5/10 Nl Live Difficult Hands

[delphi12 0]

Okay, hand 1:I have $1000 in front of me. A2 diamonds on the button3 limpers. I decide to pop it to $60small blind calls ($950), 1 other caller ($400)FLOP:Ac Qd 2cchecked to meI bet $120small blind calls, other player foldsTURN:6dsmall blind leads out for $300 (leaving himself with about $500 left)What should I do?Couple of notes. I have played with this older gentleman before. He only raises preflop with AA, QQ, KK and AK and then if the flop is all low, he lets you know by saying, "check it down? I dont want to take your money." Basically, a very nice guy. If he flops a monster, he bets out but usually gives you info and lets you get away.HAND 2:on the button, 9s 5s. 4 limpers. I call (i have about $800 at this point)FLOP:Ts Js 5hUTG leads out for $20. UTG+1 calls and I call.TURN:QsUTG bets $25, UTG+1 callsWhats my move?I believe I misplayed both these hands at the point where I ask my question. I'm curious what your thoughts are. Then, I'll let you know what I did and how I fared.Thanks

[Gooser 0]

looks good to me how you played both till your question. i probably push hand 1 on that turn or just call and see river if youre worried about a set and can then see if you make your flush - hand 2 to push it to 100

[XXEddie 0]

why are we just calling the flop bet in hand 2I most likely push hand 1. Since as long as nothing scary comes on the river, Im probably paying him off if he pushes the river

[JMoney2681 0]

looks good to me how you played both till your question. i probably push hand 1 on that turn - hand 2 to push it to 100

I agree.

[delphi12 0]

why are we just calling the flop bet in hand 2

I wasnt worried about the original bettor, but the smooth caller I was. I put him on at least a naked ace. I felt if I raised and got them to both call, what then do I do on the turn when I hit? I may be dead in the water and just betting into the nuts. But I do like the thought of raising in case I dont make it. I most likely buy a free river card if the turn doesnt help them (assuming one of them doesnt have a set or two pair already).

I most likely push hand 1. Since as long as nothing scary comes on the river, Im probably paying him off if he pushes the river

Seems like you are an aggressive player, like myself. I like this thought. Im going to wait a bit more to hear from some others before I go into what happened.

[caribstv 0]

1. A2 can get u in big trouble especaily UTG...... besides that his call on the flop make u think what he called with the first place.. U have 2 pair and thats the best u can hope for with that hand... (why play in the first place?)On the turn and he pushed out $300 into the pot makes u think of what he can have.... AQ? or A6? both of which beats u. I would prob Fold here.. If it was a pot size to 3/4 size I'd call... idea is to keep the pot small with these marginal hands2. Second hand i would call..... if he has a bigger flush u don;t want to get shut out by raising... u can test the waters with a raise to see where u stand... he'll either fold or come over the top of which you'll have a decision.I like calling even though you taking a small chance but you're hand is a good one... If it was me, I would put in a pot size bet as my first choice to make him pay to make a higher flush if he has any of the same suit in his hand

[Scott3705 0]

hand 1: I question the merits of raising preflop w/ 3 limpers in the pot already. This can really depend on the table dynamics, but I would have to be fairly confident I'm taking this flop against only one player. I think youy reverse implied odds here are significant because as the preflop raiser, you can't just check the flop if the flop was a q 4. I'd rather be popping this preflp with 89 than a2. After that, I really can't see any other action but to push given your read. Your opinion is this play is not a monster like a set. I would say the villian's most likely hand here would be A6 w/ the nut flush draw if you're behind, and a bunch of weirdly played inferior hands besides that. Very read dependent hand, but standard would be a push I think.Hand 2: Yikes to UTG limpers waking up on flops. W/ two players in and a relatively low draw, I'm going to attempt to play my draw cautiously by aggressively betting the flop w/ position. By raising the flop, you may take down the pot w/ UTG feeling sandwiched. You may also make a higher draw very transparent which you must be worried about w/ this flop and UTG limpers IMO. As a General point: Please tell me this game is in AC and what casino. 5/10 w/ 5 limpers? seriously?

[simo_8ball 0]

Hand 1I can only see him having AQ or maybe QQ. I call the turn and see a river. We have position, and we have some implied odds if a diamond comes. Fold UI on the river to the $500 if he pushes.Hand 2Raise the flop to $100.As played, I raise the turn to $150. Nothing tells me we are beat yet.

