I realized that I never really answered the last quiz… which is fine, as I think it’s really just a problem to get the thoughts going. This quiz however, I will give my thoughts on in the comments section. Please feel free to agree/disagree and post your thoughts on this quiz in the comments section as well.
This one is taken from a hand I played at the IP casino in Biloxi, MS.
Full ring cash game (9 players total). $1/$2 no-limit. The table has several loose and aggressive types, some with excellent card reading abilities, especially the player to your immediate right who is UTG+1 (under the gun + 1). You’ve seen him bluff and you’ve seen him show down big hands, playing both nearly the same. Stacks sizes at the table vary, but the UTG+1 player has the biggest, probably more than $600 on the table and he looks like he’s been playing for awhile. The button has been up and down in stack size, but likes to limp in a lot of pots and then gets aggressive after the flop.
You’ll be playing with me and you’re sitting in middle position with Q
9. You’re aware that you have a tight/slightly-passive image. You have a stack size of about $150.
The UTG+1 player raises to $8.
Loading …You actually call. Everyone folds, to the button (stack size of about $250) who calls. The SB and BB fold.
Three players. The pot is at $27.
The flop comes T 9
4
UTG+1 checks.
Loading …You actually bet $15. The button raises to $30 total. The UTG+1 re-raises $110. The pot is now at $182. You have $130 left in your stack. It will cost you $95 to call.
Loading …After some thought, you actually fold. The button folds. UTG+1 wins the pot.
Answer the questions then read my thoughts and what the other players had (as they showed their cards) in the comments.
3 responses so far ↓
David // Oct 7, 2007 at 6:19 pm
The two other players were “nice” enough to show their hands. This what they had. The button folds and shows K
T
. UTG+1 wins the pot and shows A
J
So. What do I right and wrong in this hand?
1. Pre-flop. Folding is a better play. However, I knew I had a tight image and I wanted to switch gears a little and loosen up… I like Q9 for this, slightly better that it’s suited. It’s just a superstitious hand that I like to play.
Calling is not as good as folding.. but not really that bad.
Raising to $12 is a bad play. Raising all-in is disastrous.
2. That’s a pretty good flop for your hand. You got middle pair and decent flush draw. You could try to win the pot now or wait… I decided to try to take the pot now… in retrospect, it probably would have been better to check… I was pretty sure the UTG+1 probably missed this, but was unclear what this flop did to the button.
Checking would be a better play. Raising 1/2 the pot is only “slightly” worse than checking.
Raising anything else is clearly a bad play, IMHO.
3. Disaster. This is last thing you wanted to see.
And even though you’re getting the correct pot odds for your flush draw (nearly 2 to 1), you’re caught in a squeeze. The UTG+1 is clearly representing a set. But even he doesn’t have a set and is simply bluffing, you have to worry about the button. He re-raised you, representing better than middle pair.
So what do you do?
In this position, you look beat. Either by UTG+1 or the button. If you are, you probably have 9 outs, assuming no one else is on a bigger flush draw (which is also a possibility).
If you didn’t have the button behind still to act or you knew what he was going to do, it would simply be a decision on whether the UTG+1 is bluffing or not… and even he’s not, you’re probably not without outs.
But, with the button left to act, it’s likely that you’re already beat and you could be without outs.
I probably took a minute or more to process all this. After thinking about it, I decided that the UTG+1 was probably bluffing but the button was probably already beating me and if I called, he’d be getting incredible pot odds and would probably have to call.
It was a tough decision, but given what they then showed, I think I made the right decision.
Birthover.Com » Another quiz: In a squeeze // Oct 7, 2007 at 7:40 pm
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SomeThought // Oct 28, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I think UTG+1 would play the same way with Aces, Kings, Queens, a set and rarely with nothing at all. You obviously can never call as you were pot-committed anyway so you either push or fold. Buttons min-raise in position does not show a lot of strength in my opinion, probably medium or top pair. So against most of UTG+1’s possible holdings you have not only the flush outs but also the two remaining 9s and the 3 Queens, giving you two pair. So even after discounting you still end up with about 11 outs and 2 cards to come. If you push, UTG+1 will always call, this gives you odds of 217:135 or 1.6:1
I’m not to sure but I don’t think I can fold here.
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