a tough decision? (micro nl)

[Roughness 0]

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.10 BB (9 handed) converterBB ($10.25)UTG ($9.10)UTG+1 ($5.60)MP1 ($6)MP2 ($9.45)Hero ($9.45)CO ($9.85)Button ($18.05)SB ($2.15)Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K:spade:, A:heart:. 3 folds, SB completes, BB checks.Flop: ($0.40) J:diamond:, T:diamond:, 2:club: (4 players)SB checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero checks.Turn: ($0.40) Q:club: (4 players)SB checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, Hero bets $0.4, SB folds, BB calls $0.40, MP2 folds.River: ($1.20) 9:club: (2 players)BB bets $9.75 (All-In), Hero.... ? So this is a hand that happened a little while ago that I was not quite so sure of. Now, I know i misplayed the hell out of it early on. I've been playing Smash's strategy (please, let's not start a discussion here on whether it works or not! ) therefore I didn't raise PF and didn't bet the flop. Under normal circumstances I would have been betting both, but technically I'm "supposed" to be folded preflop. I don't have much of a read on BB, at the time I had only logged ~15 hands with him. That said, he's a moron. In the few hands I played with him he pushed preflop at least 4 times. When the flop is checkedthrough he pushes very often. Very rarely does he fold preflop, but will fold on the flop to even a small bet. Seeing as how he's so laggy, he could pretty much have anything here.My bet on the turn was pretty much to rack up some value, as I was sure I had the best hand. When the third club came on the river, he pushed after a 2 second delay. Now I had some money committed to the pot, but I could definetly fold. It's a very real possibility that he called my relatively small turn bet on his flush draw, or he could be pushing with air as he is known to do. He has already lost one buyin previously pushing with 27o preflop, so he's probably just here to have some fun. Is calling here moronic? With so little money committed to the pot is this an easy fold? I'll post up the result later, whether i did good or bad.

[CobaltBlue 662]

Your turn bet is actually "relatively" large. It's the size of the pot. I really would've preferred that you raise pre-flop and bet the flop. That said, I think this is a call on the river against a frequent bluffer. Granted, you have to be right around 50% of the time to make this profitable.

[bdc30 0]

raise pre-flop and bet the flop

[Roughness 0]

You're right Cobalt, I guess my bet was fairly large. As for not raising PF and betting the flop, I stated why I didn't in the opening paragraph, though I agree with you 110% that I should have. I know I'm not following Smash's strategy to the letter, but let's not get into that here. Besides my obvious misplay preflop and on the flop, what's my best river decision? Is this one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type things? Thanks for your input fellas

[BeanGW 0]

Seeing as how he's so laggy, he could pretty much have anything here Given this read, how do you fold here??Easy call. Not only could he be bluffing, but he may think his King high (or even Queen high) straight is good. If he's backed into his flush, well, good for him. But considering he seems pretty loose, I don't think you can give him credit for the flush.I agree you should have played PF and Flop more aggressively, especially considering you have decent position. I don't think Smash would mind. :wink:

[psujohn 0]

Either play smash-strat or don't. If you half play it you get the worst of all worlds.That said, if the opponent is a frequent bluffer you should fold. If they're an ABC, tight/passive you should call. Your goal is to lose as much as possible so you'll be motivated to play AK correctly in the future. If you call and win you should appologize and offer to transfer the money to your opponent.

[Roughness 0]

Seeing as how he's so laggy, he could pretty much have anything here Given this read, how do you fold here??Easy call. Not only could he be bluffing, but he may think his King high (or even Queen high) straight is good. If he's backed into his flush, well, good for him. But considering he seems pretty loose, I don't think you can give him credit for the flush.I agree you should have played PF and Flop more aggressively, especially considering you have decent position. I don't think Smash would mind. :wink:

Well first off I think Smash would probably say:"Fold preflop.Good Luck."So you think calling is the right decision here? It just seems like he could have T-x of clubs or something. I think what makes this call so tough for me to make is the fact that I'm losing an entire buyin, which puts a sizeable dent in my bankroll, though I am adequately funded for the limit. I just have so little invested that it hadly seems worth it, though there is a very strong possibility that I'm ahead, but couldn't I just as easily be very very far behind?

