped a set?

If he has a bigger ace than DN then you'd think his holding had to be AJ + o raise pre flop and then bet in the dark.

So by my reckoning Hellmuth is miles bhind on that flop to a much bigger Ace or a set of 10's.

If I am DN's situation now and Hellmuth continues to check I am making bets hoping he has a weaker Ace than me an I am hoping to extract as much cash as possible I'd play the exact same way if i had the set, i'd be betting approximatelry 1/3 - 1/2 the pot.

That's a horrible starting hand to call with but now that he has should he really lay it down when his A hits? I think the only move here is to reraise on the flop. Daniel has no idea how weak Mike is and a reraise would represent a big ace (hmm.....maybe unless you were Mike playing against Daniel).

Anyway, I want to put the tough decision onto Daniel. If he has   Kd Kc, Qc Qh,  Js Jc,  Ad Qs or worse then he's going to have to work for the pot.

Then any more betting from him and I'm off.

Good post. Slight problem, who is Mike?

 ;noflopshomer; I got the names mixed up with 'mike the mouth', well, the names are kinda similar aren't they?  ;marks;

lol..I've seen this hand and I won't comment ...like the hand choice though..well done.

(Past action in italics)

Phil picks up  Ad 4c  UTG and raises to $3,500. Daniel Negreanu re-raises to $7,000 from the cut-off. Phil calls, stating, "You might have Jacks so I just call."

The pot is now $15,700.

Phil announces he is checking in the dark, Daniel counters this by saying he'll bet $10,000 in the dark.

Flop:

 Ahrt 6s Tc 

Action over to Phil.

Phil calls, the pot is now $35,700. He then says he's checking in the dark again.

Turn:

 2c

Negreanu bets $25,000. After a dwell, Hellmuth calls, telling Daniel, "I think you have Queens."

River:

 7c

Phil checks, Daniel bets $40,000 into the $85,700 pot. Action on Phil.

1. Has the strategy of checking in the dark on the flop and turn, back-fired on Phil?

2. Once Daniel has bet after Phil told him he thought he had Queens, should Phil then pass?

3. What do you think Daniel has? And do you call?

Backfired in spectacular fashion and it hasn't slowed DN down one little bit.  The only thing Hellmuth can do now is push on the river but one has to assume that Phil is short and DN is sta with around half a mill in front of him it seems to be the way he plays these cash games.

I think it matters not what Phil does becuase DN is sure to call even with top pair no kicker since he has invested so much in the pot.

Phil has played the hand bad;y from start to finnish IMO.

Check raise the flop, if he calls, lead the turn. If at any point he raises, you fold

you have to remember though that Phil is seen as the worst cash game player in the world by Daniel..Daniel can therefore play loike this with any two cards. when Phil sat down DN was also down several 100k and not playing well (and getting unlucky)

Negreanu had   Ac Tc for top two. Hellmuth called the $40,000 on the river and Negreanu took down a $165,700 pot.


 here is the youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8O8a_un_r8&mode=related&search=
    

and that's why DN calls Phil the worst cash game player in the world :)

DN has PH wrapped up whatever hand hes in with him... no matter what phil does daniel does 1 thing better, like betting out 10k blind... forcing phil to think his A maybe good in this situation, 1 reason why i like DN as a cash player as well as tourny player.... he mixes it up and spices up tables hes at... making the game alot more fun!