In a recent home game I was into, a hand came up. Back then, players were divided, some were good but some were not. Blinds were 100/200, about to move to 200/400.

There was one guy who had almost the same amount of money as I do. And under the gun, I saw pocket aces and so I then made it 600 to go. Afterwards, I got three callers. Flop came and brought A-10-6 rainbow. Blinds then folded so it was again my turn to act first. I checked and so the pot then was $2400.

A player just near me then placed a min raise of $200. Eventually, player 2 called when it came to me. I then raised to $700. Player 1 called while 2 folded. Pot then was $4200. Turn came and was Q. Thinking of all the possibilities, I then opened for $1700.

Eventually, he called the bet. I then thought that draws and 2nd pair were not already possible. River then came and was a non-flush Jack. Afterwards, I placed another $2000 as my bet while he called. At showdown, he flipped over K-10 and so wins the pot because of his straight.

Now, do you think I played properly? If not, maybe you could me even a piece of advice then?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Johnston
Johnston,

I would have raised more on the flop. You didn’t raise enough to push people out of the pot. On the turn, if I bet, I’m going to bet close to the size of the pot to chase out any potential draws.

On the river, I am going to have to check there since it is clear that someone may have a straight. I am surprised you didn’t get raised.

In a tourney with a thousand of players, I had 12K in chips and blinds were up at 200/400. Being the first one to act, I called. By the way I had AQ then. Quite disturbing, nobody raised. There were four players keenly observing who saw the flop actually.

Flop then came and was Jd Kd Kc. Other two players checked while the other one placed 800 bet. Except from me, everyone else’s folded. Because I felt like gambling more, I called and then hit the 10 of spades thus giving me a straight. One of the other players then placed 1600 bet and then I raised to 4K. Later, he called.

River then came and was 9. He then opted to check. Afterwards, I decided to bet 1600 and so he went all in. Then I called, but I discovered he had a full house, Kings over nines and so I was busted out.

Now, I’m curious if after the turn I should have decided to go all in, considering he might not actually call pre flop with K J, and he may have with K 10. What do you think? Also, I think it was so foolish of me, though I knew he had a K, I still gave him another card that may complete his full house. However, I also thought that maybe it was not foolishness, I was just unlucky perhaps. The result would have been the same if he called all in on the turn with K9 back then.

But still I was thinking, where did I went wrong? At what point? At not raising pre flop? Or else calling his 800 bet after the flop and drawing to a hand against a tall stack?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you very much!

Lockett Zubak
Lockett,

You were in early position with A-Q. That is not necessarily a raising hand. Some do, I tend not to unless I haven’t played in a bit. On the flop, you had a gutshot straight. You really did not have proper odds to draw to the straight, but you did and hit.

After the flop, I don’t think you opponent is going to fold. He flopped a set. Since you didn’t raise, he has no reason to put you on a king, and even if he did, I still doubt he would fold.

I think that after the flop, you just got unlucky. You sucked out on the turn, and he resucked out on the river.