This illustrates neatly why I don't slowplay much.

He has the Ace, yes?

***** Hand History for Game 3121188089 *****
NL Texas Hold'em Trny:17859678 Level:3 Blinds (15/30) - Wednesday, November 30, 15:52:22 EDT 2005
Table Multi-Table(524668) Table #4 (Real Money)
Seat 2 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 2: Eric4Hockey ( $2005 )
Seat 3: Broedhode ( $1445 )
Seat 4: Irexes ( $1990 )
Seat 5: Alin1975 ( $910 )
Seat 7: lordhendeles ( $1220 )
Seat 8: rainone1 ( $3420 )
Seat 10: Maridu ( $1155 )
Seat 9: pufpufgiv420 ( $2275 )
Seat 6: AlisaS63 ( $2445 )
Seat 1: SA5280 ( $3640 )
Trny:17859678 Level:3
Blinds (15/30)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to Irexes [ ]
Alin1975 calls [30].
AlisaS63 folds.
lordhendeles folds.
rainone1 folds.
pufpufgiv420 folds.
Maridu calls [30].
SA5280 folds.
Eric4Hockey folds.
Broedhode calls [15].
Irexes checks.
** Dealing Flop ** [ , , ]
Broedhode bets [55].
Irexes calls [55].
Alin1975 folds.
Maridu folds.
** Dealing Turn ** [ ]
Broedhode bets [125].
Irexes calls [125].
** Dealing River ** [ ]
Broedhode bets [200].
Irexes folds.
Broedhode does not show cards.
Broedhode wins 680 chips

Anyone any thoughts on slowplay/calling V raising or check raising with the nuts? Any rules of thumb you use to decide whether to take it down or try and milk it?

haha shitty river. I usually like to minraise the turn with the nuts, but that probably wouldn't have done much anyway. You WANT him to be there on the river, it just sucks that it was a card that kills your hand.

I wouldn't call it an excellent laydown though :P

if one of them has an A you are going to double up, so I don't see why slow play it, if they don't have an ace you arent getting much.

Turn, now if he has a J you are gonna double up too, so way slowplay?

River?

I think I am too curious to fold for that small amount.

You're right Beav I should have raised the turn big, he would have called with an A or J.

I'm comfortable with the river fold. I'm sure (as you can ever be) he had an A or J, I didn't need to pay to see it.

The reason I posted this was because it is so out of character for me to slowplay, I usually jam the pot when I have strength with a board that will yield likely callers. Serves me right.

Irexes,

The decision to slow play is one involving three main factors.

First - pot size. In this case, the pot was small, so your opponents are not pot committed. Because of this, you would like them to take a stab at the pot, so slow playing seems like a good idea based on this factor alone.

Second - your hand strength. A set is a strong hand, but, particularly in the case of bottom set, it is not super strong, and can be outdrawn. These outdraws will be costly. Because of this, you should not be slowplaying bottom set too often.

Third - likelyhood that someone will improve to a second-best hand. In this case, it is unlikely that anyone will improve to a hand that they like a lot, because of the ace on the board. If anyone has an ace, they have top pair already, and will likely be calling with it. Because of this, slowplaying is not a good option.

I would advise raising on the flop to t125.


Edward M
NWPokerSchool Instructor

If he just has an ace, he'll outdraw you to a better FH about 5% of the time (with no flush draw).

If he has 2 pair, he'll outrdraw you about 16% of the time.

Either way, you are going to lose once in a while. It is going to happen. Try not to beat yourself up so much.

That being said, if the A or J hasn't hit him, you aren't getting any action anyway. So fire away, and fire hard.

I find that many opponents shut down on the river when I try to get paid off too much. I'm sure they start seeing all the hands that could beat them and shrivel up a little. That's why I try and get the fun going on the turn, when they both look to have improved and still have some hope (however faint) that they'll improve.