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PAWHM - Short Handed Poker Session (1 Viewer)

shorticus

shorticus

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This is a hand from a home game that I was playing this past week, and I’m just curious about how you all would play the hand. Let’s have some fun.

Blinds .25/.25

Player reads (for this hand) Hero - 2008ish style. Plays wide ranges and always plays 2 face cards suited or unsuited.

Button - Relatively new to NLHE but has played poker her entire life (5-card draw, stud, etc). Understands the fundamentals, but still grasping other parts of the game.

SB - New Booty - Plays any two cards based on his “feeling” that his hand will hit.

BB - Average player - Puts effort into the game. Very passive about his skill set. In conversation, you can see that he knows a little bit more about the game than he .

Hero ($27-108BB) - UTG with :kd::jh:
SB ($20 - 100BB)
BB ($90 - 360BB)
Button ($20 - 80BB)

Action to hero…

I’ll wait about an hour before proceeding.
 
DrStrange said:
More time is better than less. An hour is barely a blink in forum time. . . . .

Hero has second best position plus a pretty good hand four handed. Make a standard raise, what ever that is. I'd go 5bb, $1.25 all day or a dollar on top.
Click to expand...
I’ll give it more time, doc.
 
Raise to whatever is standard for this game, $1 or so.

I'm probably folding to a 3-bet from the button, calling SB with position, but I'm not sure about BB. You said he's passive about his skill set, but I assume you mean he downplays his skill level in conversation, not that he plays passively. If BB 3-bets, I'm probably calling to see a flop but proceeding cautiously.
 
Schmendr1ck said:
Raise to whatever is standard for this game, $1 or so.

I'm probably folding to a 3-bet from the button, calling SB with position, but I'm not sure about BB. You said he's passive about his skill set, but I assume you mean he downplays his skill level in conversation, not that he plays passively. If BB 3-bets, I'm probably calling to see a flop but proceeding cautiously.
Click to expand...
Your assessment is accurate.
 
This is a hand from a home game that I was playing this past week, and I’m just curious about how you all would play the hand. Let’s have some fun.

Blinds .25/.25

Player reads (for this hand) Hero - 2008ish style. Plays wide ranges and always plays 2 face cards suited or unsuited.

Button - Relatively new to NLHE but has played poker her entire life (5-card draw, stud, etc). Understands the fundamentals, but still grasping other parts of the game.

SB - New Booty - Plays any two cards based on his “feeling” that his hand will hit.

BB - Average player - Puts effort into the game. Very passive about his skill set. In conversation, you can see that he knows a little bit more about the game than he .

Hero ($27-108BB) - UTG with :kd::jh:
SB ($20 - 100BB)
BB ($90 - 360BB)
Button ($20 - 80BB)

Action to hero…

Hero decides to limp from EP. Button folds and SB and BB check.

The Flop
:5d::td::jd:

SB - check
BB - check
Action to hero…
 
i missed the pre-flop action, would have raised to $1ish, whatever is typical in this game.

but as played, i bet half pot here, maybe a tad more. not a ton of wiggle room on this flop, and not expecting much action unless the Ad is limping along. 55 or J10 might have limp/checked here too but i'm not even considering those with my action just yet.
 
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Bet .50 - .75 for value. If you get called, evaluate turn and probably bet most cards including diamonds. If raised, call and evaluate turn.
 
This is a hand from a home game that I was playing this past week, and I’m just curious about how you all would play the hand. Let’s have some fun.

Blinds .25/.25

Player reads (for this hand) Hero - 2008ish style. Plays wide ranges and always plays 2 face cards suited or unsuited.

Button - Relatively new to NLHE but has played poker her entire life (5-card draw, stud, etc). Understands the fundamentals, but still grasping other parts of the game.

SB - New Booty - Plays any two cards based on his “feeling” that his hand will hit.

BB - Average player - Puts effort into the game. Very passive about his skill set. In conversation, you can see that he knows a little bit more about the game than he .

Hero ($27-108BB) - UTG with :kd::jh:
SB ($20 - 100BB)
BB ($90 - 360BB)
Button ($20 - 80BB)

Action to hero…

Hero decides to limp from EP. Button folds and SB and BB check.

The Flop
:5d::td::jd:

SB - check
BB - check
Action to hero…
Hero decides to bet here. The bet is $1.25.
SB - calls
BB - calls

Turn Card is :4d:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
 
shorticus said:
This is a hand from a home game that I was playing this past week, and I’m just curious about how you all would play the hand. Let’s have some fun.

Blinds .25/.25

Player reads (for this hand) Hero - 2008ish style. Plays wide ranges and always plays 2 face cards suited or unsuited.

