Poker binge in Tunica, MS

[excalibur]

Just got back from 2 days of marathon poker in Tunica, MS. The following thread will discuss the fun details of the trip and poker hands. So let's get started. Put on your poker thinking caps, and see if you can guess the hole cards of the players in the following hand.

Game is 1-3 NL hold em. Max buy in to start game is $300. Player A is under the gun and raises to 12. Player B calls. Player C calls, and Player D (who is the small blind calls). Pot is ~$50.

Qh 9c 6d

Player D (small blind) checks, Player A (initial raiser) checks, Player B bets $15. Player C calls. Remaining players fold. Player B has about $600 behind, and Player C has $325 behind at this point.
POT IS $80 NOW

Qh 9c 6d Ks

Player B bets $20. Player C raises to a total of $85. Player B calls.
POT IS $250 NOW

Qh 9c 6d Ks Kd

Player B checks, and Player C goes all in for his remaining $240. Player B shows and mucks.

Can you guess the hole cards?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RussianJoo]

player B had a queen something and player C had a King Something. Unless player C is bluffing and player B folded folded his queens to a bluff.

 

[dhb]

C: K-Q
B: Q-something (low card?)

 

[jetproppilot]

I'd put B on a drawing hand like 7-8 or 10-J suited.

C probably had A-K or K-J

 

[excalibur]

Thanks for the responses. Good stuff!

Turns out, I was Player C, and I bluffed.

Player C had J-9 of diamonds, and Player B folded Q-10 of spades.

Now, let's look a little deeper on why I felt the bluff was going to work in that instant.

First off, at every poker table, you quickly gather how certain players play, and they can often fall into categories. The initial raiser, Player A, was a rock-tight player who folded most of the game. When he raised from early position I felt he had a strong hand already (AA, KK, AK). Player B was an older gentleman, who was not a fish by any standard, but somewhat meek. He would not "make a move" and seemed like an honest player. Would bet his top pair, did not seem to bluff too much, rarely raise anybody, and never check raise. Player C was me, and the best way to describe me is smart-aggressive-and often loose. I truly have much more success when I tighten up significantly, yet the game can be quite boring when you run into a long stretch of absolute crap cards and all you are doing is folding (more on that later). I feel I have a good read on what people have, and if I feel confident that if my hand is good, and you're drawing, I'm aggressive in the sense that I'm willing to bet big on my hand, even if it's just a pair, b/c I'm confident that my hand is better.
-I didn't have much info on Player D as he was new.

So to continue...I was somewhat loose to call with J-9 of diamonds, and I pegged the initial raiser for a very strong hand hoping I could either hit big on the flop or have a nice draw and maybe see a turn for cheap as I had position on the early raiser.

POT ~$50
Flop is Qh 9c 6d
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

Small blind and initial raiser both check meaning probably initial raiser is weak or super strong and slow playing. I call the man to my right's bet and the other two fold. I call $15 into a now $65 pot as I have second pair and backdoor straight and flush draws.

POT $80
Turn is Qh 9c 6d Ks
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

Player B bets $20. OK here is the important stuff. That's a somewhat weak bet into an $80 pot. This man also is the guy who is pretty straight shooter, and will lead out on top pair...so did he not like that king very much?? I put him on Q-J or Q-10. It is possible that he has a monster and is just betting small hoping to induce a raise. The monsters he could have are a set, K-Q for top two or J-10 for a straight and the nuts. Now this did not seem like the player who would lead out and bet on an open ended straight draw as I stated he was a pretty straight shooter, so J-10 was unlikely, but K-Q was a definite possibility as is a set.

I have Jd-9d and now I decide to raise to $85 and represent J-10 (the nuts). This play could work, b/c I am playing a straight shooter, and the likelihood he has J-10 is less b/c I have one of the jacks. Moreover, my bluff could work b/c J-10 would fit the picture of everything that has happened in the hand so far. Calling a raise in late postion preflop, calling a small bet on the flop with an open ended draw, and then raising when I hit the straight on the turn. Of course, I don't have J-10...I have J-9, but I am also semi-bluffing, as a 10 on the river would bail me out, and likely a second nine on the board would win it, if indeed this guy only has a queen.

