[NL2-NL10] What to do against the threat of trips?

    • winmaster76
      winmaster76
      Bronze
      Joined: 31.01.2010 Posts: 113
      • 07.06.2010, 07:43
      • This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by winmaster76: 07.06.2010 12:12.
      Known players:
      Position:
      Stack
      Hero:
      $14.13
      MP1:
      $10.00

      0.05/0.1 No-Limit Hold'em (7 handed)
      Hand recorder used for this poker hand: Elephant 0.69 by www.pokerstrategy.com.

      Preflop: Hero is BB with A:spade: , A:heart:
      MP1 calls $0.10, 5 folds, Hero raises to $0.50, MP1 calls $0.40.

      Flop: ($1.05) 5:spade: , Q:heart: , 4:heart: (2 players)
      Hero bets $0.70, MP1 calls $0.70.

      Turn: ($2.45) 4:club: (2 players)
      Hero bets $1.60, MP1 calls $1.60.

      River: ($5.65) J:club: (2 players)
      Hero bets $3.10, MP1 raises to $7.20 (All-In), Hero calls $4.10.

      Final Pot: $20.05

      Results follow (highlight to see):
      Hero shows two pairs, aces and fours (As Ah)
      MP1 shows four of a kind, fours (4s 4d)

      MP1 wins with four of a kind, fours (4s 4d)



      I was not sure what to do here, by the time he showed any aggression I was already so commited to the pot. Aces seem so good that its hard not to try to make the most money out of them. What did I do wrong in this situation?
  • 3 replies
    • amplifyd
      amplifyd
      Bronze
      Joined: 03.08.2009 Posts: 1,769
      You're not comitted to the pot in the sense you would be in a tournament on SnG. Your aim in cash games is to win money and be +cEV nothing else. I think the hand is played fine and your betsizing is good but you should bet/fold the river. People at Nl10 won't shove their busted draws into you representing 4x when you've bet every street. Also he won't suddenly shove any worse hand that he's called down with so just fold.
    • johnbeattie85
      johnbeattie85
      Bronze
      Joined: 11.09.2008 Posts: 716
      • 07.06.2010, 13:19
      • This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by johnbeattie85: 07.06.2010 13:24.
      I would bet/fold smallish (You can also bet/call if you think him capable of making moves, since value range is so small). When a tightish player limp/calls from early position I am assuming range is weighted towards speculative hands rather than high cards. For such a player, river range is something like:

      Busted flush-draws (very few combinations)
      Stuff like QJs, QTs
      Very occasional slow-played 44-55

      Since there are almost more Qx than flush-draw combinations, value betting is superior to check/calling - especially since you can't rely on MP1 to bet busted draws with 100% frequency.

      However, you need to bet small, since MP1 isn't going to like calling 3 streets with weak top pairs. This also gives you more room to fold the few times he slowplays 44-55.

      If these assumptions are incorrect and MP1 has KQ, QJ, QA type stuff – then bet/calling like $4 is going to be better.
    • MaestroOfZerg
      MaestroOfZerg
      Bronze
      Joined: 17.11.2008 Posts: 5,510
      Hi,

      Originally posted by johnbeattie85
      I would bet/fold smallish (You can also bet/call if you think him capable of making moves, since value range is so small). When a tightish player limp/calls from early position I am assuming range is weighted towards speculative hands rather than high cards. For such a player, river range is something like:

      Busted flush-draws (very few combinations)
      Stuff like QJs, QTs
      Very occasional slow-played 44-55

      Since there are almost more Qx than flush-draw combinations, value betting is superior to check/calling - especially since you can't rely on MP1 to bet busted draws with 100% frequency.

      However, you need to bet small, since MP1 isn't going to like calling 3 streets with weak top pairs. This also gives you more room to fold the few times he slowplays 44-55.

      If these assumptions are incorrect and MP1 has KQ, QJ, QA type stuff – then bet/calling like $4 is going to be better.
      Sounds good. It doesn't help that his 15/7 stats are still somewhat blurry, he could be a tightish fish capable of limp/calling KQ then calling you down for a stack just as well as some setmining nit with a river not-folding range of pretty much only 55/44.

      One thing is for sure if you're bet/calling the river it's because you believe all the times you get value from Qx yield more profit than the times you're forced to call it off against a monster, so betting bigger if he can call bigger is the way to go once you're past the committing threshold.


      Hope it helps.