I've been playing this kind of situation wrong lately, here's an example, I'll post what happened later.


NL Hold'em $10 Buy-in + $1 Entry Fee Trny:9322336 Level:2 Blinds(15/30) -
Seat 6 is the button
Total number of players : 7
Seat 1: mikeyr33 ( $540 )
Seat 5: shannonrobyn ( $720 )
Seat 9: JDestroyer ( $1120 )
Seat 8: Irexes ( $665 )
Seat 6: Tumper ( $1120 )
Seat 10: rsand1672 ( $2750 )
Seat 2: kylej33 ( $1085 )
Trny:9322336 Level:2
Blinds(15/30)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Irexes [ Jh Ks ]
rsand1672 calls [30].
shannonrobyn folds.
Tumper calls [30].
Irexes calls [15].
JDestroyer checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 3d, 4h, Jd ]
Irexes bets [80].
JDestroyer folds.
rsand1672 calls [80].
Tumper raises [300].


If you were me what would you put Tumper on at this point, and what is your response?
(rsand1672 is yet to call, but has already demonstrated he doesn't have a fold button and will play anything to the river)

Is Trumper the kind of player who will make a steal raise on a ragged flop like that? If so, I think you hand is probably good (maybe a semi-bluff with a lower pair, flush draw, or J and a weak kicker). If you've not seen that kind of play before I'd be worried about 33 or 44. The problem is, you don't have enough chips to push him off anything decent with an all-in - that's basically a min raise at this point.

If he's been playing tight, I'd fold. If you think there is any chance at all he might be on a bluff or a draw, I'd say push. I don't like a flat call here.

I'd got very little information on him at this point (only half a dozen hands into the tournament) nothing to suggest how loose or tight he was.

Thanks, I did fold having put him on either trips or an overpair (though the preflop would'nt have fitted this)


Irritating then to see the following. But possibly the right approach in the long run (with an opponent on whom I had more information, hopefully I'd spot this and go over the top instead).


Your time bank will become active in less than 20 seconds. If you do not want it to be used, please act now.
Irexes folds.
rsand1672 calls [220].
** Dealing Turn ** [ 8c ]
rsand1672 checks.
Tumper bets [300].
rsand1672 calls [300].
** Dealing River ** [ 2c ]
rsand1672 checks.
Tumper checks.
rsand1672 shows [ 5c, 7c ] high card jack.
Tumper shows [ Jc, Qh ] a pair of jacks.
Tumper wins 1400 chips from the main pot with a pair of jacks.

I would have put him on QJ after limping, or probably JT.

This is pretty tough, actually, because of your low stack size in relation to the bet size/pot size. I would argue that your bet of 80 into a pot of 120 was problematic to begin with as you were inviting a reraise from Trumper as he had twice as many chips as you. So the bet size makes it hard to read if he has an actual hand or is just trying to bully your relatively weak bet and get you out. But given that all that has already happened, I would put him on jx, likely jq or jt since he limped in. Alot of people wouldn't raise with a set against that bet, they would call and hope to trap with a ragged flop like that (alhough there are two diamonds so that may be a good bet by him to protect a set). I hate to say it, but I would lean towards pushing all in because if you add up the times they both fold to the times you are actually ahead anyway it is a long term good play. I think there is only a 15% or so chance you are behind, and you still have shot to draw out if you are. But 'i think a flat call is a major mistake, the only action that would be CLEARLY wrong.
But I'm mostly a limit guy so feel free to criticize......

Originally Posted by Steve-O

2 things to remeber about poker

good players will get outdrawn more than bad players

good players will fold more winning hands than bad players

how do good players fix this then