The player thought about it for a while and decided to call. If indeed he had the nuts, wouldn't he have reraised there? If he had top two or the set, he might have just called b/c he was afraid of the straight--definite possibility.

POT $250
River is Qh 9d 6c Ks Kd
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

I do not get my bail out 10. He checks. Yet another sign of weakness. If he had a boat, wouldn't he bet there? Of course, he could be trapping me--Definite possibility.

Now, I am not going to win a check down. This player does not seem like the type who could have the balls to call a huge bet with a marginal hand b/c he senses a bluff. He would call only if he had the straight or obviously a boat. Well, if I want to win the pot, there is only one play...

ALL IN

$240 into a $250 pot is a pretty strong bet, and now I give the impression that I have KQ or maybe a set on the flop. He thinks for about 2 mins as my heart is POUNDING THROUGH MY CHEST, shows his friend at the table the Q-10 of spades and mucks.

-Know who you can bluff
-When you represent a big hand you don't have, your betting patterns have to make sense with the board and all stages of the hand.

More to come soon...

 

[jetproppilot]

Thanks for the responses. Good stuff!

Turns out, I was Player C, and I bluffed.

Player C had J-9 of diamonds, and Player B folded Q-10 of spades.

Now, let's look a little deeper on why I felt the bluff was going to work in that instant.

First off, at every poker table, you quickly gather how certain players play, and they can often fall into categories. The initial raiser, Player A, was a rock-tight player who folded most of the game. When he raised from early position I felt he had a strong hand already (AA, KK, AK). Player B was an older gentleman, who was not a fish by any standard, but somewhat meek. He would not "make a move" and seemed like an honest player. Would bet his top pair, did not seem to bluff too much, rarely raise anybody, and never check raise. Player C was me, and the best way to describe me is smart-aggressive-and often loose. I truly have much more success when I tighten up significantly, yet the game can be quite boring when you run into a long stretch of absolute crap cards and all you are doing is folding (more on that later). I feel I have a good read on what people have, and if I feel confident that if my hand is good, and you're drawing, I'm aggressive in the sense that I'm willing to bet big on my hand, even if it's just a pair, b/c I'm confident that my hand is better.
-I didn't have much info on Player D as he was new.

So to continue...I was somewhat loose to call with J-9 of diamonds, and I pegged the initial raiser for a very strong hand hoping I could either hit big on the flop or have a nice draw and maybe see a turn for cheap as I had position on the early raiser.

POT ~$50
Flop is Qh 9c 6d
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

Small blind and initial raiser both check meaning probably initial raiser is weak or super strong and slow playing. I call the man to my right's bet and the other two fold. I call $15 into a now $65 pot as I have second pair and backdoor straight and flush draws.

POT $80
Turn is Qh 9c 6d Ks
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

Player B bets $20. OK here is the important stuff. That's a somewhat weak bet into an $80 pot. This man also is the guy who is pretty straight shooter, and will lead out on top pair...so did he not like that king very much?? I put him on Q-J or Q-10. It is possible that he has a monster and is just betting small hoping to induce a raise. The monsters he could have are a set, K-Q for top two or J-10 for a straight and the nuts. Now this did not seem like the player who would lead out and bet on an open ended straight draw as I stated he was a pretty straight shooter, so J-10 was unlikely, but K-Q was a definite possibility as is a set.

I have Jd-9d and now I decide to raise to $85 and represent J-10 (the nuts). This play could work, b/c I am playing a straight shooter, and the likelihood he has J-10 is less b/c I have one of the jacks. Moreover, my bluff could work b/c J-10 would fit the picture of everything that has happened in the hand so far. Calling a raise in late postion preflop, calling a small bet on the flop with an open ended draw, and then raising when I hit the straight on the turn. Of course, I don't have J-10...I have J-9, but I am also semi-bluffing, as a 10 on the river would bail me out, and likely a second nine on the board would win it, if indeed this guy only has a queen.

The player thought about it for a while and decided to call. If indeed he had the nuts, wouldn't he have reraised there? If he had top two or the set, he might have just called b/c he was afraid of the straight--definite possibility.

