[Nanook]

Sorry about the format. I know it is tough to read, but I have never used the converter thingy. Maybe I will try when I have more time to figure it out.

I know bad beats happen and all, but I am wondering if I could have played this better/different?

POKERSTARS GAME #8334090557: HOLD'EM NO LIMIT ($0.25/$0.50) - 2007/02/08 - 00:45:43 (ET)
Table 'Lampetia' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: thedon10048 ($40.40 in chips)
Seat 2: Nanook1231 ($79.70 in chips)
Seat 3: gustavasv ($48.45 in chips)
Seat 4: JimmyRed123 ($22.80 in chips)
Seat 5: CraigNY ($55.45 in chips)
Seat 6: GeneHackman ($49.80 in chips)
Seat 7: McFiddish ($59.15 in chips)
Seat 9: Kurto ($65.45 in chips)
Kurto: posts small blind $0.25
thedon10048: posts big blind $0.50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Nanook1231 [Ah Ac]
Nanook1231: raises $1 to $1.50
gustavasv: calls $1.50
JimmyRed123: folds
CraigNY: folds
GeneHackman: folds
McFiddish: calls $1.50
Kurto: calls $1.25
thedon10048: calls $1
*** FLOP *** [Jh 6s 8h]
Kurto: checks
thedon10048: checks
tilted fish joins the table at seat #8
Nanook1231: bets $6
gustavasv: calls $6
McFiddish: folds
Kurto: folds
thedon10048: folds
*** TURN *** [Jh 6s 8h] [Ts]
Nanook1231: bets $20
gustavasv: calls $20
*** RIVER *** [Jh 6s 8h Ts] [9h]
Nanook1231: checks
gustavasv: bets $7
Nanook1231: calls $7
*** SHOW DOWN ***
gustavasv: shows [Jc Qc] (a straight, Eight to Queen)
Nanook1231: mucks hand
gustavasv collected $70.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $73.50 | Rake $3
Board [Jh 6s 8h Ts 9h]
Seat 1: thedon10048 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Nanook1231 mucked [Ah Ac]
Seat 3: gustavasv showed [Jc Qc] and won ($70.50) with a straight, Eight to Queen
Seat 4: JimmyRed123 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: CraigNY folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: GeneHackman folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: McFiddish (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 9: Kurto (small blind) folded on the Flop

Thanks in advance,

Nanook

[billsrcursed]

Not really. I would have called just about any raise with JQ suited, so raising more pre-flop wouldn't have worked, imo.

He also flopped top pair with a decent kicker, so check raising "probably" wouldn't have worked either. If you HAD the choice to play it differently, I may have check raised after the flop. That would have given you a better idea of what he was holding. After the turn, check again. His bet most likely would have given away his draw, maybe the top pair. Where things go wrong is when you read a draw, and then 5th street comes and kicks your dog in the gut. I've said it before, the river is a mean, dirty old man looking for revenge. Sorry for your luck.

[BrettButter]

I'm a fan of raising a little higher pre-flop, but I'm guessing he's not folding for an extra $.50-$1.

Aside from that small detail, I'd make similar plays pre-flop, then on the flop and turn.

I hate the call on the river. It gives an open-ended four-straight on the board, plus the flush hit, which would have been a possibility due to him calling all streets down. The only thing you are beating is something like top/top, or a smaller overpair to the board, or a very bad bluff.

Just my opinion, and I do understand the call on the river, but it just reaks of a value bet into that big of a pot. Still sucks when this happens though!

[punk1o1]

I think you played it fine... And think he did also... I Like how you stayed aggressive with it, nothing you couldve done there.

[Nanook]

thanks guys.

One more piece of info I forgot to include. This guy was really loose. vp$ip = 60 % over about 50 hands

Nanook

[aquaman]

I have no business chiming in, but I'll take a shot.

First, a bigger PF raise may have shaken him off, but he had QJsuited--he may have stuck with it. He flopped top pair, so it would have taken another big bet to shake him. With a big bet here he might have put you on an over pair or flush draw, which might have paid off on the river--doubt it though...who knows. A big PF raise would probably have discredited representing a flush draw post flop. I don't think he was going any where after the flop.

The crappy poker player has spoken!!!

[jojobinks]

you definitely have to call the river. 7 into 60+ pot, he'd HAVE to bet there, no matter what he had.

i'd have at least considered check/calling the turn.

another in a series of hands that show why a short buyin is a good idea, imo.

[TheMightyJim2k]

i've been thinking about this a lot jojo, and I think shortstacking is always the right play online where you can change talbes and you the max buy-in is only a medium stack anyway. obviously if you are a postflop stud and you can buy-in for 250bb then you should do that, but even the best postflop players gain very little when the buy-in is capped at 100bb. I think buying in for 40-50bb might make your preflop and flop decision making so much better that it is nearly always +EV.

just my 2cents

[Irish Se7en]

posted by billscursed:

"Not really. I would have called just about any raise with JQ suited, so raising more pre-flop wouldn't have worked, imo. "

Are you strictly talking cash games or tourneys too?


As for the hand itself, you were looking for action with the small bet preflop. I think I would have played it the same way you did in a cash game too. The bet after the flop was more than half the pot, another good bet. The turn would have slowed me down, but I still think it was a good bet on your part. Lastly calling his river bet, I would have done the same.

[billsrcursed]

I was thinking cash game, but now that you have me thinking about it, depending on action before me, I'd probably call a rather big raise in a tourney with this hand as well. I realize its not the nuts, but when someone raises preflop, they're either holding big paint or a pair, unless you're D.N. raising with low suited connectors. suited connectors, plus the fact they're both paint, is good enough for me to call a raise, maybe not all in, but if I have the chips available, I'll see the flop with that hand. Actually, I would have re-raised pre-flop in a cash game with JQ suited just to make sure the original raise was legit. Nothing hefty, just to let the other person know I'm there.

Different strokes for different folks