Nothing like making a great read
Here's a hand I feel I played really well:
Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.25 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)
MP ($6.12)
CO ($27.46)
Hero ($44.97)
SB ($25.54)
BB ($27.06)
UTG ($29.57)
Preflop: Hero is Button with K
, A
.
UTG raises to $0.5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.40, 1 fold, UTG folds.
Alright I'm not looking to play a big pot here, but I do need to reraise. I wanted to keep the blinds out and take control of the hand on the flop. I had no real read on the minraiser but I assumed there was a good chance he would call a big reraise anyway, so why put that much money at risk?
My plan doesn't work as the SB flat calls, but surprisingly UTG folded. The SB was a tight player, so I gave him a big hand here. Something like TT, JJ, AQs, or AK. I didn't believe he would call $1.40 preflop out of position without a strong holding, and I would expect him to reraise with QQ+.
Flop: ($3.75) 6
, 2, 8 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks.
We get a very innocent flop here and he checks to me. Most players would c-bet religiously here, but it's not a good idea. This is also a good flop for him if he's sitting there with two tens. So if I bet I could face a checkraise, or perhaps a check/call if he might fear that I have bigger pocket pair. If he does have AK or AQ, I should be able to use my position to pick it up on the turn anyway.
Turn: ($3.75) K
(2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $2, SB calls $2.
Great card. Taking the freebie pays off as I hit my king on the turn. He checks again, which made me believe I was up against something like AQ. However, he could just be worried about me having AK and check to see what I would do. I like making a small bet here. I don't want to blow him out, so I want to give him a chance to call while still getting decent value on my hand. Once he called the turn I figured him for something like TT, perhaps JJ.
River: ($7.75) 3 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $4, SB calls $4.
Innocent river, and he checks again. I think $4 was the right amount. He might be able to get away from a PSB or near PSB, so I'm going to make another ~1/2 pot value bet.
Final Pot: $15.75
Results:
Hero has Kh Ac (one pair, kings).
SB has Jh Jd (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins $15.75.
It works, turns out he had the jacks. I was happy with how the hand went down, obviously got a little lucky catching that king on the turn, but I could have lost that hand if I had bet the flop, and being able to make that read gave me the free card to win that pot. You have to make your own luck in this game sometimes, and perhaps this is an example of it.
This wasn't my biggest pot of the night however.
Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.25 BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)
UTG ($30.63)
Hero ($24.40)
SB ($27.19)
BB ($63.23)
Preflop: Hero is Button with A, K.
1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, 1 fold, BB raises to $7.25, Hero raises to $24.4 (all-in), BB calls $17.15.
Flop: ($48.90) T, 7, A (2 players)
Turn: ($48.90) J(2 players)
River: ($48.90) 5 (2 players)
Final Pot: $48.90
Results:
BB has Ah Th (two pair, aces and tens).
Hero has As Ks (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $48.90.
This preflop dingbat had joined the table and was raising about 1/2 the hands he was dealt to ridiculous amounts like $3.50 up to $5 to pick up the $.35 in blind money. The table by the way had been 4-handed for a few orbits, I was going to get up and leave but of course stayed because of this guy. I happen to pick up a big hand on the button and bring it in for my standard raise of $.85. This dingbat in the BB decides to "challenge" my button raise with a ridiculous reraise to $7.25. I don't see how I have any choice, so I just push. He calls almost instantly, and the flop is great for me (I don't get to see his hole cards until the end, so I have no idea he flopped two pair on me). I hit my flush and the river cards is another spade just for good measure, and I rake in the pot. It's almost if as the site was saying FU, overplaying mofo with that river spade (perhaps an idea of Mr. Hellmuth), emphasizing that he had no right winning that pot. Probably some drunk or higher stakes player on tilt who got on there and felt like pissing money away at NL $25. Good stuff though.
Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.25 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)
MP ($6.12)
CO ($27.46)
Hero ($44.97)
SB ($25.54)
BB ($27.06)
UTG ($29.57)
Preflop: Hero is Button with K
, A.UTG raises to $0.5, 2 folds, Hero raises to $1.5, SB calls $1.40, 1 fold, UTG folds.
Alright I'm not looking to play a big pot here, but I do need to reraise. I wanted to keep the blinds out and take control of the hand on the flop. I had no real read on the minraiser but I assumed there was a good chance he would call a big reraise anyway, so why put that much money at risk?
My plan doesn't work as the SB flat calls, but surprisingly UTG folded. The SB was a tight player, so I gave him a big hand here. Something like TT, JJ, AQs, or AK. I didn't believe he would call $1.40 preflop out of position without a strong holding, and I would expect him to reraise with QQ+.
Flop: ($3.75) 6
, 2, 8 (2 players)SB checks, Hero checks.
We get a very innocent flop here and he checks to me. Most players would c-bet religiously here, but it's not a good idea. This is also a good flop for him if he's sitting there with two tens. So if I bet I could face a checkraise, or perhaps a check/call if he might fear that I have bigger pocket pair. If he does have AK or AQ, I should be able to use my position to pick it up on the turn anyway.
Turn: ($3.75) K
(2 players)SB checks, Hero bets $2, SB calls $2.
Great card. Taking the freebie pays off as I hit my king on the turn. He checks again, which made me believe I was up against something like AQ. However, he could just be worried about me having AK and check to see what I would do. I like making a small bet here. I don't want to blow him out, so I want to give him a chance to call while still getting decent value on my hand. Once he called the turn I figured him for something like TT, perhaps JJ.
River: ($7.75) 3
(2 players)SB checks, Hero bets $4, SB calls $4.
Innocent river, and he checks again. I think $4 was the right amount. He might be able to get away from a PSB or near PSB, so I'm going to make another ~1/2 pot value bet.
Final Pot: $15.75
Results:
Hero has Kh Ac (one pair, kings).
SB has Jh Jd (one pair, jacks).
Outcome: Hero wins $15.75.
It works, turns out he had the jacks. I was happy with how the hand went down, obviously got a little lucky catching that king on the turn, but I could have lost that hand if I had bet the flop, and being able to make that read gave me the free card to win that pot. You have to make your own luck in this game sometimes, and perhaps this is an example of it.
This wasn't my biggest pot of the night however.
Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.25 BB (4 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: 2+2 Forums)
UTG ($30.63)
Hero ($24.40)
SB ($27.19)
BB ($63.23)
Preflop: Hero is Button with A
, K.1 fold, Hero raises to $0.85, 1 fold, BB raises to $7.25, Hero raises to $24.4 (all-in), BB calls $17.15.
Flop: ($48.90) T
, 7, A (2 players)Turn: ($48.90) J
(2 players)River: ($48.90) 5
(2 players)Final Pot: $48.90
Results:
BB has Ah Th (two pair, aces and tens).
Hero has As Ks (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $48.90.
This preflop dingbat had joined the table and was raising about 1/2 the hands he was dealt to ridiculous amounts like $3.50 up to $5 to pick up the $.35 in blind money. The table by the way had been 4-handed for a few orbits, I was going to get up and leave but of course stayed because of this guy. I happen to pick up a big hand on the button and bring it in for my standard raise of $.85. This dingbat in the BB decides to "challenge" my button raise with a ridiculous reraise to $7.25. I don't see how I have any choice, so I just push. He calls almost instantly, and the flop is great for me (I don't get to see his hole cards until the end, so I have no idea he flopped two pair on me). I hit my flush and the river cards is another spade just for good measure, and I rake in the pot. It's almost if as the site was saying FU, overplaying mofo with that river spade (perhaps an idea of Mr. Hellmuth), emphasizing that he had no right winning that pot. Probably some drunk or higher stakes player on tilt who got on there and felt like pissing money away at NL $25. Good stuff though.