POT $250
River is Qh 9d 6c Ks Kd
Player B (Qs 10s) Player C (Jd 9d)

I do not get my bail out 10. He checks. Yet another sign of weakness. If he had a boat, wouldn't he bet there? Of course, he could be trapping me--Definite possibility.

Now, I am not going to win a check down. This player does not seem like the type who could have the balls to call a huge bet with a marginal hand b/c he senses a bluff. He would call only if he had the straight or obviously a boat. Well, if I want to win the pot, there is only one play...

ALL IN

$240 into a $250 pot is a pretty strong bet, and now I give the impression that I have KQ or maybe a set on the flop. He thinks for about 2 mins as my heart is POUNDING THROUGH MY CHEST, shows his friend at the table the Q-10 of spades and mucks.

-Know who you can bluff
-When you represent a big hand you don't have, your betting patterns have to make sense with the board and all stages of the hand.

More to come soon...

NICE!

Even if the dude had straighted, an ALL IN by you would make him think with the board paired....

 

[OB1🤙]

This is why you're the poker_jedi .

Nice hand man.

 

[Idiopathic]

"whole" cards?

really?

 

[Idiopathic]

this is a good lesson about positional advantage (you had it), but also id say odds were that a good poker player with a good hand would have played exactly as player B did, seeing you raised the turn, might have felt that you would do exactly as you did. if he had K/10, working on a straight for instance and caught the set, then hed have to call there. but i definitely would have checked the river in first position and given you a chance to get check raised. i would have thought missed straight on your end, if i was player B.

you got lucky and you played the hand well.

and how can you muck and show your cards? i thought the two were mutually exlusive.

 

[excalibur]

"whole" cards?

really?

my bad, in a hurry i guess

 

[excalibur]

and how can you muck and show your cards? i thought the two were mutually exlusive.

after I went all in, he thought about it, decided to show what he was about to toss, and then threw it in the muck

 

[excalibur]

FEEDBACK FROM THE GALLERY

On Day 2, I went card dead for about 2 hours, and folded pretty much every hand for the first hour, and then was getting aggravated and started to become creative in an attempt to try and win some money. I will post some of the hands I had with these crap cards shortly, but for now...how do you guys deal with like a 2 hour run of absolute crap cards? I mean no suited anything, no pairs, and an occasional face here and there. Do you become a rock, and wait it out for 2 hours? or do you pretend you're getting some stuff here and there?

Comments?

 

[Idiopathic]

playing live i fold 19/20 of those hands and occasionally raise the blind with suited connectors or something to change pace

playing online i will often call a small bet to see a flop with bad cards, knowing how often yuo see j/j/3 flops when you were holding j/3 off suit or a/2/4 when you had 3/5

 

[Southpaw]

His bet sizes were terrible and showed how scared he was on the flop and turn, even though he got HU for the turn.

His bet on the turn (1/4 pot) was weak to the point that I'm pretty sure in his mind he thought his TP was no longer good, and he then called believing his hand to be drawing. A good player would view the K as dangerous, but with another on the river, believe them both to be "safe" cards. Luckily, and you knew this, you were playing a nit who could easily be pushed of a solid hand. Nice job.

FYI, I've watched Tom Dwan do what you did SOOO many times and believe it's exactly why he's one of the best cash game players currently playing. He knows his spots, knows who can and can't be pushed off hands, and plays accordingly.

As far as card dead goes, I started playing PL Omaha b/c NLHE got boring after a while, so card dead is never a concern.

I need to make more gambling trips....

 

[Southpaw]

I've thought a little more about your hand....

I really wonder what he thought you had...

J/10? If you have J/10, you don't shove the river b/c when called your beat atleast 60-70% of the time.

A/Q? You would've RR the flop.

K/Q? Again, most likely to RR the flop, and then value bet the river.

Flopped set? This makes the most sense. It was easy to place him on top/mid pair based on his image/bet sizes, and the river K would fill you up so he would view the Ks as scare cards.

If you shove the river for value, just as you would a bluff, then you're playing your hands right. As it stands, I wasn't at the table, have no clue about what your image was, and if your opp hadn't seen you play for hours I'm sure he had trouble reading you. You played that hand extremely well though. That's for sure.

