2 Monster stacks collide!! How would you have played this hand?

Tooniceforpoker

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum. Sort of new to Poker, though I have played off and on for years at home games, some online and the occasional trip to Rama and Niagara. I decided I would try to take Poker more seriously and thus, joined this forum to learn a thing or two.

I was not directly involved in this hand. Just observed the poker table. I thought this was very unusual.
Here is the situation:

I'm playing 1-2 NL holdem at Woodbine on a Saturday night about a month ago. To my right is the big stack with just under $1000 in chips. Not the biggest at Woodbine I'm sure but pretty big for a 1-2. To his right is another player with a slightly smaller stack of about $850 in chips.

The cards were dealt. I'm on the button. There are 3 or 4 limpers. Then the 2nd biggest stack limps. Big stack raises to $19. I fold my 9-4 offsuit. The limpers all fold. But the 2nd big stack hesitates for about 5 seconds and calls. There's about $50 in the pot.

The flop comes:

8S 5S 2C

The 2nd Big stack checks. The big stack bets out $75.

The 2nd biggest stack hesitates. He stands up. Prclaims "i'm going for dinner". He Starts putting on his jacket. He then says "ok if you want my money so badly then just take it".

He then moves ALL IN for his remaining chips of $800 or so.

The big stack can't believe it. he turns red. Then green. He shows the table his pocket Jacks and folds.

I think over this hand on the way home. I am trying to guess what the 2nd big stack was holding. i have a few candidates narrowed down.

Pocket Aces.

It's possible, based on this play that he was protecting Pocket aces. Maybe he was just feigning weakness all along. But I have to ask myself, would he not have raised with 4 limpers before him? Would he not have raised , out of position against the big stack? Would he really want to scare him off after the flop instead of value betting the aces?

AsKs

This also makes some sense. He could have pushed all in thinking he was a mathematical favorite with 2 overcards and a flush draw. It also makes more sense to not raise the limpers or re-raise the big stack. But I also would think it would be really hard to raise an unmade hand all in.

A set of 8's, 5's or 2's.

This makes some sense as he would be protecting them against a flush/straight draw. However, with a raise like 19. And then a big bet of $75. He must have put him on a big pair from AA-JJ which he actually had. Wouldn't you want to value bet a set?

6s7s

BINGO. I think this is the most likely combination of cards.This would mean he's got straight out and flush outs without a made hand. Explains why he wouldn't necessarily raise pre-flop. It also explains why he just calls the $19 raise.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the 2nd big stack played perfect poker. There's actually no hand that the big stack could have called with. Would he call with aces? Not likely to risk his whole stack in case of a set. He can't call with a big drawing hand like As-Ks. Maybe, call with a set. But it's unlikely he raises $19 with a small pair.

I am forced to ask myself if I could have made such a play and I am forced to honestly say "NO".

If this had been stacks of 1-3 hundred colliding, I would say "Just another night at Woodbine". But the fact that so much money was involved makes this impressive.

What does the board of experts put him on? How would you have played the Jacks?

pkrfce9

We have to know more about the 2 players to comment.

Tooniceforpoker

pkrfce9;396771 wroteWe have to know more about the 2 players to comment.

The 2nd big stack was an Asian guy, older, probably mid fifties, playing aggressive but defiitely not a maniac. He showed the goods the 2 times I saw him showdown.

The biggest stack was a white guy, maybe middle eastern, mustache, mid 40's. Playing conservatively.

MickeyHoldem

Tooniceforpoker;396777 wroteThe 2nd big stack was an Asian guy, older, probably mid fifties, playing aggressive but defiitely not a maniac. He showed the goods the 2 times I saw him showdown.

The biggest stack was a white guy, maybe middle eastern, mustache, mid 40's. Playing conservatively.

Racist ban coming!! [emoji12]

pkrfce9

Beware the speech. Nice play otherwise.

Card Dead

This was at Woodbine so anything is possible.

sn1perb0y

Tooniceforpoker;396777 wroteThe 2nd big stack was an Asian guy, older, probably mid fifties, playing aggressive but defiitely not a maniac. He showed the goods the 2 times I saw him showdown.

The biggest stack was a white guy, maybe middle eastern, mustache, mid 40's. Playing conservatively.

This is very likely to be my father, i'm not sure sure he over pots flop ever, but ill ask him.

as for the 2nd big stack guy, I think he almost always had 85 or 67ss here, he is definitely not going to just jam his set, and if he is not a maniac he is not going to jam something like a6ss.