| 09 Oct | An Unexpected Check Raiser...Posted by PokerBarney on 5:07PM, 9th Oct 2006Permalink |  Send to a friend |  RSS feed |
So I was intent on dominating some cash tables for a while. It didn't happen that way though.. I kept getting out flushed, out kicked, and generally out flopped (QQ < 55 on a 58T flop. Bah).
All in all an uneventful session, exception for this hand in the BB.
I start with J6o, not a great holding but it was a free flop, which came down JJ5. Wonderful!
So I check with the intention of a hairy great check-raise... and right enough, the button bets but just as I'm smiling to myself, the small blind throws in a hefty check raise!
Now I'm perplexed. What does he have? What does the button have?
The button
Chances are the button has nothing. He was having a pop at the pot, and it backfired. He may have a 5, or a flush draw, or even some overcards. Either way, his bet wasn't indicative of much strength, since a very strong hand would have checked there (like I did).
So I can discount the button.
The small blind
Which leaves this bad boy. My first thought was that he was re-stealing. Then I decided that $0.01/$0.02 tables aren't relly the place that re-stealing happens very often, so he is more likely to be semi-bluffing.
If he is semi bluffing, what's he doing it with? A flush draw would be a good candidate, or even an overpair. He raised plenty, so I'm not sure he wants a call. Of coruse, he could be holding the last Jack, but that's unlikely.
So I've decided he's either stealing or semi bluffing, and most likely doesn't have me beat - although he played the hand exactly as I was intending to with my Jack.
So what to do?
I can:
- a) Fold: Not going to happen. Not a chance, no way I'm letting go of this beauty.
- b) Call: Eurgh. If I call, I haven't found anything out about my hand, I'm giving him another chance to bet me off, and if the flush hits, I may have to fold.
- c) Raise: Much better.
A good raise will tell me what I need to know, but unfortunately the pot at this point is so bloated that I'm going to have to shove and hope for the best. If I do, the check raising small blind will have 1.7-1, which isn't enough to call for the flush draw.
An overpair might call (especially given my long think), and another Jack would certainly call. So.. shoving looks nice, but didn't feel easy to do.
The result
I won't spoil it, but go and watch the hand and see what happens, then come back and tell me why I should quit poker because I'm rubbish. :)
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Spurl
Thu 12th Oct 2006 10:15
The check-raiser has definitely got a hand, I think the board is dangerous to bluff as it could help so many people so he must surely have a big hand. His VP$IP, PFR and AF stats are all useful and in fact probably vital, to making a proper decision here. You're drawing to 4 outs if Villain has 55 and are in big trouble. From what have you seen would viallain CR just holding a 5 for 2 pair? I think you're right pushing here because all your chips will end up in the middle anyhow so why not now?! You got unlucky as he had the case Jack, shame a couple of Kings or whatever didn't fall to cancel his kicker!
Dust yourself down and get back to the tables!