 

[OB1🤙]

how do you guys deal with like a 2 hour run of absolute crap cards? I mean no suited anything, no pairs, and an occasional face here and there. Do you become a rock, and wait it out for 2 hours? or do you pretend you're getting some stuff here and there?

Table dynamics and personal image decide this. Nitty table? Not many hands going to showdown? People laying down to reasonable bets? People reluctant to defend their blinds?

Then Any Two Will Do. Raise from the hijack/cutoff/button often. Not obnoxiously often- around what you'd do when not card dead. Especially if your table image to this point is tight- you'll win the pot on the flop or turn continuation bets more often than not. But you're gonna have to figure out who you can double and triple barrel profitably (which will be the majority of people) and who will look you up to "keep you honest."

If you're up against a bunch of loose passives calling down with any piece of the board and calling any raise pre with any face and any two s00ted cards, you're probably losing value by raising with junk pre.

To all: Excalibur is probably the best poker player on this forum, by a pretty significant margin. This kind of play is standard for him, and he picks his spots extremely well.

 

[jetproppilot]

FEEDBACK FROM THE GALLERY

On Day 2, I went card dead for about 2 hours, and folded pretty much every hand for the first hour, and then was getting aggravated and started to become creative in an attempt to try and win some money. I will post some of the hands I had with these crap cards shortly, but for now...how do you guys deal with like a 2 hour run of absolute crap cards? I mean no suited anything, no pairs, and an occasional face here and there. Do you become a rock, and wait it out for 2 hours? or do you pretend you're getting some stuff here and there?

Comments?

I went to Harrah's this afternoon.

Played 2-5 for about an hour and a half....had one good hand....pocket queens in the big blind so I raise to $30.00.....2 callers...

flop is 10 7 3 rainbow, I bet the pot, 2 callers fold, I win the pot.

Thirty minutes later (now towards the end of the hour and a half) I've folded just about everything, raised a cuppla times from the button/cutoff with suited connectors both times, flop doesnt connect and I'm not feeling confident with continuation bets since Ryan the rounder is to my right, the dude can smell a rat from 500 miles, and some other dude seated ninth ...very good player....has about $2100 in frunna him....

Seat opens up to my left, dude sits down and spills my half-empty Corona (first and only beer of the night),

I'm bored, so I leave after 90 minutes.

Thats how I dealt with dead cards today.😴

 

[ssmallz]

I was hoping to post this before the results of the hand were out but you beat me to it.

Player Cs hand range is really polarized to nuts and bluffs. On the turn player C is repping a strait and on the river he's repping a boat. Something doesn't quite make sense.

He shouldn't have a set or 2 pair on the flop b/c he should be fastplaying this type of drawy flop w/a big hand so he would have to raise.

Player C shouldn't hit the K unless he has exactly KQ although KJ and KT are possabilities given the small flop bet. The turn raise is suspicious for a K b/c he also might not raise a weak king like KJ, KT, or even AK on the turn for fear of being dominated by 2 pair, a set, or a strait. Another point to consider is how often player C would really raise KQ on the turn. Given that his opponents range is fairly wide, he might not want to get his stack in with top 2 and may elect to call and see the river on a scary board.

On the river, the push doesn't make much sense with a strait b/c you're not going to get called by any weaker hands so your trying to rep a boat. KQ and sets just boated up, and weaker 2 pair just got counterfited and a strait would chop. Since you can't really have a set, the only boat you can have is KQ. Trip Ks also don't shove there for the same reason a strait wouldn't ship, especially in 1-3 where most people don't value bet rivers very well. So player Cs range is really polarized to KQ and bluffs. Given that KQ won't raise the turn a fair amount of the time, I'd say player C is bluffing at least 50% of the time

 

[excalibur]

On the river, the push doesn't make much sense with a strait b/c you're not going to get called by any weaker hands so your trying to rep a boat. KQ and sets just boated up, and weaker 2 pair just got counterfited and a strait would chop. Since you can't really have a set, the only boat you can have is KQ. Trip Ks also don't shove there for the same reason a strait wouldn't ship, especially in 1-3 where most people don't value bet rivers very well. So player Cs range is really polarized to KQ and bluffs. Given that KQ won't raise the turn a fair amount of the time, I'd say player C is bluffing at least 50% of the time

well if it's 50/50 then, pushing 240 to win a pot of 250 is mathematically correct. I disagree that I (Player C) couldn't have a hit a set on the flop. I would have called on the flop for slow play, raise cautiously on turn with a set, being wary of str8, and then pushed on river when I boated up.

