Update on Poker
Welcome to our latest blogger on Gulf Coast Poker. NET.
I get a lot of useful strategy and information from him because our games are so different. I am a deliberate tight player, aggressive but tight, he's more a loose player who vacuum up chips early in tournaments to play for the top prizes. I find myself in situations like this.
On the BB, (blinds 1 and 2oo), Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Button raises to $600 (????), fold, action to me. Right now there is $2100 in the pot. I have AK. I have $4500 left. I read weakness across the board and think the button has either a middle pair or a couple of overcards like AK, AQ, AJ. Since I have AK, it's more likely a hand I have dominated. If it were Aces or Kings wouldn't he thin the field with a much large bet--so it's not them. I could even be suited connectors and he's trying to build a big pot if the hits it on the head. Even if it's middle pair, I'll take the coin flip by isolating with all that extra money in the pot. I figure I should put out a bet to isolate him but also show I'm pot committed. I bet $2700 and make a show of the fact I have less money then what I'm putting in.
Everybody jumps for shelter and it gets back to him. Let's call him a lunchbox. He thinks about it and pushes me all in. I insta-call. He shows pocket 8s and says, "I was hoping you were going to fold." Even if I were on a stone cold bluff I probably can't fold there but he doesn't understand that. To win $11000 I have to call my remaining $1800. Let's call it 6 to 1 on my money and worst case he's got AA vs. 72 o/s I'm still 12% to win. Of course, I have to have something so more likely a tiny pocket pair trying to steal. Then he's a 4 to 1 favorite but I'm way priced in. How could he possibly hope I was going to fold?
Now, let's say I wasn't a tight ass like myself, who only goes all-in when I absolutely have to, would a guy like our new blogger just push in? Is that more effective. Truth be told I considered it, but I gave my opponent too much credit. I thought he'd think if I pushed all in I was more likely to be stealing versus waking up to a big hand. Betting less than all in, to me indicates that I got I big enough hand I'd take action on. However, if I just pushed I would have taken down that pot and won $2100. Either outcome I'm fine with but ruthless agression there might have had less risk. Thoughts?
I get a lot of useful strategy and information from him because our games are so different. I am a deliberate tight player, aggressive but tight, he's more a loose player who vacuum up chips early in tournaments to play for the top prizes. I find myself in situations like this.
On the BB, (blinds 1 and 2oo), Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Limp, Button raises to $600 (????), fold, action to me. Right now there is $2100 in the pot. I have AK. I have $4500 left. I read weakness across the board and think the button has either a middle pair or a couple of overcards like AK, AQ, AJ. Since I have AK, it's more likely a hand I have dominated. If it were Aces or Kings wouldn't he thin the field with a much large bet--so it's not them. I could even be suited connectors and he's trying to build a big pot if the hits it on the head. Even if it's middle pair, I'll take the coin flip by isolating with all that extra money in the pot. I figure I should put out a bet to isolate him but also show I'm pot committed. I bet $2700 and make a show of the fact I have less money then what I'm putting in.
Everybody jumps for shelter and it gets back to him. Let's call him a lunchbox. He thinks about it and pushes me all in. I insta-call. He shows pocket 8s and says, "I was hoping you were going to fold." Even if I were on a stone cold bluff I probably can't fold there but he doesn't understand that. To win $11000 I have to call my remaining $1800. Let's call it 6 to 1 on my money and worst case he's got AA vs. 72 o/s I'm still 12% to win. Of course, I have to have something so more likely a tiny pocket pair trying to steal. Then he's a 4 to 1 favorite but I'm way priced in. How could he possibly hope I was going to fold?
Now, let's say I wasn't a tight ass like myself, who only goes all-in when I absolutely have to, would a guy like our new blogger just push in? Is that more effective. Truth be told I considered it, but I gave my opponent too much credit. I thought he'd think if I pushed all in I was more likely to be stealing versus waking up to a big hand. Betting less than all in, to me indicates that I got I big enough hand I'd take action on. However, if I just pushed I would have taken down that pot and won $2100. Either outcome I'm fine with but ruthless agression there might have had less risk. Thoughts?
Comments
The way you played the hand, in my opinion, was excellent. "I hoped that I would get you to fold." when he pushed with pocket 8's, that is funny to me when he realized that you basically committed yourself on the raise. He is and will be a lunchbox, I would have noticed the move and with my pocket 8's I would have called and saw a flop...or made a stop and go play on the flop.
Nicely done!
I thought you might have pushed all in preflop. I don't know which is the better play. I know they say you can't be results oriented--ie sometimes you make the right play with the wrong outcome--but I wonder if I would have been better served to do something slightly different.