This was my first hand at the table - I had been watching the previous hands as I was waiting for the BB. The villain in this hand had lost 2 large pots, both of which saw him all in pre-flop. The first hand he was up against a short stack (~$10) with A8 against the Shorty's AA. Then up against a large stack (~$80) with 88 against the large stack's AA. He has just reloaded for $50.

EDIT : 0.25c / 0.50c 6-Max No-Limit HE

Hero $25 in BB
Villain $50 in SB



Hero dealt :



The whole table limps round to the SB who min-raises up to $1



I decided to re-raise big for a number of reasons:

1) Potentially win the pot right there ($3.50)
2) Establish an aggressive image
3) Isolate SB
4) Cut down implied odds for small - mid PP's
5) Value

I raised it up to $5, everyone folds round to the SB who calls.



Pot : $12

Flop:




Villain checks. I felt this was a near perfect flop for me as I wasn't overly worried about the flush draw.


I bet $8, villain calls.



Pot : $28

Turn:




Villain checks. I didn't really want to see this card as AQ is a possible hand for villain, but with $28 in the pot and me just having $12 left I push and villain calls.



I felt that i played the hand well and would play it the same way again, so any critisicm would be appreciated.

Bonus Question : What did villain turn over?

You played the hand well. What did villain have? um, KQss, A10, QQ? No idea to be honest.

Well played, but if he calls your turn bet I expect to lose this hand. I just cant see him making this call with AJ or lower.

Bonus question: 88, A8?

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Villian min-raises the whole table? In a no-limit ring game that kind of raise is nothing short of donkish and I'm now suspicious this guy has a serious case of Fancy Play Syndrome! Either that or he's a fish of the bottom feeding varity and has ATM stamped on his forehead!

I suppose it's possible villian is slowplaying a big hand but you've already said you saw two pocket aces while waiting for your first hand - what's that? 2 pocket AA in two hands and now the villian maybe slowplaying a 3rd in three? That's pushig probability to the extreme!

I can't fault your play except to point out you were playing too short stacked. With TPTK firing a second shot is reasonabe enough especially with 2 flush draws now on the board and you only had enough to cut the drawing odds with an all-in anyway. With a less threating board you might have checked to see what nemo would do - like inducing a bluff - but that may be giving him a free card to outdraw you so it's a toss up imo. You'd have to ck-raise any bet with all-in anyway so you'd might as well make the bet yourself. Then of course there is the possibility you're already dead but he's given no indication of that other than calling pf and flop which tells me he has something and is most likely on a draw or less likely - trapping with A-8.

What did he have? Since he called a 5xbb re-raise (vs his min-raise and 4 limpers) and then called pf, flop and turn he'd better have at least one ace or one 8 else he's in disperate need of help for his gambling addiction.

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He sucked out on the river with didn't he?

Villain turned over




Aces-o-8s must be right that this guy has a gambling problem - either that or he has the latest version of Pattern mapper!!!