OK another hand...

1/3 NL
call...call...excalibur has JdJs in the cutoff and raises to $15 th blinds fall and the limpers call. 3 handed Pot $50

10h 4s 5h

Limper bets 15 and is called immediately by second limper (who has been playing like a drawer for the day)
Pot is now 80 and here I am sitting with an over pair. I think limper has the 10, and drawer is drawing to flush. I have both of them covered. Limper A has now about $120 behind and limper B has $375 behind.
I raised to $75 total.
Limper A calls and Limper B calls immediately.
I am concerned right now about a set from limper B (trap), but I think I would have gotten RR there and tossed my jacks.

Pot $275
10h 4s 5h 6s

Check. Check. Is limper B trapping? he's been "drawing" a lot from what I've noticed. I bet $175. Again my hand is not that strong, but in this situation I think it's good. Limper A puts in his last $40, and Limper B..."I call" he says nonchalantly

10h 4s 5h 6s 2d

Check. Check.

Limper A had AhJh and B had 2 hearts too, but I didn't see them. He likely had straight draw too on turn. So I took it away from 2 drawers, and that put me up $600 for the day.

Then, I went card dead, and my stack started dwindling, I'll talk about my hands during the card dead hours soon

 

[ssmallz]

well if it's 50/50 then, pushing 240 to win a pot of 250 is mathematically correct. I disagree that I (Player C) couldn't have a hit a set on the flop. I would have called on the flop for slow play, raise cautiously on turn with a set, being wary of str8, and then pushed on river when I boated up.

OK another hand...

1/3 NL
call...call...excalibur has JdJs in the cutoff and raises to $15 th blinds fall and the limpers call. 3 handed Pot $50

10h 4s 5h

Limper bets 15 and is called immediately by second limper (who has been playing like a drawer for the day)
Pot is now 80 and here I am sitting with an over pair. I think limper has the 10, and drawer is drawing to flush. I have both of them covered. Limper A has now about $120 behind and limper B has $375 behind.
I raised to $75 total.
Limper A calls and Limper B calls immediately.
I am concerned right now about a set from limper B (trap), but I think I would have gotten RR there and tossed my jacks.

Pot $275
10h 4s 5h 6s

Check. Check. Is limper B trapping? he's been "drawing" a lot from what I've noticed. I bet $175. Again my hand is not that strong, but in this situation I think it's good. Limper A puts in his last $40, and Limper B..."I call" he says nonchalantly

10h 4s 5h 6s 2d

Check. Check.

Limper A had AhJh and B had 2 hearts too, but I didn't see them. He likely had straight draw too on turn. So I took it away from 2 drawers, and that put me up $600 for the day.

Then, I went card dead, and my stack started dwindling, I'll talk about my hands during the card dead hours soon

Never said it wasn't a good play, just said that your range has a lot of bluffs in it. I do like the way you played it b/c player B was showing so much weakness he was just asking to be taken off his hand. A good player may be able to put the pieces together and make a hero call but most 1-3 players can't.

Hand 2: What were you planning on doing if villain c/r'd the turn? You're already pot committed w/yourself w/that $175 b/c villain will only have another $75 and you've gotta call given the size of the pot. Since you already decided that your entire stack is going in you might as well try to maximize the $$ you can get from his draw. Throw in the fact that he could have 1 or 2 overs to your hand and I think you want to bet more on the turn to cut down his odds to draw something like $225 ish sounds right.

Keep up the good work, sounds like you really know what your doin

 

[Southpaw]

well if it's 50/50 then, pushing 240 to win a pot of 250 is mathematically correct. I disagree that I (Player C) couldn't have a hit a set on the flop. I would have called on the flop for slow play, raise cautiously on turn with a set, being wary of str8, and then pushed on river when I boated up.