Button - Relatively new to NLHE but has played poker her entire life (5-card draw, stud, etc). Understands the fundamentals, but still grasping other parts of the game.

SB - New Booty - Plays any two cards based on his “feeling” that his hand will hit.

BB - Average player - Puts effort into the game. Very passive about his skill set. In conversation, you can see that he knows a little bit more about the game than he .

Hero ($27-108BB) - UTG with :kd::jh:
SB ($20 - 100BB)
BB ($90 - 360BB)
Button ($20 - 80BB)

Action to hero…

Hero decides to limp from EP. Button folds and SB and BB check.

The Flop
:5d::td::jd:

SB - check
BB - check
Action to hero…
Hero decides to bet here. The bet is $1.25.
SB - calls
BB - calls

Turn Card is :4d:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
Click to expand...
With both of them calling in a limped pot, I'm good with some pot control here and checking back. Going for some value if checked to on river. It's hard to get called by much that isn't the Qd or Ad unless they are completely clueless. If it had been just one caller, I would be more apt to bet again.
 
With both Blinds calling on flop indicating they hit sometime or they are drawing

The Turn Diamond make a flush draw and with both of them checking at turn to Hero.

The only play here is Check for 2 reason

1) to induce bluff / value bet from blind at river and
2) also any bet at turn will only be called by stronger hand and make those weaker holding hand to fold
 
I like it as played so far. I think the turn decision is really close and probably player dependent.

Personally, I think I have talked myself into a check here, even though my first instinct is to bet. It's hard to come up with much villain could have to call the turn because villains have been so passive. Hard to even say JT for a slow-played two pair that may call to make a full. Also :jd: and :td: on board make it real tough to come up with single diamonds villain can call. If there were more broadway cards on board, or flop action that indicates players may have a full house draw, I would probably lean on betting the turn more here. If the diamonds on board were smaller (meaning more single broadway diamonds available for villains to hold and call with) I would probably lean on betting here. But this really is a way ahead or way behind situation here, and hard to see getting any more than one street of value. It is better to go for that on the river or the turn?

Checking the turn may make it easier for villains to pay off weak on the river if you go for value there if they check again. You can also feel pretty good about using this as a bluff catcher on the river if one of the villains spring into action.

So I think that's my plan, I am going to check the turn and call a river bet. Or I will bet the river myself if checked to as hero.
 
Last edited:
I missed the flop action but I'm fine with the bet. I would have probably bet pot (0.75) but it's game and player dependent, so it looks like 1.25 was good enough to get two calls.

I like a pot control line here: check behind turn, call non-pairing river. Bet-fold if a non-pairing river checks around.

If the river pairs the board and one of the villains leads out, I'm going to seriously consider a fold. I don't hate a call (especially if SB is betting), but I expect to run into nut flush or a boat quite a lot in this spot.
 
Schmendr1ck said:
I missed the flop action but I'm fine with the bet. I would have probably bet pot (0.75) but it's game and player dependent, so it looks like 1.25 was good enough to get two calls.

I like a pot control line here: check behind turn, call non-pairing river. Bet-fold if a non-pairing river checks around.

If the river pairs the board and one of the villains leads out, I'm going to seriously consider a fold. I don't hate a call (especially if SB is betting), but I expect to run into nut flush or a boat quite a lot in this spot.
Click to expand...

I agree with most of this, but it's hard for me to assume a board pair is a game changer on the river. I really have a hard time giving either villain credit for two-pair plus on the flop or turn as played. The only way it makes sense is if there was a check-raise attempt gone wrong. Even at that JT is the only two pair that makes sense, so if the board pairs 5 or 4, I think you still play this to bluff catch if you face a bet. And honestly, I think I would still favor the payoff on the J or T pairing too. If I really thought villains are wide enough to have two pair on this flop or turn, I would favor betting the turn.
 
I agree with checking the turn, and being prepared to call a river bet unless the action gets too crazy before it even gets to me, or place my own value bet if it is checked to me and likely folding to a big C/R, especially if the board pairs.
 
This is a hand from a home game that I was playing this past week, and I’m just curious about how you all would play the hand. Let’s have some fun.

Blinds .25/.25

Player reads (for this hand) Hero - 2008ish style. Plays wide ranges and always plays 2 face cards suited or unsuited.

Button - Relatively new to NLHE but has played poker her entire life (5-card draw, stud, etc). Understands the fundamentals, but still grasping other parts of the game.

SB - New Booty - Plays any two cards based on his “feeling” that his hand will hit.

BB - Average player - Puts effort into the game. Very passive about his skill set. In conversation, you can see that he knows a little bit more about the game than he .

