Putting the Challenge in Limit Challenge and You Decide #11
Friday, June 24, 2005
SteelerJosh started the limit challenge before DNasty and my current competition. He had this to say in his most recent post:
As DNasty and HighOnPoker draw near the end if their challenge, my money is on Jordan. He seems to be playing more than D and I can see the same feelings in his posts that where in mine before I hit the 1/2 brick wall. I hope his experience is different, but if it is similar, D might have a chance still.
Geez, Steeler. I appreciate the confidence, but your prophecy is scaring me. Especially since I took a $20 dive last night. I was playing fine at first, but then I felt the tilt start. In one hand, I hit top pair, As, which I knew was good for a bet pre-flop, on the flop, and on the turn. When I bet the river (a 5, which paired the board), another player re-raised me...and I called. Of course he had the 5, for trips. Loose players can get you in the end. But, I could've and should've saved $1 by folding. I knew he had it. Damn me. This was nothing new either. I must've called a losing re-raise at least two other times.
I think the problem was my inability to adjust. Two days ago, I was playing at mostly tight tables, mixed with a couple of maniacs. So, if I had paired the board with 2s, I raised. The tight players folded, and the maniac stayed in with K high. As a result, I got paid off.
Last night, the tables were looser. As a result, if I hit mid-pair and bet, players were staying in and hitting thier inside straight draw. I couldn't find a strategy around this. When I checked the flop and bet the turn (hurting their pot odds, as the turn bet is higher), they got a free card which often helped them. I still don't know how I can combat this in the future except to only play premium hands. I even misplayed those.
Here is a two-parter You Decide. Let me know what you think. It is a fair example of my play last night.
You Decide #11-A
I was in the SB with JJ. All players folded to me. I called. The BB checked.
The flop was Td5x4d. I bet. He called.
The turn was a 8x. I bet. He raised. I called.
The river was a blank. I checked. He bet. I raised. He called. Then he took my money with T5o.
My mistake? Or was it a sound strategy that went awry?
You Decide #11-B
I just sat at a 5-person table, so I posted the .50 blind. I was UTG+1. UTG folded. I had Qc9c. With only three players behind me, I raised to $1. Button called, SB folded, and BB called.
The flop was 8c10c3c. I hit the flush. BB checked. I bet. Button called. BB called.
Turn was 2d. BB checked, I bet, Button called, BB called.
River was Jc. Do you see it? Straight flush, for the 2nd time on Noble. BB checked. I checked. Button checked.
I clearly missed a bet on the end there. Was I wrong to try for the check-raise? Let me know what you think.
posted by Jordan @ 9:40 AM,
3 Comments:
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At 11:14 AM,
GaryC said...
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Hey Jordan,
I don't see any way in hell to get away from the first hand. Unless, you go into check-call mode after his raise. I know I couldn't lay it down and would have lost at least as much as you did in the hand. The only problem I see is that you should have raised preflop and maybe he lays down 10-5.
In the second example, you just missed a bet on the end. I don't see any reason not to bet, as it appears they would have called anyway. I bet one of them had the Ace of clubs. That's my biggest problem right now when I do hit a hand. How do you disguise it or trick the other players into maximum payoff? Perhaps a topic for another post.
Have a good one.
GaryC -
At 1:15 PM,
said...
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1st hand after he raised should have sent up a few red flags. I would have not raised on the river after his bet. And I would not have folded the JJ either since it was top pair.
Have a good weekend!
Kipper -
At 1:43 PM,
Jordan said...
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By way of background, let me explain my reasoning in the first hand (JJ v. T5). I figured he had nothing, and would fold to a pre-flop raise. So I let him in for cheap hoping he'd hit a pair. I should have raised, in hindsight. He still may've called, but at least I would've given myself that extra chance at success. The raise on the end was a badly timed value bet. I should've checked.
As for the straight flush hand, I should've bet on the end, because they were paying me off. I was hoping that the button had a high club or thought that I was scared (hence the check), so that he would bet with any club. This was another error.
Now that you see my analysis of both hands, they both come down to the same thing: Don't play fancy against simple opponents. My "tricky" play doesn't mean squat if the players are not paying attention to what I am doing. And with these limits, the players are like robots. I should've known better.
Thanks for posting GCox and Kipper. Kipper, I've linked you up too. Everyone have a fine weekend.