FWIW, most sets will value bet the river, unless they're a thinking player HU vs. another thinking player, and they WANT the river shove to look like a bluff (making it a better value bet). Regardless, you played it very well b/c you knew TP was a nit who could be pushed off his hand.

Hand you just posted, you should've shoved the turn given stack sizes. Your $175 says you're not going anywhere, so just shove it.

 

[Southpaw]

.

 

[Idiopathic]

nut flush draw (limper a) needed to reraise your flop bet all in...would you have called?

 

[Southpaw]

.

 

[Southpaw]

.

 

[Idiopathic]

nut flush draw (limper a) needed to reraise your flop bet all in...would you have called?

 

[Southpaw]

.

 

[excalibur]

appreciate the comments.

Yes perhaps the total shove on the turn is more appropriate, I have done that move before. I guess, I just didn't have enough...umph...to do it. My read was right, but I just couldn't make it for 300 i guess.

Yes, to answer above question, if limper a goes all in with a RR on the flop, I call, b/c it's not that much more left.

Here's a hand that I got aggressive with, and it bit me in the ass, but saved me on the river.

Limp in two from the button with 78 hearts. Several limpers.
BB raises to $13 total. Every limper calls. 6 players. Pot $78

8c 5d 3c

all check to me, and I check. Button bets 40 and has $120 behind. Fold back to me, and there's one player between me and the button. Sniff, Sniff. I smell a rat. I don't believe this guy and I put him all in for $160. dude between us folds and button calls with 10-10.

Oops.

Turn is 4s. River is 7d.

I hit two pair and take it.
Better to be lucky than good sometimes.

Next post will be titled...

THE DRUNKARD

 

[ssmallz]

appreciate the comments.

Yes perhaps the total shove on the turn is more appropriate, I have done that move before. I guess, I just didn't have enough...umph...to do it. My read was right, but I just couldn't make it for 300 i guess.

Yes, to answer above question, if limper a goes all in with a RR on the flop, I call, b/c it's not that much more left.

Here's a hand that I got aggressive with, and it bit me in the ass, but saved me on the river.

Limp in two from the button with 78 hearts. Several limpers.
BB raises to $13 total. Every limper calls. 6 players. Pot $78

8c 5d 3c

all check to me, and I check. Button bets 40 and has $120 behind. Fold back to me, and there's one player between me and the button. Sniff, Sniff. I smell a rat. I don't believe this guy and I put him all in for $160. dude between us folds and button calls with 10-10.

Oops.

Turn is 4s. River is 7d.

I hit two pair and take it.
Better to be lucky than good sometimes.

Next post will be titled...

THE DRUNKARD

Gotta just lead that flop, 2 clubs on board and a strait draw. PFR already checked telling you he's got overcards. With this many limpers and a pot this big, no one should be getting fancy with a slowplayed set or overpair. Top pair is the best hand now but you've gotta put some pressure on these guys and you don't want the flop checked around and see the turn put out a scare card.

Why would you smell a rat when button leads the flop? I know he's got position but he's betting into several people in a pot thats been raised, he's got an oesd @ minimum and more likely an 8 or better a lot of the time. You're c/r is good b/c he's gonna have a long hard think about folding but @ these low limits with short stacks relative to the pot size, he's too committed and your going to get called almost always. Don't forget that when he is drawing to a flush he likely has 1 and maybe 2 overs to hand giving him 50% equity against your hand. Really the only hand you're happy about seeing him flip over is 76 w/no hearts

 

[OB1🤙]

I was inspired by this thread to go hit up Hollywood Park tonight. It occurs to me that people are just as bad at poker here in LA as they are in New Orleans.

It also occurs to me that it's frigging sad to see people donking away money you know they can't afford to lose. Especially when they explicitly (and not jokingly) comment on it. But if they're gonna lose it anyway, it may as well be to me.

No remarkable hands to post unfortunately, but a nicely profitable evening.

Looking forward to THE DRUNKARD

 

[jetproppilot]

I was inspired by this thread to go hit up Hollywood Park tonight. It occurs to me that people are just as bad at poker here in LA as they are in New Orleans.

It also occurs to me that it's frigging sad to see people donking away money you know they can't afford to lose. Especially when they explicitly (and not jokingly) comment on it. But if they're gonna lose it anyway, it may as well be to me.

