PAHWM: Heritage Club Championship NLHE Tourney (2 Viewers)

[MrCatPants]

Interesting hand from our league championship tourney this past weekend with a couple thoughtful spots. Let's play along...

Situation - middle stages, rebuy window is complete, final table and 7 handed, money begins at 5th. Prize pool is juiced by collections from tournaments through the year, so the prize pool is effectively more than doubled for the championship.

Blinds: 400/800

SB: 26k - PCFer so I won't share profile
BB: 27k - Local card room grinder, solid player.
UTG (HERO): 38k - Generally TAG image
MP: 18k - PCFer so won't share profile
HJ: 55k - Our resident maniac who is starting to get drunky drunk.
CO: 42k - Learning player who has been improving a great deal, but also at that stage where he'll make poorly timed bluffs and hero calls alike
BTN: 24k - Long time player, shades of a calling station.

HERO is first to act and looks down at .

Action on hero.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

How's the table? Is an UTG raise scary from you to most of the field? Raise to 1600 and get it started.

 

[theshepherd]

I was thinking 1600 too UTG.

 

[MrCatPants]

How's the table? Is an UTG raise scary from you to most of the field? Raise to 1600 and get it started.

Too many callers generally that don't understand position; don't understand what a UTG open generally means in terms of a range.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Too many callers generally that don't understand position; don't understand what a UTG open generally means in terms of a range.

With a decent stack and close to the bubble, plus that info, I'm making it 2400. Lean a little more and hope drunk maniac comes along, then the plan is to hit a set on the flop and boat up by turn.

 

[JMC9389]

No reason to do anything else but raise. You could get fancy and limp/3 bet to a raise, but at that point, what hands worse than yours other than AK continue there?

I make it 2.5k. Stacks are pretty deep. A min raise to 1600 isn't going to scare anyone off.

 

[Legend5555]

Anything 2-2.5x is fine. Everyone is basically at or under 50bb, and with no ante. So raise size doesn't need to be big.

 

[MrCatPants]

Default open, though the nearer the bottom of the UTG range and tough to play out of position.

Situation - middle stages, rebuy window is complete, final table and 7 handed, money begins at 5th. Prize pool is juiced by collections from tournaments through the year, so the prize pool is effectively more than doubled for the championship.

Blinds: 400/800

SB: 26k - PCFer so I won't share profile
BB: 27k - Local card room grinder, solid player.
UTG (HERO): 38k - Generally TAG image
MP: 18k - PCFer so won't share profile
HJ: 55k - Our resident maniac who is starting to get drunky drunk.
CO: 42k - Learning player who has been improving a great deal, but also at that stage where he'll make poorly timed bluffs and hero calls alike
BTN: 24k - Long time player, shades of a calling station.

HERO is first to act and looks down at .

Action on hero.

Hero RAISES to 1800.
Folds to BB who CALLS.

Pot is 4000.

Flop comes .

BB donk bets 3000. (wtf? and from effectively a professional player.)

Action on hero.

 

[JMC9389]

Fold, fold, fold if @horseshoez is the villain

As played, I hesitantly call. Could have hit a 6 and is trying to protect it.

 

[CraigT78]

Fold.

The professional knows what he's doing and you do not.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Paired flop is a good bluff spot, but donk bet OOP is funky. Im calling and reassessing, but its funky.

 

[JMC9389]

Paired flop is a good bluff spot, but donk bet OOP is funky. Im calling and reassessing, but its funky.

Yeah, I'm seeing what comes on the turn and either getting it in or folding.

I think if he continues to blast away on an over card to the 9, I'd have to let it go.

 

[kmccormick100]

If he's a solid player, this is a great spot to put some leverage on you for a flop that misses a lot of your UTG opening range. You have to at least call the flop bet. If I'm in his spot I do this with literally any pocket pair, almost all of which you beat - TT+ should be 3betting, any 6 (56s, 67s, A6s) and you're basically only worried about A2s and 66.

Call and re-assess turn.

 

[MrCatPants]

It's a tourney, this hits his range more than it hits mine, and he knows I know that. Still vulnerable to overcards so wouldn't mind taking it down here, and should currently have the best hand as others have noted.

Situation - middle stages, rebuy window is complete, final table and 7 handed, money begins at 5th. Prize pool is juiced by collections from tournaments through the year, so the prize pool is effectively more than doubled for the championship.

Blinds: 400/800

SB: 26k - PCFer so I won't share profile
BB: 27k - Local card room grinder, solid player.
UTG (HERO): 38k - Generally TAG image
MP: 18k - PCFer so won't share profile
HJ: 55k - Our resident maniac who is starting to get drunky drunk.
CO: 42k - Learning player who has been improving a great deal, but also at that stage where he'll make poorly timed bluffs and hero calls alike
BTN: 24k - Long time player, shades of a calling station.

HERO is first to act and looks down at .

Action on hero.

Hero RAISES to 1800.
Folds to BB who CALLS.

Pot is 4000.

Flop comes .

BB donk bets 3000. (wtf? and from effectively a professional player.)
Hero RAISES to 8000.
BB thinks very briefly and calls.

Pot is 20000

Turn brings

BB motions to his chips (this is a frequent move for him pre-check) and then checks.

Action on Hero.

 

[JMC9389]

Check

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

BB motions to his chips (this is a frequent move for him pre-check) and then checks.

