[SeattleSooner]

I need some feedback on how I played a hand at my local monthly NL tournament. It's a $10 buy in with starting stacks of $2500. Generally there are eight players in a winner take all format. This time only five could make it. I have a tight aggressive image, but actually play much looser than everyone thinks. I'm the best player and use my ability to outplay people after the flop. There are four players left. BB and the button are loose-passive and UTG is tight-passive. We're at $50/100 blinds. I'm the small blind with a stack of about $5500. The large blind has about $4500, UTG has $1400 and the button has $1100. Action starts:

UTG calls $100. Button folds. I look down at AdAc. Today my preflop raises have been winning most pots before the flop, so I decide to make a smaller raise than normal for me and make it $200 to go (normal for me here would have been $400 to go). Both the BB and button call. I intend to lead out with a $500 bet on the flop.

The flop comes down Ah-3c-2s. At this point I decide it's unlikely that anyone has hit and hope that someone makes a bluff at it if I check. The BB bets $200, UTG goes all in making it $1200 to me. Do I call, or move in trying to isolate?

[Jambine]

It's pretty unlikely they both made a hand with that flop. I think you’re safe to just call here (he probably made a wheel). If BB goes all in after you, then you can fold without much damage done.

[gagners]

Originally Posted by SeattleSooner

I'm the best player and use my ability to outplay people after the flop.

first, I would check my ego... hahaha, just kidding.

I say call, if the other guy pushes, you might want to re-look it (even though I call there 90%)

[TrivialPiper]

Originally Posted by SeattleSooner

UTG goes all in making it $1200 to me. Do I call, or move in trying to isolate?

Didn't you already say that UTG went all in? If it were me I would wait a few (20 or so) seconds before I called his all in, just to make him sweat, and think I am weak (not that it matters once you are all in). He probably hit two pair on the flop and figures since you didn't do your usual big pre-flop raise, you don't have the nuts. I tend to play tight, but probably a little too aggressive when I hit a hand. So what did you do??

[SeattleSooner]

Trivial, UTG has went all in, but BB still acts after me and has about $4100.

first, I would check my ego... hahaha, just kidding.

I feel bad saying it because I don't want to sound like phil helmuth, but if not for the luck factor that creeps in once we get heads up and the blinds raise, I don't think I'd ever lose at this game. I've finished first or second the last 7 times. If we weren't using my chips, I think they might stop inviting me.

[TrivialPiper]

Originally Posted by SeattleSooner

Trivial, UTG has went all in, but BB still acts after me and has about $4100.
.

Yeah, I figured that out once I got my head out of the clouds, dreaming about someone going all in when I am sitting on 3 As......thanks for bringing me back to earth. That's almost as good as calling a K high flush all in with pocket deuces and the other two deuces on the board!! Happen to me last night on P*s...

[jojobinks]

the end of the story is that someone makes the wheel and you get busted/hurt badly.

i know b/c you made a minraise and then tried to rationalize it. after you post results, i'll move it into the bad beat forum.

[SeattleSooner]

the end of the story is that someone makes the wheel and you get busted/hurt badly.

Actually, no. I went ahead and moved all in. The BB folded and showed KdKc. UTG had 3d-3h. The fourth ace came on the turn. I wondered in hindsight whether simply calling might have induced the BB to call as well.

What's interesting is that the BB played kings about as bad as I think you can do it, but lost just about the minimum she could have. Playing kings badly was a reoccuring theme for her that night though. On the hand where I knocked her out we were heads up and I was on the button with As-9s. I made it $400 to go and she made it $800. The flop came with an ace and 2 spades and she went broke with the kings. If she'd moved in pre-flop, she would have won the hand then.

[uncleto]

Originally Posted by SeattleSooner

The flop comes down Ah-3c-2s. At this point I decide it's unlikely that anyone has hit and hope that someone makes a bluff at it if I check. The BB bets $200, UTG goes all in making it $1200 to me. Do I call, or move in trying to isolate?

What are you scared of? 45 has the nuts, and isn't folding if you push. I call and try to extract more chips with that monster. You can get sucked out on, but they are all longshots (gutshot has 4 outs, low- or mid-set has 1-out, and then runner-runner straight or flush ~1 out each). If you really are that much better than everyone, than pushing to isolate can be argued. But the luck factor can't be smaller than the chances that guy is going to fill up a possible gutshot straight. The real question is if you call and he pushes, are you going to give him credit for the wheel?

EDIT: I just saw the results. After a couple minutes, I decided I'm calling and never folding to a possible push from the BB. Even if she has 54 (unlikely), you have 7 and then 10 outs on the turn and river. I didn't do the math, but she has to have 54 a ridiculous percentage of the time to make folding +EV. I think 33, 22, AK, A5, A4, A3, and A2 are all pushing hands for the BB as well, and at least as likely as 54.

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by SeattleSooner

I feel bad saying it because I don't want to sound like phil helmuth, but if not for the luck factor that creeps in once we get heads up and the blinds raise, I don't think I'd ever lose at this game. I've finished first or second the last 7 times. If we weren't using my chips, I think they might stop inviting me.

Don't feel bad saying it, there's nothing wrong with confidence. Just don't be overconfident.

As for the hand, I wouldn't worry about it. Either way, with a push and a call or a push and a raise in front, BB knows his KK is no good.