Who played worse?

Unknown

Hey,

This is a little earlier on in that 'how do I make the most of this' tournament. I think my opponent played this hand worse than I did, but it's close.

PokerStars Game #437702501: Tournament #1582254, Hold'em No Limit - Level IX (300/600) - 2004/05/16 - 00:28:22 (ET)
Table '1582254 89' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Checkbook (6840 in chips)
Seat 2: Ocean (5255 in chips)
Seat 3: tensor (29725 in chips)
Seat 5: all aces (31450 in chips)
Seat 6: TopGun26 (6623 in chips)
Seat 7: KOBIEWEL (18950 in chips)
Seat 8: Gentleben2 (18120 in chips)
Seat 9: robertb (23087 in chips)
Checkbook: posts the ante 50
Ocean: posts the ante 50
tensor: posts the ante 50
all aces: posts the ante 50
TopGun26: posts the ante 50
KOBIEWEL: posts the ante 50
Gentleben2: posts the ante 50
robertb: posts the ante 50
all aces: posts small blind 300
TopGun26: posts big blind 600
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to all aces [9d Ks]
KOBIEWEL has timed out while disconnected
KOBIEWEL: folds
KOBIEWEL is sitting out
Gentleben2: calls 600
robertb: folds
KOBIEWEL is connected
KOBIEWEL has returned
Checkbook: folds
Ocean: folds
tensor: folds
all aces: calls 300
TopGun26: checks
*** FLOP *** [3d Kh 6c]
all aces: checks
TXACESUP is connected
TopGun26: checks
Gentleben2: bets 1800
all aces: raises 1800 to 3600
TopGun26: folds
Gentleben2: calls 1800
*** TURN *** [3d Kh 6c] [Ad]
all aces: bets 600
Gentleben2: calls 600
*** RIVER *** [3d Kh 6c Ad] [3s]
all aces: bets 600
Gentleben2: calls 600
*** SHOW DOWN ***
all aces: shows [9d Ks] (two pair, Kings and Threes)
Gentleben2: mucks hand
all aces collected 11800 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 11800 | Rake 0
Board [3d Kh 6c Ad 3s]
Seat 1: Checkbook folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Ocean folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: tensor (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: all aces (small blind) showed [9d Ks] and won (11800) with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat 6: TopGun26 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: KOBIEWEL folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Gentleben2 mucked [Qc Qs] - two pair, Queens and Threes
Seat 9: robertb folded before Flop (didn't bet)

Would you have done anything differently?

Regards,
all_aces

kwplayer

I am not looking at the chip sizes much, but I like your checkraise on the flop. On the turn I would have probably decided on a bet that was slightly higher, maybe half of the size of the pot. The idea is that I want to make a meaningful bet. When you make a small bet like that if your opponent comes over top it is difficult to really define his hand. He could have hit the turn or he might be attempting to steal the pot because you made such a small bet.

If you come out with something meaningful then if he comes overtop you can be certain that he is good (becuase you have shown strength and made it very dangerous for him to attempt a steal). If he called a good size bet on the turn then I would likely make a similar bet or even check the river. This would depend on my opponent -- is he the type that would bluff if I checked to him at the end or is he more likely to check it through. Is he the type that would call a bet on the river with a hand worse than mine? You want to play the river so that you make the most money while risking the least.

Your opponents play is very poor mind you. Naturally he should have raised preflop to get hands (like yours) out. There is no shame picking up the blinds and a couple of limpers with a hand like QQ. When he gets checkraised on the flop he should clearly fold (he can't be a K and has no reasonable amount of outs). But people can't muck QQ which is why online poker is so profitable!

.kw

Jay

He's an idiot for not raising preflop with QQ. You played it fine. Good job.

Unknown

Thanks for the replies!

I like your checkraise on the flop

I liked that part too.

On the turn I would have probably decided on a bet that was slightly higher, maybe half of the size of the pot. The idea is that I want to make a meaningful bet. When you make a small bet like that if your opponent comes over top it is difficult to really define his hand. He could have hit the turn or he might be attempting to steal the pot because you made such a small bet.

Yeah, I thought my play post-flop was pretty terrible. That's pretty much why I posted this hand... I played half of it well and then proceeded to kind of butcher the other half. I think the problem was, on the flop I was thinking 'if he bets I am so check-raising his ass'. I had no idea what I'd do if he called, though. If he folded, great. If he re-raised, that's fine too, because I'd fold.

But, he just called, leaving me more or less mystified, as evidenced by my micro-bets for the remainder of the hand. I'm just lucky I wasn't playing someone who knew enough to knock me off the hand.

Very weak.

But people can't muck QQ which is why online poker is so profitable!

That is very true. I suffered from the same problem at first. I used to get married to strong preflop hands like QQ and KK, and I'd play them all the way to showdown, despite every indication that I was beaten.

He's an idiot for not raising preflop with QQ

Jay, that's also very true. Occasionally, I'll limp with aces. Very occasionally with kings or with ace-king if it's heads-up. But queens are waaaay too vulnerable to limp with. He was in EP, so maybe he was hoping someone would raise preflop so he could re-raise or move in, but it's way to risky to take that chance. Especially if you are unable to lay the queens down post-flop.

Regards,
all_aces