Aces Early.

[Honeybadger]

If we bet say 2.6k, and he calls, is that better than check calling a similar bet on the flop?

Is checking a mistake because he can check back?

Not really. If he checks back then you can bet the turn and river using fairly greedy sizings, so you still get a semi-decent amount of his stack. Weirdly enough, the real problem with checking is if he bets, especially if he bets half-pot or less. When you call his bet, he might then check-back the turn. You can bet the river of course, but the problem is that you can't then get half his stack unless you over-bet the pot on the river. You have a read that he is likely a cautious old chap, so you don't want to confront him with something violent like an overbet - he may be scared and fold.

Same issue if villain bets the flop and turn for ~half pot and then makes a cautious check back on the river. You have failed to get some chips from him that he probably would have been prepared to lose to you.

Of course, you can check-raise him on the flop to prevent this. But then you are telling him that all his chips might be at risk. And the only reason to start by checking the flop is because you have decided you don't want him to think this.

[Honeybadger]

id just plan to bet/bet/jam vs described villian yea, his range is prob pretty TT-QQ heavy so id be a little wary of those cards

3k into 5, 6500 into 11, 13500 into 24 seems good

This for me.

#nomercy

You mean boy. I bet he's a lovely old fellow - don't try to bust him before he's even ordered his cup of tea.

Yeah, playing to felt him (3k: 6.5k: jam, or similar) is definitely the best way to play the hand in most spots. The only time to go for less is if you have a read. In this case OP has a read that villain is old, cautious, a little nervous and that this tournament is probably a big deal to him. Plus, I'd make the general read that most players really don't want to bust this early in a tournament. These two things might make hero at least consider being a bit less greedy.

But if you want to go for the lot then I wouldn't fault you in the slightest.

#grandadbasher #mercyisfortheweak

[celtic]

Brilliant reply, thank you.

I think having the ace of hearts has skewed my view on this hand a bit, as in him having heart combos is very unlikely. I've been thinking about this hand for hours now, and which way would have been best. And I've obviously posted because I feel that I played it wrong. In particular the turn and river.

For the record, I checked the flop, and he bet 2k. I called.  My reason for calling, is I feel now that he has a pair, probably a decent pair, and never has a house or a 2. The turn was the . Now I should be betting?

Also, if I had bet the flop, and got called, I'm still betting the turn and jamming all rivers?

I appreciate its 4 in the morning so no rush for a reply.

[Honeybadger]

Yeah, checking the flop has unfortunately worked out really badly for you here. First, he's bet an disappointingly small amount. And then a card has turned that may cause him to check back. Without good reasons, I don't usually like taking out of tempo lines such as c/c flop, donk turn. But here it might be good to donk the turn. You've ended up in a bit of a pickle because it seems there is now a good chance you will not get enough chips from him. Your best way of trying to rectify the situation could well be to bet the turn.

This is another reason to start by betting the flop rather than checking. You choose the sizing, based on whether you are going for the lot or going for around half. But bet.

[celtic]

Thanks again, the turn messed things up for me here (along with my check on the flop obv)

It's weird, you and tom both changed minds a couple of times before settling on decisions,and other conversations got a bit confused before final decisions were made, so hope you can see that in game, I struggled to work out what was the best line.

I think I was more scared the turn had put him off his hand more than it has helped him. And having made that decision, I then checked, which I think is a mistake, given that I think he has a strong hand, probably one that he will sigh call the turn with, and poss the river.

[GreekStein]

betbetbet

[nirvana]

I also think it's important that he expects you to bet nearly all flops given preflop situ and has probably (even subconsciously) already decided he will at least call all flop bets on dry boards like this. Just veering into FPS to disappoint he'm I think

[Rexas]

Right, first of all, I'd like an explanation as to Why we're in the tournament at the third hand and not still in nandos. If the answer is "we haven't been to nandos", I'd be aiming to bust asap to go to A&E via nandos.

I don't particularly like checking flop here, mainly for what stu said about keeping control over the size of the pot, but I think this has been looked at enough itt. However, on check calling and seeing this turn card, I'm a pretty massive fan of donking. We regain control of the betting on a card which is going to get checked back loads, but which isn't going to get folded much. I mean, if he does fold, he's going to check back and likely fold river anyway, leaving us with a depressingly small pot. I also expect most reasonably regular live players to expect you to bet a flush draw otf, and noones folding overpairs anyway. Can also pretty safely bet any river with the Ah, and fold happily to a raise.

People don't donk enough imo.

[muckthenuts]

Yeah what basically everyone has said. I think it's good to keep things as simple as possible in live comps. Most of the time this spot will be best approached as going betbetbet for value, then probably folding if raised.

[cambridgealex]

Oh if had your image Stu, then it's a different story!

People don't like folding to a young'un re-re-raising at any stage of a tournament so I usually go greedy...

[pleno1]

Small off so he peeks bdfds:occasionally tries to raise us off our hand. If he calls then go for 3.

[lucky_scrote]

This is 2014, people won't stick everything in with TT here. He is aware that if you stick the lot in on the river that he's going to make a fold a lot.

However I still think that bet bet bet is the best line because he is heavily weighted to having pp's here. I wouldn't necessarily say he has to have TT-QQ a lot. Some recs will happily have 77.

I really doubt you're going to get him to bluff if you check to him, nor are you more likely to get paid if you check the flop. I go bet bet bet but I won't set him in, leave him a few k so that he can "get his monies worth".

[dreenie]

If you check the flop and he then bets I would be raising it.... If he is a cautious player he would have checked back... by betting we know now we will get paid so make it 8350 and when he calls we jam the turn.

Otherwise it's bet bet bet like everyone else has said.

[dreenie]

And not really ssure how u come to the assumption he is a tight player cos he's old and nervous?

He's just cold called a 4 bet after 3 hands of sitting down and led into u when u have checked. U actually don't have much idea of how he plays, lots of times he could just be clicking or genuinely have it by check raising you soon find out and u win a nice pot if he folds but most importantly u don't lose a big pot by 2nd guessing down the streets which imo looks like ur doing atm.

[celtic]

And not really ssure how u come to the assumption he is a tight player cos he's old and nervous?

He's just cold called a 4 bet after 3 hands of sitting down and led into u when u have checked. U actually don't have much idea of how he plays, lots of times he could just be clicking or genuinely have it by check raising you soon find out and u win a nice pot if he folds but most importantly u don't lose a big pot by 2nd guessing down the streets which imo looks like ur doing atm.

I said he seemed cautious. Not tight 😀