Returning the Favor and other Slices of Life

Returning the Favor
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Saturday, November 03, 2007

You Decide

With apologies to Jordan, here's my very own episode of You Decide. I know how this hand went down, and want to know how you would have played it. It's friendly home game with $.25/.50 blinds. You're about $100 into the game, and there's probably $600 on the table. Some folks have bought in for $50 once, some for $50 - 60 several times. You've built your stack up to a respectable amount, probably around $160 when you're dealt Ac-Qc in the straddle. You have straddled, because that's what you do. Every. Orbit. You have a loose table image, to say the least, but you've played fairly tight so far tonight. Player in Middle Position limps in, as do a couple of the others, and you raise the $1 straddle to $6. Middle Position limper calls, as does the Big Blind.

Your read on MP limp/caller is pretty straightforward player, but you haven't really played much with him. He's not used to playing for this much money, but plays fairly good ABC poker. Big Blind is aggressive, and sees about as many flops as you do, so his calling range preflop is pretty massive. He didn't re-raise, so the Hammer is not in play.

Flop comes down Ah-6d-7d, and Big Blind leads out for $15. You think for a second and decide to find out where you are - you raise to $45. MP limper folds, and BB goes all in almost immediately for another $68.

What does he have, what do you do, and what do you think I did right or wrong in the hand up to this point? I'll post the real life results on Monday.

UPDATE - I initially posted the flop incorrectly as having the Qs. I later remembered that it was the Ah. It's been updated. This is what happens when I don't take notes.

6 comments:

BamBam said...

The first 2 hands he could have that came to my mind as I read this were, Ad-Qd or K-K. Thinking back to your description of the player, 6-7 suited could be possible I guess.

I don't see any issues with the pattern as it was written here. I can only assume you called the all-in based on the pot size and your commitment to it so far.

We'll see Monday !

KenP said...

I think the real question is do you think you are ahead and if you are who is the favorite at this point.

The one hand I'd definitely play as he did was bottom two pair. The other I'd play that way is 89D.

As to your mistake... it is the straddle/image. People are attracted to playing against you -- for good or evil.

You say he's pretty ABC so the odds are he isn't a trapping player and out-of-position there isn't a decent trapping setup anyway. I like his play regardless of what he hold. You built the pot; he wants it. I hope it was his only bluff of the night and it worked and you know what he had because he showed it to you... (evil grin)

KajaPoker said...

You call. I am not afraid of an overpair here. I think he is just making a move on you because he thinks you were making a move with your straddle raise and flop re-raise.

Jim The Knife said...

I am the aforementioned BB. I will NOT spoil Falstaff's Monday posting by giving the outcome.
I think the 3 comments were most interesting.

David Westbay said...

I'm thinking Ad Xd. He expects a call because you have good odds, and he doesn't mind a call because of his outs.

Your play looks good to me because, as you say, you have to find out where you are.

StB said...

The mistake was you sitting down at the table to begin with. Just kidding.

Your opponent flopped a set of 7s. You called thinking pot odds dictated it, but you should have folded knowing you were way behind.