No remarkable hands to post unfortunately, but a nicely profitable evening.

 

[coprolalia]

It also occurs to me that it's frigging sad to see people donking away money you know they can't afford to lose.

"A foole and his money be soone at debate: which after with sorrow repents him too late."
-Thomas Tusser, c. 1573

 

[ssmallz]

Played this hand last night @ the casino game is 2/5 NL stack sizes are about $500 each. Main villain in this hand is Teri. I've never see him before but he's a large man in his mid 40s maybe early 50s and we'd only been playin for a half hour or so so I didn't have much read on him.

4 limpers to me on the button I look down @ AsKd and make it 30 2 callers and Teri puts another 50 on top. Teri's hands are shaking and this generally means a big hand. Usually when a man limp reraises you the traditional thinking is that he's got AA or KK. I wasn't so convinced in this case b/c the limp reraise came from late position after a few limpers. The limp reraise w/AA or KK is usually an early position play done to induce action from later players. In this case, he already had a few limpers and was unlikley to induce action from the 2 players behind him so I though he'd just raise w/AA or KK. So what did he have? A big pair? Less likely for the reasons as before, AQ, AK, random stuff. The hand shaking now feels more like a man whose nervous about making a big bluff than it is a man who has the nuts. Its a total mystery to me but something smells fishy.

I think about putting another 150 on top of his bet but I'm fairly sure he's gambly enough to call given his play thus far and I don't feel comfortable firing the rest of my stack in withe AK hgh if the flop whiffs. I elect to call and see if I can take it down post flop. The other 2 guys fold and its heads up to the flop

Flop 789 all diamond 😱

Now Teri checks. WTF?!?! this is an awful time to check if you've got a big pair or set b/c you don't want another diamond coming off and the pot already has $210 in it. I put him on a hand with the Ad like AK, AQ or AJ who wasn't ready to commit his stack if I raised him on the flop but wanted to see the turn badly.

I make it $150 Teri calls. The only hand I can think of that wants to check call this flop after limp reraising pf is AK, AQ, or AJ w/the Ad so I plan on shoving the rest in if the turn bricks off.

Turn 6d and Teri instashoves his $250 into the pot 😱 I ask for time and contemplate the possibilities. I've shown nothing but strenth here and Teri didn't even think twice about shipping in his dollars. His play was consistent w/the A high flush or some other hand that wanted to see a diamond on the turn before committing his stack. My K high flush is actually the 4th nuts on this board b/c the Ad, Td, and 5d all beat me. The fact that he didn't even have to think about shoving and I put him on the Ad before the turn has me thinkin about making a fold. As I'm trying to put it all together and figure out his range I start talkin to Teri.

"What you got there big guy?" He's silent
"Did you hit a flush?" Still nothing
"Do you want me to call or fold?" Teri replys "Just play your hand man" in a semi annoyed voice. Teri's not saying much but he looks a little stiff and his hands are shakin off and on. He doesn't look very comfortable in his chair and is certainly not relaxed like a man who has the nuts and wants to get paid. Another guy at the table is sayin how he'd call in a heartbeat and Teri tells him to be quiet and let us play the hand in a more annoyed voice.

Puttin all this together I'm figuring that Teri is tryin to run a huge bluff and I make the big call.

River puts out the Ad, I flip over my king and scoop a 1k pot

Moral of the story: Don't talk at all when your in the middle of a big hand. Just stare at the middle of the table or your opponent and let you mind wonder pondering the solution to 1784 divided by 7 or some other inane problem that makes you tougher to read. A good poker player can use all the info available to figure out whats going on and when something doesn't make sense he'll put 2 and 2 together. FWIW, had Teri looked comfortable, relaxed, and talkative I prolly woulda mucked it.

 

[Southpaw]

NH/NC ssmallz. I'm absolutely clueless as to what hand limps from LP, then 4 bets, and THEN checks that flop. Any idea what he had?

Also, I figure you're really only beating a bluff given the play, so really nice call. Another question regarding live play in your experience (my play has been limited mostly to online at this point). Would the 10d insta-shove normally, or muck around for a while trying to slowroll you?

