I had a couple of people mention that they were interested/surprised at the amount of thought I put into the last hand I posted about. I was hoping to write about something besides poker...but this has been on my mind so this is what I'm writing about!
The table had 4 people (including myself.) It was a cash game with the blinds at $2 and 5$ with a mandatory straddle to $10 (this means that the first person who would normally act before the flop has to put out a blind raise of $10. In return, he gets to act last preflop.) Because there is a mandatory straddle, the stakes are more like $5/$10 than $2/$5. Earlier in the night when the table got to 4 people we decided to make the $10 straddle mandatory to encourage the 4 of us to play more hands. As an aside, when the decision was made to make the $10 straddle mandatory, it was definitely one of those moments were Jesus was high fiving me. Basically, I had played at the table with the other three guys for a while, knew how they played, knew I was better than them, and then they basically said, "Want to raise the stakes of the game?" Thanks, Jesus!
Anyways, back to the hand in question. I'm on the button (with about $2000) and am first to act preflop and raise to $40 with Jc9c. The Small blind (who has about $500) calls, the BB folds and the straddler calls (he has about $580.)
The pot is ~$120 The flops comes As8s3d.
They both check to me and I bet ~$80.
SB calls and the straddler calls. The straddler then elect to check to me before the turn is shown.
Pot is ~$280. The turn is Ah. The board reads As8s3dAh.
Straddler had elected to check in the dark, I bet ~$175. He calls. He elects to check in the dark again.
~Pot is $640. River is Jh. The board now reads As8s3dAhJh.
He had elected to check to me. I put him all in. He folds and shows an 8.
Alright, so this hand was pretty ballsy, but I figured I had a pretty strong read on my opponent. It looks like I just bet a bunch of money and then said all in and was happy when he folded, but there was a lot more going on than that. Here's the breakdown:
My raise to $40 preflop was standard. It was the same amount I raised every other hand, so this was no different. If I'm the first one in the pot my raise size is always the same. It disguises the strength of my hand as well as gives me an opportunity to take the blinds preflop. The added value of raising on the button means I got to act last preflop. The small blind was a super tight/nitty so if he calls he is just going to check/fold a lot of flops. The straddler was a massive spew box. He really overvalued his draws and hated folding, so if I flop anything against him I was just going to pound him with value bets.
~120 pot. Flop is As8s3d. Everyone checks to me.
I'm not surprised that everyone checked to me, as checking to the raiser is generally pretty standard in raised pots. This is actually a pretty good flop for me (although not for my hand as I've completely whiffed.) Of the three people in the pot, I'm the most likely to have an Ace in my hand as I raised preflop. I think a lot of times I can just bet here and they'll either fold on the flop, or fold on the turn if I decide to bet against. It's hard to call here twice if you have just an ace, or even a flush draw. Because I have position (this means that I'm last to act) I will have more information post flop because they have to act first.
I bet out ~80. The SB folds and the straddler calls. I just mentioned the advantages of betting here, so I won't go over that again. I bet ~80 as I would with any hand I'm betting. I'd bet an ace, an 8, a flush draw, or even possibly 99-KK. When he calls I think he might have an ace, but I really feel like based on the way this guy had played hands in the past it was more likely than he had an 8 or a flush draw. He liked to raise with top pairs (and two pair+) and would often get carried away and over value his hands.
~$280 in the pot. Ah on the turn, making the board As8s3dAh. He checked to me in the dark.
The dark check was goofy. I think he just saw it on tv and wanted to do it. I wish I was making that up but that's sincerely how I felt. With that being said, this is where my having position in the hand is REALLY advantageous. I really don't feel like he was going to check in the dark with an Ace. It seems like if he had an Ace he would want to see if the flush hit on the turn, and if it didn't, he would bet to make me draw to the flush he may think I'm hoping to hit.
As sort of an aside, I think this is a good spot to explain how helpful position is in the hand. Let's pretend he didn't check in the dark. Instead he sees the Ah fall and acts accordingly. Let's say he just made trip aces and decides to bet. If I have a flush draw I can pretty easily fold to his bet on the turn. Because I had position I chose how much I wanted to pay to draw on the flop, while giving my chance to win outright by betting on the flop. Now let's say he just made trip aces and decides to check. If I have a flush draw I can check it right back and get to see the river for free!
Now reverse it, let's say I had just made trip aces and he was drawing to the flush. If that third ace comes and he bets, I'm going to raise to protect my hand/get value. If he decides to check his flush draw, I can bet my trip aces and choose how much he pays to draw. This is why position is so important in poker! I have the upper hand in all of those scenarios!
Anyways, back to the actual hand. I was trying to decide whether to continue my bluff on the turn, or just check and sorta give up. I could also check and if the flush misses on the river then I could try and bluff then as well. I decided that because I was almost positive he didn't have an ace, I should continue this bluff on the turn. By bluffing the turn I make it more believable that I have an Ace in my hand and would be able to push him off an 8 by bluffing again on the river. If I check here and just try to bluff if the flush draw misses on the river, I think he'd call with an 8. This also means that if the flush draw gets there on the river, OR if another Ace falls on the river, I have to give up. If another Ace falls I don't think I could make him believe I have four of a kind.
The other important thing here is how much to bet. I had to bet an amount on the turn that makes my hand look strong, BUT ALSO leaves him enough money in his stack so that he'll fold to my all in bluff on the river. So let's say I bet an amount on the turn that makes it so he's got like $100 left in his stack on the river, he'll definitely call off his last $100 on the river because he's put so much money in the pot already. I like $175 bet because it leaves him the perfect amount to fold on the river, but also if he check raises me all in on the flop I could pretend to sit and think and then fold.
He checks in the dark again.
Pot is ~$640 river is Jh. The board now reads As8s3dAhJh.
This is an interesting river. I'm now beating any king or queen high flush draw that missed, as well as any 8. I suppose it is also possible that he could have QJs or KJs and now be beating me, but that makes up a very small percentage of his range. I decide to put him all in just like I planned out on the turn (and kind of on the flop.) It now looks like I'm ahead so I'm kind of hoping he makes a hero call with an 8. It's definitely possible because my bluff actually became what's called a "range merge." The way the hand played out it looks like I'd only be betting trip aces, a full house, or a bluff (most likely a missed flush draw.) So it's definitely possible that he could sit there and think, "I don't think he has trip aces or a flush draw, so my 8 must be good." I know that he knows I might not have an ace in my hand, so betting with the jack makes a bit of sense. He thought about it for about five seconds, said something like "I'm pretty sure I'm folding the best hand," flipped up an 8 and folded. Thanks for your money =)
Now here's a clip that makes me laugh:
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