Poker Articles

On the button, I hold 3h5h and when it folds to me I raise to 1050. At the time, the SB is sitting out and the BB had a stack about the same size as mine, making it awkward for him to 3-bet. Also, I couldn’t remember him playing too many hands, so I figured the steal was well calculated. He did in fact fold and I took it down.

This might be a little nitty, but I felt I had to give the guy credit for a big hand. I’m in the CO and have AsJs. It folds to the HJ who, with a stack of only 5130, raises to 1000. Maybe this guy had no clue about stack sizes and implications associated hereto, but I felt folding was – though tight as hell – still the best play.

I open JcTc from MP2 and take down the blinds. Nothing special to note, except the fact that the two short stacks of the table (re-stealing size) were on my right and had folded. Everyone on my left had at least 35 BBs and could still 3-bet, but are probably more likely to call and suited JT plays quite well after the flop.

I pick up two queens UTG and raise to 1050. Take down blinds/antes.

On the button I hold AhQs. It folds to the HJ who raises to 1200 (stack 11827) and when it gets to me I jam my stack in there. I’m not overly thrilled by this play as I feel it’s a bit excessive to shove my stack against his raise. I merely felt that I had two options, fold or raise and a standard re-raise would’ve been committing, so I just closed my eyes and shove. Lucky he folded after a few seconds of deliberation.

I had completely forgotten about this hand. I hold TsTh on the HJ. UTG raises to 1055 (stack 39420) and it folds to me. I elect to fold as well. I guess a case could be made for 3-betting to something like 2800, because it’s a big stack opening who had been active, but I was thinking more in terms of standard ranges and felt TT was a minimal hand in that spot. Oh well, will never know.

On the HJ (again the HJ – only 8handed, last hand – now 9) I have QhQc and open-raise to 1050. It folds to the SB who re-raises and makes it 3200 (stack 15870). Given the positions, I felt I had to go with my hand here, so I raise all-in and he folds fairly quickly! Phew. Kinda glad that I didn’t have to sweat a hand like A9 there. Nice pad to my stack as well.

Play has tightened up considerably as we approach the bubble and I therefore elect to raise Ac7c from the HJ, when it folds to me. I make it 1550. The button decides to call this time however (stack 13631) and we take a flop:

(Pot 4450) FLOP: 2d 3c 5h

It’s coordinated but it’s still a good board. I c-bet to the tune of 2800. He folds and I pick up a nice pot.

In MP1 I hold AcKd and open-raise to 1550. It folds to the BB (stack 21783) who calls.

(Pot 3850) FLOP: 4h 5s As

He checks to me and I bet 2500 to take it down.

Once again I feel like I take advantage of stack sizes. I have Qs8d in the SB and raise to 1800 when it folds to me. The BB has just over 20BBs and it’s therefore awkward for him to 3-bet-steal-all-in. He folds and I take it down.

On the button I’ve got a very mediocre Jd5h, but we are almost literally on the bubble and I decide to abuse it and raise to 2100 when it folds to me. It works and I pick up highly needed blinds/antes.

UTG I pick up KK and take down the blinds/antes when I raise to 2200.

The very next hand I hold AA in the BB. It folds to the SB who completes (stack 18002) and I consider just checking, but decide to 3xraise like I would if I had a mediocre hand. Sadly, he folds.

Still very much on the bubble (believe only 2 players left before cracking the bubble) and I hold 4c7c on the button. In the blinds, the SB has an 8BB stack and the BB an 11BB stack. Both have been playing tight and I expect I can pick up the valuable blinds/antes almost all of the time – so I shove, when it folds to me.

Oops. The SB has woken up with KK and snaps me off. Well, that’s not good…

FLOP: 7s 8c 7d… or is it?

TURN: 2c

RIVER: 3d

I give out a horrendous bad beat – on the bubble. I’ll bite my tongue the next time I complain about losing a 70/30. Still, in the situational context I think I’d probably do the same if ever faced with a similar situation. The few times I get called are a risk I’m willing to take on – as you’ve seen, I’ve got mad flopping skills to help me out.

Hand #204 – Stack 26074, blinds 500/1000/a100

We’re no longer on the bubble and a few surviving short-stacks are trying to double-up. I’m in the SB in this hand and hold KsJc. It folds to the CO who shoves for 7052. In my experience, I’m ahead of his range here, so I call and even flop an unnecessary king to best his QJ.

Once again I pick up KsJc, this time on the button and when it folds to me I open to 2400. The BB calls (stack 36703).

(Pot 6100) FLOP: 7c 5h 9h

The BB checks and that flop is simply a bit too coordinated for my taste, so I check back. Also, the guy in the BB had been very active and I suspected he’d be highly capable of floating and/or check-raising me.

(Pot 6100) TURN: 3h

He moves all-in. Well, fair enough. You win sir.

UTG+1 opens to 2500, leaving himself with only 12000 more. In MP2 I find AcKd and decide to 3-bet standard to 7500, bearing in mind that there are several others left to act behind me. They all fold, as does the original raiser.

I haven’t had many spots to steal in the last orbit and a half, so when I pick up 4s4h on the button I’m already eyeing stack sizes in the blinds. However, it folds to the HJ who limps. That’s odd. Haven’t seen a limp in a long time… Also, the limper started the hand with only 10653 in chips, making it an even stranger play. I decide this play is weakness 50% of the time and AA the other 50% and raise to 3800. He folded pretty quickly, but if he had shoved I guess I would’ve puked ever so slightly and made the call.

Time to leave you again. Next part will be up tomorrow. Stay tuned.