Might Have Folded the Turn

Hello,

I played a $69+6 Double Stack online tournament with 3k starting chips just the other night. At some point, I just found myself in the BB with KK. By the way, blinds were 50-100.

There were three players left, player A, player B, and me. Back then, I had 4.9k, player A who was the small blind had 13k and player B who was in the second position had 5.6k.

At near mid-part, player B was leading with a 350 raise, player A called, while I raised to 700. Eventually, two players called. Flop came and was 8-3-t rainbow. I then placed a bet 1800. Two Players again called. Later, I just found myself bothered thinking of the set of 10s. In the end, I just decided to call due to some factors/reasons like the poor possibility that a certain player has a straight, the chance that I might lose to a set, etc.

Afterwards, player B pushed through while player A called. I remember player B had JJ and player A had 88. Quite surprisingly, I ended being the chip leader therefore I knew then that I’ve made justice to the hand. However, I’m wondering if you were on my shoes, could you have folded the turn? How about in a cash game?

Thanks!

Regards,
Berner
Berner,

If I really thought I was behind to a set of 10’s on the flop or if there was an all-in and a call before me on the turn, I would think my A’s were no good. I would have folded too. Probably would have done the same in a cash game too. Although, I would have probably reraised on the flop.

On Scary Flop

Hello,

Just the other day, I joined no-limit tourney. From 1183 players, we were eventually trimmed down to 5. Unfortunately, I can’t exactly recall the stack sizes. But somehow, I believe they were 700K 500K 325K 297K 112K.

On the other hand, blinds were 8 to16K, and moving up to 10 to 20K in roughly 5 minutes or so.

In middle position, I have pocket AAs. Well the table was fine then but only with many limping and folding and all. At some point, I raised two times the blind to get me heads up. However, it was folded to the big blind, who eventually opted to call. Flop came and was 10-10-9 rainbow. I then placed 40K as my bet however my opponent re-raised me in an instant to 80K. Thinking that I’ll be more or less the underdog, I called. Turn then came and was a blank. My opponent placed 45K as his bet into a pot of 232K and so I folded. Afterwards, he showed J-9 off suit.

Now, as I look back, I know I misplayed the hand. Somehow, I’ve stumbled on these stuff:

  1. I know for a fact that raising with AA is always a balance between narrowing the field down to a heads up situation and determining the kind of hand range you are up to. Badly, because I have given him the chance to call, he was then obliged to do so.
  2. Supposedly, I should have placed more bet on the flop to better specify the situation. On the flip side, I was more into re-raising.
  3. I realize I should have called the turn, though it was a value bet. Also, I should have considered the odds which was 6-1 then, it was already so good actually.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Jon Jablonski
Jon,

My thought is that if you are going to call on the flop, you would be better off raising to make him either commit or to push him off the hand. If on the turn you thought you were behind, folding to his be is the right move. If you called his all in and he had trip 10’s or a full house, then you 5% to win. You would not have odds. I would have put him all-in on the flop.

Flipping Cards Over to Another Player

Hello,

Me and some friends played holdem the other night. A dispute appeared because of a certain move.

If I could remember it right, after the flop of the river card, a bet was made. Then there was player 2 who paused for some time as he doesn’t know what to do next. Few minutes passed and he then took his cards and put them in the hand of another player to show off his strength. Consequently, he announced that he was apprehensive as he may lose to a higher full house or the like.

At some point, player 2 never had his cards back to him. Well, the cards were actually in front of the player who was not in for the pot anymore. The cards were faced down. Player 3 then intruded and asked what should happen next. I then explained that player 2 folded and so as player 3 therefore player 1 should win the pot.

Player 1 as a reaction then showed his hand to inform everyone he wasn’t bluffing ever since the game started. Player 2 after knowing what player 1 had said that he’d be betting, therefore we we jumped over him without any doubt.

Personally, I believe that in the event player 2 flipped his cards over to another player, he will be disqualified from the upcoming betting rounds as well as from taking home the winnings. Am I right?

Thanks!

Peter Chik
Peter,

You were mistaken. Player 2 showed his card to a player that is not in a hand. While this is an ethical violation, it is not one that will cause his hand to be dead. The hand should have been played out. Player 1 showing his hand does not kill the action either. Player 2 still has the option to bet if he so desires.

Also, the player should not be asking advice of other players. While this does not affect the hand he is in. He may receive a penalty for doing.

A simple way to alleviate this in the future would be to institute a house rule that players may not show their hand to anyone while the hand is still in play.

Players Betting Out of Turn

Hi,

In my game last night, something came up. After a flop, I was actually the first one to bet. Player to my left checked the bet out of turn while the following player seated just behind him placed a bet. I believe then they had played or bet out of turn. Knowing the situation, I tried to use it to my advantage. However, somebody did told me that I’ll be required to fold later in case I’d still do whatever in my mind. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

O’Neil
O’Neil,

The player that bet due to the check of another should have been told to take his bet back and the action allowed to proceed as normal. You should not have been told to fold.

Showing and Seeing Hands

Hello,

I would like to clarify some stuff.