[BeanGW 0]

I just have so little invested that it hadly seems worth it, though there is a very strong possibility that I'm ahead, but couldn't I just as easily be very very far behind?Don't play scared.Good luck.

[LPY2005 0]

Unless I've VERY confident in my read here I fold. The way you played the hand he could have any two cards, including two clubs. He's the BB that was not raised until there were two clubs on the board. IMO you don't have enough information here to risk your entire buy-in. I'd pick a better spot to get all my money in. If he's bluffing and it worked he's likely to do it again in future anyway, on a hand that you either hold the nuts or have played the hand in a way that you are confident you know what he's holding. I am by no means a laydown king either, but a lot of money is lost with a poor read and the second best hand. Minimize your loss here and just think of it as a 50 cent lesson on how to play A-K in future. Will someone please PM me about Smash's stategy? I've never heard of it before.

[Roughness 0]

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess it's a tough decision to make. So much profit to be made (for this limit anyway) but so much to lose as well. I agree that I shouldn't be playing scared, and that losing a few buying is part of the process (I've lost plenty of those!). I also think I should be playing smart though. I think the way this hand played, I should fold. In hindsight, I think this is the correct play. River: ($1.20) 9:club: (2 players)BB bets $9.75 (All-In), Hero calls $8.95 (All-In).Final Pot: $19.90Results in white below: BB has Ad 8h (straight, queen high). Hero has Ks Ah (straight, ace high). Outcome: Hero wins $19.10. BB wins $0.80. It could be tilt that caused me to call, I was sick of him knocking my off my low pocket pairs with all-in pushes. Perhaps I was lucky this time, it just seems like such a borderline play that leans towards neither side. I'm pretty much putting my money or red or black here, something that I don't like to do. Thanks for your advice guys.

[akishore 0]

this is the easiest call in the world. don't be offended. :-) at these limit, and to a lesser extent, in *weak* no limit games, "opposite man" syndrome abounds hugely.when people push or act strong, they are usually weak. when people check and slowplay to death, they are usually strong (the one exception is fish that slowplay top pair regularly, etc.).aseem

[Jordan 1]

easy call...i tried to like...reread the board and figure out how to fold...and i just dont see it.- Jordan

[Roughness 0]

Awesome guys, thanks for the replies. Maybe it is an easy call, it just sure wasn't easy at the time. Akishore, I know exactly what you mean about every single donk slowplaying their trips and such, check-call on flop, check-call turn, bet river. The reason I was so worried was that he had shown no aggression whatsoever until the river. So often I'll see weak players check-call check-call on flush draws, then when the 3rd suit hits the river they bet big. I thought this may have been the case here. I thought perhaps he turned the draw and was daring enough to call my turn bet. When he comes out betting so big it just leads me to believe he has the better hand. He knew I had to have something, perhaps a pair of queens or two-pair, and he knew any small bet was getting called. I think the reason he pushed was because he was confident i would call, and he was confident he had the best hand. I don't think he did it to try to represent a weak hand, or a made flush. Most of the players at this limit make a bet they think will get called when they hit their flush or nuts. I guess bells should have been going off in my head that I had him beat. Why would he bet so big if he had a monster? He'd want me to call him and therefore would bet much less than that. Then again, I'll bet he thought he had the best hand, and truly believed he'd get me to call. Perhaps he was relying on his table image as a loose cannon, ready to push at any moment. Then again, who pays attention to table images at this limit?I hope my ramblings made sense to someone!Against, thanks for the help guys.

[CobaltBlue 662]

Rather hard for him to put you on AK (even if he thought about such things). And yeah, he likely wouldn't push that much with the flush.Seriously, I know it seems like you're risking a lot, but this is a great opportunity to double up off of a donk.

[LPY2005 0]

Looks like I'm alone on this one...oh well. Unless he disguises his hand very well or is an absolute calling station I don't end up in this situation too often anyway. Limit - easy call, more invested - easy call, having a better idea of what he is holding - easy call. I still fold here based on how the hand was played. I do like the point about all-in bets in low limits often being a sign of weakness. Maybe I'm just still stinging from the $50 I lost on one hand playing .50/1.00 NL when my nut flush lost to a well disguised baby boat. Even though IMO my opponent played the hand extremely well it still may have taken some of the gamble out of my play. I'd better reflect on that a bit.