Can You Tell Me Why I Folded?

[Pyso]

Cash Game at DTD last night. £0.50/£1.00 NLHE. 9 players

Some Background - It's 10 pm and the table has only recently opened at around 8.45pm. Sitting opposite me is a good friend of mine, he is a novice player but to be blunt, a calling station. He is however, flush for this level of poker and consequently likes to run a bluff. He has no idea of the maths of the game and will chase lost causes all the way.

I have agreed to take him to DTD for only his second ever live game and he is understandably nervous. I have played with him before but only in the pub where he throws his money around for fun because the currency is peanuts.

I am getting it in the neck from the other half for playing poker three nights in a row (and on a Sunday!) so I compromise and agree to only play for three hours max and to not re-load should I get stacked.

My stack has taken a severe dent when my Kings ran into a flopped flush (don't you love it when people call an 8xBB raise with Ace-rag suited and hit the nuts straight away and of course it's the only outcome that can beat you when you are holding the overpair to the board). Anyway, I've had a sneaky top-up, only £20, but I tell myself to be good to my word and not do it again.

Now, the hand in question. I am in mid position and get dealt pocket Queens. There have already been three limpers so I raise £10. It's folded round to my friend who calls from the small blind. He calls a lot and only a few hands ago I have pushed him out of a pot on the river when he was flush chasing.

There are no other callers.

The flop is Jack, six, nine and they are all different suits.

He checks, I fire out a bet of £12. He calls again. Now I am scratching my head a little.

The turn is another Jack, leaving two hearts on the board.

He pushes all-in for around £38.

He looks unperturbed. He is the sort of player who would call a big raise out of position with Ace Jack, King Jack or even Queen Jack. Equally he could be just bluffing pure and simple. I count out my stack and if I call and am wrong I am going home (if I stick to my earlier promise).

I am taking my time deciding and do the old chestnut, asking him if he will show if I fold, to which he says yes. This often means a bluff but for some reason I am still unsure. I take a little longer and he says, "Come on mate, wars have been fought in less time.."

He has been looking away a lot and seems a little rigid. He is normally a chatty bloke but is now a little quiet, although he hasn't been his usual self tonight, as he has been nervous, so I can't be as sure about this tell as I normally would.

Anyway, as you have guessed by now, I folded.

As he is stacking his chips he mouths across the table to me that he had A,Q.

So, in retrospect -

I still don't know for sure what he had, he didn't actually show.

I have been in very similar spots as this before against similar players calling big raises out of position and then been shown Q,J ( I feared a similar holding). But what really bugs me is knowing that I would have called in the following circumstances -

a) It was at a relevant stage of a  tournament
b) It was against a trickier player
c) If I knew I could re-load

It also bugs me that more often than not I get these calls right and this time I didn't and it was against a friend of mine...aaaaghhh!

I think my judgment was clouded by my Kings taking a hit earlier and the fact that I had promised not to re-load.

Reading between the lines, do you lot agree?

[boldie]

and the fact that I had promised not to re-load

This is the only thing that cost you. You can not promise not to relaod..it is seriously -Ev (try to explain THAT to the other half lol) to promise this if you have an edge on the table but just got unlucky once. it also makes you play scared...which is bad. 

[TheChipPrince]

If you cant reload, your not playing properly...  & 'play properly or not at all' is a golden rule...


As for the hand I call...

[ChipRich]

no.

[Horneris]

When did you get so big time?

Also, i beat him into the pot.

[Pyso]

I knew the real answer was in not promising to re-load. I shall show the missus this post...

[Pyso]

Big time?

Must have missed something

[Pyso]

I meant 'promising to not re-load'.

It sounds better.

[boldie]

I knew the real answer was in not promising to re-load. I shall show the missus this post...

Tell her she owes you a £100.

[kinboshi]

Were you there last Saturday night?  I was on a good table on Saturday.  Unfortunately, I had to leave relatively early (at about 1:30) to make sure I was back for the Calzaghe fight.  Was a profitable session though.

I think quite a few from here will be there this Friday.  Say hello if you're there.

[Pyso]

Good idea Boldie, although technically she owes me £79 as I left the building when I had run out of effective ammo and didn't want to drop my last £21 quid. I knew I was in danger of tilting so got up and drove home with Godsmack on full volume.

[Graham C]

I shall show the missus this post...

Don't be silly, it's not going to help, you know you did wrong, just don't do it again.

[Pyso]

Hi Kinboshi,

Yes I did play on Saturday night on the first cash table. My winnings on Saturday night paid for my stupid fold last night...lol

If you are who I think you are, then you were sat opposite and left about forty minutes before I did.

The question is - am I who you think I am? You'd make a good detective   Lol

By the way my mate has just texted me to confirm he had A,Q

Feel much better. Not.

[boldie]

Good idea Boldie, although technically she owes me £79 as I left the building when I had run out of effective ammo and didn't want to drop my last £21 quid. I knew I was in danger of tilting so got up and drove home with Godsmack on full volume.

it's £100 as you have to take fuel into account and all that..she also owes you 3 nights out...without her. This is to compensate for the ental distress she caused in the first place

Always happy to help.

[boldie]

Dammit Graham...please edit your post into one of support for our friend here! Us men have to stick together!..it was never his fault!