[delphi12 0]

You guys have some very interesting thoughts. I really appreciate it.First off, its not AC - its in LA at Hollywood Park. And the reason there are limpers is because usually there is 1 (possibly 2) very good tricky pros and no one wants to be outplayed by them, so very little raising unless you got something good or in very good position. When I raised with A2 the 1 pro had already folded so I was safe.Here's how the hands went down:Hand 1:I pushed the turn, he immediately called and flipped over QQ - thinking the hand was over. I told him I had a ton of outs, which I did - 2 Aces and any diamond. I didnt catch and lost.Hand 2:I just called, river came another J. both players checked. I bet $75 and got BOTH TO CALL! That made me nervous. I won. One had AJ (with the ace of spades). other had 98 for a straight.So, I guess I lost the maximum on hand 1 and didnt win enought on hand 2 which is always a recipe for disaster. Was stuck $1200 in this game before putting in my last $250 - I ended up cashing out with $1900 so it still was profitable, but I probably didnt have to be in this situation in the first place. I'm learning though. Thanks for the input!

[7s7c 0]

Couple of notes. I have played with this older gentleman before. He only raises preflop with AA, QQ, KK and AK and then if the flop is all low, he lets you know by saying, "check it down? I dont want to take your money." Basically, a very nice guy. If he flops a monster, he bets out but usually gives you info and lets you get away.Thanks

Where is this game??? :icon_eek:Edit: just saw yr followup

[myenemy 0]

Here's how the hands went down:Hand 1:I pushed the turn, he immediately called and flipped over QQ - thinking the hand was over. I told him I had a ton of outs, which I did - 2 Aces and any diamond. I didnt catch and lost.

Guess your read was way off. I thought this guy was looking to let you off cheap with a monster? Hand 2:

I just called, river came another J. both players checked. I bet $75 and got BOTH TO CALL! That made me nervous. I won. One had AJ (with the ace of spades). other had 98 for a straight.

Its not so bad. Except that you might've gotten outplayed with a raise.

[JMoney2681 0]

Where is this game??? :icon_eek:Edit: just saw yr followup

I have played in games where the old "nice" guys do that too, but thats in limit, NL is a different story. Weird.

[delphi12 0]

I like how everyone seems so quick to think they can beat these types of games so easily. Here's another thing that happened yesterday.MP raises to $25, button calls..FLOP:Js 9h 2dMP bets $45, button callsTURN:7cMP bets $120, button calls.MP turns over his hand and shows QJ and says "pair of jacks!"dealer says, "um, sir, there is still 1 card to come." so the guy goes, "oh crap, and says, "well, he knows now." So, of course the river comes (3c) MP checks and the other guy goes ALL IN.What do you think happened?

Hand 2:Its not so bad. Except that you might've gotten outplayed with a raise.

Right, I really believe the guy with the straight thought he had the best hand and would have raised me on the turn which would have put me in a real difficult position.

[simo_8ball 0]

I like how everyone seems so quick to think they can beat these types of games so easily. Here's another thing that happened yesterday.MP raises to $25, button calls..FLOP:Js 9h 2dMP bets $45, button callsTURN:7cMP bets $120, button calls.MP turns over his hand and shows QJ and says "pair of jacks!"dealer says, "um, sir, there is still 1 card to come." so the guy goes, "oh crap, and says, "well, he knows now." So, of course the river comes (3c) MP checks and the other guy goes ALL IN.What do you think happened?

He got called and lost.

[Scott3705 0]

I like how everyone seems so quick to think they can beat these types of games so easily. Here's another thing that happened yesterday.MP raises to $25, button calls..FLOP:Js 9h 2dMP bets $45, button callsTURN:7cMP bets $120, button calls.MP turns over his hand and shows QJ and says "pair of jacks!"dealer says, "um, sir, there is still 1 card to come." so the guy goes, "oh crap, and says, "well, he knows now." So, of course the river comes (3c) MP checks and the other guy goes ALL IN.What do you think happened?

Ok I want to find this game. i'll fly to LA. I dont care. I'l be there the weekend of the 22nd for work. If I were him, I don't know if I'd have the balls to call, but he probably should.

[Naismith 0]

Ok I want to find this game. i'll fly to LA. I dont care. I'l be there the weekend of the 22nd for work. If I were him, I don't know if I'd have the balls to call, but he probably should.

I would beat his chips into the middle. If he had me beat the entire way, so be it, but you think he would've made some sort of declaration of strength with any reasonable hand that beats us.In any case, it would be worth whatever price to pick off a bluff like this! :)P.S. It's going to be funny when the guy was calling down with 3-3 trying to make a heroic play against AK and rivered a set.

[simo_8ball 0]

Similar situation a while ago -Final table, HU pot in a home game, I bet the turn with Q8 high and get called. I rechecked my cards and SB saw them (and told me so). River was a blank and he moved in for about 8k into a 2k pot. I thought for a while and he called the clock on me. In the end, I just couldn't pull the trigger. He showed a missed straight draw for 7 high. It haunted me for weeks.