If you look at the hand from his angle, your flop bet says you don't want to see the turn. The turn brings a danger card for you, atleast from his perspective, the pot is $510 and he has $250 left, so his only real chance to win the hand (if he had complete air), was to rep the 10/5/A and shove. I'd probably have just check/folded if I were him though. Kudos to you for making the right play.

 

[Idiopathic]

the problem ive seen with reading people is that you always assume they know how to play the game.

ive learned more times than i care to mention the kind of poker player that rides a 4/7 off suit all the way to a runner runner straight when i had them on an actual hand

 

[excalibur]

I think I have inspired everyone to hit the casinos. That's awesome.

Nice call ssmallz on the 4 diamond straight flush board. TOUGH decision!

THE DRUNKARD part I

Day one of my trip began at the tables around 7 pm as I drove to Tunica from Little Rock right after work, and checked into my hotel. On that day I feel I played strong throughout, and got good cards to help me out. Yes I got lucky with hitting that two pair in the post above, but that's part of it. I'm up $600 for the night, sitting with a stack of $900. One other rounder at the table with a big stack, and then just mediocrity.

Suddenly, in comes this 21 year old kid with drink in hand, sits next to his buddy. States he got knocked out of the tourney, and is ready for fun. Guy's name is Josh. Josh states he's been there since noon, and has been pounding "whiskey gingers" which I can only assume is whiskey and ginger ale. Currently it's one am. He played with us for three hours, and during his time at our table. He easily had 10 whiskey gingers. Turns out Josh is a military man, and just got back from Iraq. He and his buddies from Orlando, wanted to have some fun and had some sort of free suites at Harrah's Tunica so came up for the weekend.

I have never seen someone drink so much, and not be slurring words, tipping over, or acting a fool. Somewhat loud, but very friendly he seemed completely with it (as opposed to the next segment--the drunkard part II).

Then, however, he starts playing recklessly.

I'm sure people have seen this one..."I raise blind"

"SIR, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO RAISE THE BLIND? i HAVEN'T LOOKED AT MY CARDS!!! 26 BUCKS?! MAKE IT 26!! I HAVEN'T LOOKED. COME ON GUYS. IT'S 50/50. IT'S LIKE A SCRATCH OFF TICKET!!"

So he then demonstrated every hand, how he would not look at his cards, by having the dealer deal his cards, and he immediately putting his card holder on it. If no one raised preflop, and it got to him...

26!!!!, he would announce.

If he got called then he would look, and this guy was winning a bit like this. Of course this was comical.

Dude, f*** ed up some poor sap, as he raised it to $26 and the BB calls.

10 6 7

BB bets, Drunkard calls.

10 6 7 10

BB bets. Drunkard raises. BB goes all in! Drunkard calls.

BB = 77 for sevens full of 10s
Drunkard = 10 6 for 10's full of sixes

PAINFUL!!

Now, I get my shot at drunkard...

I have AA

I raise in mid position to 18. Only drunkard calls from the SB.

Kd Qc 4s.

He checks. I bet 35. He calls.

Kd Qc 4s 7d.
Pot is ~110

He checks. I put him all in for his remaining $230. He goes into the tank, and starts chatting. "Man I have J-10". Dealer fan out the pot! How much? $100? ...and $230 more. Hmm... Do you want me in there? If i had the diamond draw for sure I'm in.

Now, believing him means that I have two of his outs, and he only has 6 outs with one card to go. Math is way in my favor, if he has J-10, but somehow, I just feel sick, and don't want to sweat it. I can't even remember what I was saying, not much for sure, but I know I was not egging him on to call.

He thinks a little more, and folds it.

With the math that much in my favor, logic dictates that I should beg him for a call, yet...ugh...I just couldn't egg him on, and I sat there quietly.

In drunkard part II, you will see why sometimes, it's just best to win the pot at hand, and not sweat it, even though mathematically, the more often you put your money in that type of situation, the richer you'll get.

 

[ssmallz]

the problem ive seen with reading people is that you always assume they know how to play the game.

ive learned more times than i care to mention the kind of poker player that rides a 4/7 off suit all the way to a runner runner straight when i had them on an actual hand

Its just like putting together a DDx start with a wide range and narrow down their hands based on their actions