  1. Is it true that you only have to show your hand to someone that has called or raised? I remember you once stated in one of your sections that specifically in holdem any player can see another player’s pocket cards once they’ve been mucked, but of course the requesting player has called or raised the last bet made.

  2. Yes, I remember you said that folded hand can only be seen by a player as long as he has called or raised the last bet made. However, I can remember vaguely as well that you stated that the player could see the hand as long as he called the river or even bet or raised it. Sorry, but I’m confused.

    Maybe, to make things clear, consider this:

    River was turned and eventually it was time to show. There were five players left. Player A placed a bet, player B folded, while player C haven’t acted as he was already out since the flop. Player D called and so as player E. Player A then revealed the winner. Players D and E have folded.

    Now, who gets the chance to take a look at the cards of player D? How about player E’s?

Please, I need your expertise.

Thanks!

Warm regards,
Lemire
Lemire,

  1. If the river was bet and called, then the player has the rights to see each other’s cards. If one of the players mucks their hands, then the other player may request to see the hand.
  2. Both players can see player D’s hands. The same applies to player E’s. When a bet has been called on the river, the remaining players in the hand have the rights to see each others hands.

Lost Big Because of Bluffing

Hi,

Assume that on the board were three 8′s and two players were still in. At near end, player A placed a huge bet to look as if he had the other 8. However, the other player, player B, said that he already folded the other 8. Unfortunately, player A lost a big amount because he tried to bluff.

Any thoughts or insights?

Thanks,
Stenmann
Stenmann,

First, the player that said that they folded the eight was out of line. A player is not allowed to give information about their hand when action is still going on. If it were a tournament, he would have probably received a penalty. If that was my home game, the player that spoke up would not be invited back.

On Heads Up

Hi,

I’ll start by sharing that I was once a tenderfoot in the game of poker, specifically in Texas Holdem. I tried to research then and study the basics of the game to eventually improve myself and my skills. However, at a three-six table at the Nugget casino in Sparks Nevada something happened that distracted me. The dealer joined our game on his break. At such instance, I was on the button holding A,5 suited. Following scene was that I raised the blind and had three callers. I don’t why but quite to my surprise one of the callers was the dealer. Of course, flop came and was J, 5, 2 rainbow. Afterwards, the table checked to me and so I bet. Once again, I had three callers. Turn came and was a 7. Again, the table checked to me and so I bet one more time. At that point, two folded while the dealer called. Then river card came and was a 3. The dealer then placed a bet therefore I raised as if I have JJ.

Later on, the dealer played with his chips and all. Afterwards, he suddenly exposed his pocket cards. Does it mean he folded? For me, exposing your cards was like folding other way around.

Well, I remember he had A, 7 by which had me beat. I then turned my cards over, had them in the middle and collected the pot. Quite surprising, he said loudly he’d call.

Can you please explain to me if he could actually call? I’m confused to be honest.

Thanks!

Regards,
Weatherford
Weatherford,

His hand was not dead when he exposed his cards. Exposing your hand does not constitute a fold and he was within his rights to call.

Not Sure of My Moves

Hi there!

I played poker last night. At near mid part of the event, a player went all in although he only had river card to show up. I remember I had the A-10 straight then and a draw to the Queen high flush. On the board, well, a flush was possible however he seemed like bluffing and all. Eventually, I flopped my cards over and announced that I’ll still be pondering on if I’d call his bet or not. At such point, many players have given their opinions. Few minutes passed and I called all in. He had a two pair and so I won. He then had his cards as well as chips in and afterwards left in an instant. Well, without saying anything, we have had people throw cards up before.

Am I right by doing all of those?

Thanks!

Dino Todd
Dino,

Exposing your hand before calling an all-in move has been outlawed in tournament poker. This is considered a move used to get extra information in an unfair way. Some casinos allow this in a cash game, some do not. Many pro’s don’t like that this rule is in place, but the only reason one uses this is as a move trying to get a read.

Your opponent thought you were cheating, and based on the rules, you were.

My Hand Never Touched the Muck

Hi,

Last night, I believe I played the dumbest game of my life. At mid part I guess, I called a bet and I was actually all in on the turn with top pair and an outside straight draw. I was also heads up against someone and suddenly he turned over the nuts. If I can remember it right, somebody at the table said that he had folded an ace beforehand. I don’t know why but it was too late for me to realize my cards face down, I believe the dealer then was already turning the final card. River then came and was one of the two remaining Aces in the deck. I then tried to get back my hand from the dealer after realizing what a fool I am. Honestly, my hand was on a face down but it has not touched the muck anyway. However, a certain player believed that I mucked. Later, the house man sided on him and so gave to him the winnings. The dealer who was the one holding the hand silently disagreed as for him the hand never touched the muck.

Any thoughts regarding the incident. Was the house man right for giving the winnings to the other player? Please, I need to hear your opinion on this.

In advance, thank you.

Gallagher
Gallagher,

If you were all in against one player, your hand should have been turned face up. When a player is all in, their hand cannot be mucked by the dealer.

You should have pointed out that you were all in and had not mucked. You should have been allowed to show your hand.