Hero ($27-108BB) - UTG with :kd::jh:
SB ($20 - 100BB)
BB ($90 - 360BB)
Button ($20 - 80BB)

Action to hero…

Hero decides to limp from EP. Button folds and SB and BB check.

The Flop
:5d::td::jd:

SB - check
BB - check
Action to hero…
Hero decides to bet here. The bet is $1.25.
SB - calls
BB - calls

Turn Card is :4d:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
Hero bets again here. His bet sizing is now $3
SB - calls
BB - calls

River is :qs:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
 
JustinInMN said:
I agree with most of this, but it's hard for me to assume a board pair is a game changer on the river. I really have a hard time giving either villain credit for two-pair plus on the flop or turn as played. The only way it makes sense is if there was a check-raise attempt gone wrong. Even at that JT is the only two pair that makes sense, so if the board pairs 5 or 4, I think you still play this to bluff catch if you face a bet. And honestly, I think I would still favor the payoff on the J or T pairing too. If I really thought villains are wide enough to have two pair on this flop or turn, I would favor betting the turn.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you're probably right. In a short-handed game, I'd expect more flop action from any set and probably JT. I can see where some players might only call the mono flop with plans to see a turn and maybe pump action before getting scared by the fourth diamond.

I can also see 54 getting here occasionally, especially SB - flop a pair, turn 2p, hope to get a cheap showdown or spike the well-hidden boat. I'm heavily discounting any other 2p hands, though who knows in a 4-handed home game? :)

So I revise my previous post to check turn, call any river bet, bet-fold river if checked to.
 
shorticus said:
River is :qs:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
Click to expand...
Because of the turn bet, SPR is now too small to bet-fold. You've got 13.50 in the pot and effective stacks of 15.50.

With second nut and that SPR, I think you have to shove (EDIT: or check behind).
 
Schmendr1ck said:
I can also see 54 getting here occasionally, especially SB - flop a pair, turn 2p, hope to get a cheap showdown or spike the well-hidden boat. I'm heavily discounting any other 2p hands, though who knows in a 4-handed home game? :)
Click to expand...
Yeah I am still struggling with 54 calling a flop bet. 3 suited combos of it calling 3rd pair with no redraw. You would have to know your player is super loose. I am inclined to get check raised by that guy if it happens.

shorticus said:
Hero bets again here. His bet sizing is now $3
SB - calls
BB - calls

River is :qs:
SB - checks
BB - checks
Action to hero…
Click to expand...

I think the decision is close, having been called in both spots the odds are much higher someone has the :ad: I think checking behind is fine. If you go for a bet here, you are really hoping both have inferior diamonds and one can still call. It feels like scared poker, but the double call on the turn just makes me think one of them could be trapping. There just isn't much left to be had.

(sorry for the late edit, I had misread the river action as the turn action, definitely changed my mind.)
 
Last edited:
Hmmmmmm....

We can't bet fold thanks to SPR. This is why I hate betting the turn. I feel like this was just a 2 streets of value type hand. Against most recreational players, I'd be scared one of them is slow playing Ad. Most good players wouldn't be checking the river with the Ad from OOP since it looks like Hero has a weak flush and they wouldn't want a check back.

So we are either way ahead and unlikely to get called except by really bad players or someone with the Qd making a crying call, or they are slow playing the Ad. Neither seems to end with us getting much value.

We would really need to know the SB and BB are terrible and calling with any diamond for us to bet confidently. Or that they would have played the Ad more aggressively.

So I think I just reluctantly check because there isn't enough value barring some read on the players we don't have.
 
Schmendr1ck said:
1) How often are you getting a call from :qd:?
2) What do you do if you get CRAI?
Click to expand...
How is an :ad: checking that turn AND river? If that's what happened, I'm calling his checkraise. He can either have my money because 1)he's a genius and/or I'm a tellbox and he deserves it, or else 2) (and far more likely) he's an idiot and I'll get it back.
I think I get a value bet called by a Q quite often here. Sometimes even get a call from two pair or a set.
 
upNdown said:
How is an :ad: checking that turn AND river? If that's what happened, I'm calling his checkraise. He can either have my money because 1)he's a genius and/or I'm a tellbox and he deserves it, or else 2) (and far more likely) he's an idiot and I'll get it back.
I think I get a value bet called by a Q quite often here. Sometimes even get a call from two pair or a set.
Click to expand...
He sounds how I usually sound :). I just think in this case the value is so slim it's worth passing on to avoid the risk of a check raise.

Edit to add: but I can't get past upndown's point, what if they really are mega pay-off wizards and check leaves two calls on the table?
 
Last edited:

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