JJ early in 90-man turbo

**Wallace** · 04-02-2009

I think the key to reading this villians hand is his action after the flop. You only raised to 4X the BB so the SB who happens to be the chip leader at the table could be calling with any 2 cards.

The pot size is 540 and this guy leads with a near min bet of 120. What does that tell you about his hand? He could be doing multiple things here. He could have flopped a pair and wants to see what you're going to do. He could be trying to control the action with a draw, hoping that you have 2 overs and will just smooth call, giving him a discounted look at the turn.

One thing I don't think this player has here is a set. If he had flopped a set, he's either going to put a real bet at the pot because of the straight/flush potential, or he's going to slow play it and hope for a check raise.

Best this player can be holding right now would be 2 pair, which could be very likely. He may also have a hand like A8 and think he's up against a bigger ace. Another hand that is likely is a pair of 9s or 10s.

If he's holding a draw, he's not going to re-raise you after you have already re-raised him, especially an amount that you're very likely to call. If this player is going to re-raise with a monster draw, it's going to be something to put you to the test.

I don't have the best read on players online, but if this was a live game I'd say this player was holding 78, A8 or 99.

**Xopods** · 04-03-2009

First, let me say that I agree with everyone's general point, that I should have just shoved and hoped he wasn't as strong as I feared. I've often said that paranoia is the most detrimental feeling at the poker table... back when I played a lot of HU, my advice to people was not to second guess themselves, and to try to make plays that induce paranoia in the opponent. Here, I'm falling into exactly that trap.

I disagree that he can't have a set though. It felt to me like the plays made by a player who ordinarily slowplays a set, but has had them cracked several times recently, and been ridiculed for not betting them on a draw-heavy board. He knows he's supposed to bet, but is still scared that I'm going to fold and not pay off his monster. Also, I don't think many players at these stakes really draw that much distinction between a set and two pair - anything that beats one pair is the nuts... so if he can have two pair, I think he can have a set as well.

But you're right that he could just have some marginal hand and is min re-raising to find out if I'm just trying to steal or not. So often, donks make a weak bet because they don't want you to bluff them... but then when you raise them, convince themselves that you're actually more likely to be bluffing because their bet looked so weak. As I told 22Fish at one point, I've learned not to bluff someone who's min-betting every street, because it's the donk equivalent of warning coloration in the wild - they're telling you "I don't really want a lot of money to go in the pot, but I have something and I'm not folding it, so don't even try." That being the case, an overpair is the perfect time to ship it against that kind of betting pattern; however, normally a player taking that particular line would just call the flop and min-bet/call or check/call the rest of the way. It was the min reraise that sent up warning flags for me.

I guess we'll never know now. But I think you're all right, and I'm just a gigantic pussy.

**Wallace** · 04-03-2009

Originally Posted by Xopods

I guess we'll never know now. But I think you're all right, and I'm just a gigantic pussy.

HAHAHAHAHAHA Too funny.

At least you didn't dump too many chips into that hand. It won't haunt you for more than a day.

**KRE8R** · 04-03-2009

Wallace and Xopods you guys need to get avatars real bad.

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