Action on Hero.

Hmm this tell is usually trying to stop you from betting or limiting the amount. If its frequent for him, is that your read too? Could be faking it but with my apes its a reliable read that they have a mid strength hand that cant take tons of scrutiny.

If I see an unknown do the chip thing, I bet 15k. Checks fine and reassess the river but I'd hope to at least pretend to have that ace, eh? We've got more of them. Im a complete fish though so Im watching for other replies.

 

[MrCatPants]

Hmm this tell is usually trying to stop you from betting or limiting the amount. If its frequent for him, is that your read too? Could be faking it but with my apes its a reliable read that they have a mid strength hand that cant take tons of scrutiny.

If I see an unknown do the chip thing, I bet 15k. Checks fine and reassess the river but I'd hope to at least pretend to have that ace, eh? We've got more of them. Im a complete fish though so Im watching for other replies.

This is usually it with him. He does it more often than that though I think to limit exposing the tell. e.g. if 30% of his hands are moderate strength here, he does this move actually like 60% of the time. Also does it with pure folds.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

This is usually it with him. He does it more often than that though I think to limit exposing the tell. e.g. if 30% of his hands are moderate strength here, he does this move actually like 60% of the time. Also does it with pure folds.

Following, but Id be happy with my 15k bet. We have an overpair and I dont think he has an Ace. If hes got TT or JJ he has to respect a TAG UTG raise/raise, lots of possible Aces. I want him shaking his head thinking he outplayed us but we sucked out with the Ace.

 

[horseshoez]

Fold, fold, fold if @horseshoez is the villain

As played, I hesitantly call. Could have hit a 6 and is trying to protect it.

I love using boards like these to rep my hand. Makes things interesting, to say the least Can often get some really good holdings to fold.

 

[MrCatPants]

Anymore thoughts here before I continue? What action are you taking?

 

[JMC9389]

Anymore thoughts here before I continue? What action are you taking?

Sleeping on it I actually don't hate a value bet. That turn ace is definitely in both of your ranges but your open in early position would suggest there's a good chance you have at least one.

Checking is fine too, but it allows villain to have the chance to out river you. On the other hand, bet, and if he check raises, how miserable are you going to be?

Still, I check and chose the disciplined pot control option. A lot of cards that I'd hate to see on the river. Then you're faced with another hard decision if you face a bet in a bloated pot where he could've been ahead from the start.

 

[krafticus]

I'm feeling like he has a 6, potentially with an Ace too. I think the check is his way of getting you to bet the Ace, only to check-raise you. I like the check back here, and on to the river to re-evaluate. If he leads on any card over a 10, I may fold and move on.

 

[JMC9389]

I'm mostly with @krafticus here. Lots of defending hands with 6's can continue. 56 suited, 67 suited, A6, 66 all sensibly flat here. Any pair over 9's should be three betting preflop. Does this villain have it in him to sandbag aces, kings, or queens in position when he likely is ahead even to an early open?

Not many hands with a 2 continue OOP either. 22 or A2. That's it.

 

[KHarp1]

If my math is correct, and it probably isn't because I'm terrible with numbers and a worse card player, a 2/3 pot bet is going to be about half your stack, so I'm going to jam my stack into his A2 and hang out for the cash game. Or, take the pot there, either way is cool.

 

[MrCatPants]

Hero checks back to re-evaluate river. Hard to say whether or not we have the best hand right now - feels almost 50-50.

Situation - middle stages, rebuy window is complete, final table and 7 handed, money begins at 5th. Prize pool is juiced by collections from tournaments through the year, so the prize pool is effectively more than doubled for the championship.

Blinds: 400/800

SB: 26k - PCFer so I won't share profile
BB: 27k - Local card room grinder, solid player.
UTG (HERO): 38k - Generally TAG image
MP: 18k - PCFer so won't share profile
HJ: 55k - Our resident maniac who is starting to get drunky drunk.
CO: 42k - Learning player who has been improving a great deal, but also at that stage where he'll make poorly timed bluffs and hero calls alike
BTN: 24k - Long time player, shades of a calling station.

HERO is first to act and looks down at .

Action on hero.

Hero RAISES to 1800.
Folds to BB who CALLS.

Pot is 4000.

Flop comes .

BB donk bets 3000. (wtf? and from effectively a professional player.)
Hero RAISES to 8000.
BB thinks very briefly and calls.

Pot is 20000

Turn brings

BB motions to his chips (this is a frequent move for him pre-check) and then CHECKS.
Hero CHECKS.

River is the

BB thinks for about ten seconds and then tosses out a single 5000 chip. Has about 13k behind.

Action on hero.

 

[JMC9389]

Blank river. Call and take the showdown value.

 

[CraigT78]

You got out played by 35o

Fold.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Blank river. Call and take the showdown value.

Yeah; as played, he could be milking us with an Ace or he could cheaply be trying to scare away pairs, but I lean more towards the latter.

Non zero chance hes bluffing with the best hand, thinks we have an ace and has TT/jacks, eh? But yeah, call and be done.

 

[MrCatPants]

You got out played by 35o

Fold.

I now see why you are a poker champion.

 

[krafticus]

I talk to the single 5k chip in our stack like he's going to kindergarten for the first time, telling him it will be ok, and I'll see you soon. I put him in the pot with all the others and hope that he turns to look at us, and comes running back with open arms.

or.

puke call