Tag Archives: bluffing

At an Online Tournament

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Hello,

Just the other night, I joined an online tournament with $10 buy in. Earlier, I was moved to a new table with approximately $7500, this was in chips. By the way, I started with $5000 and the blinds back then were at $100/200 and were moving almost twice just within 30 minutes.

I believe the room was filled with loose players as well as tight players. At some point, I was able to have pocket fives in the BB. Few minutes and middle position player, player in cutoff, and on the button limped in. SB folded and I just checked. Flop came and brought 765 rainbow, thus giving me a set of 5s. I then placed $800 bet while middle position player folded. For approximately $2200 player in cutoff moved all-in. Player on button followed for approximately $7000, that eventually had me covered. I then called though there was much risk as I was hoping the board would be a pair.

Later, player in cutoff turned over J7 unsuited while player on button had 43 unsuited. Turn and river came but were blanks and so I was busted out.

Now as I look back, I know I’ve committed couple of mistakes. I believe I should have raised pre-flop. It was an honest mistake as I believe there are too many loose and strange calls in small buy-in tournaments that actually make effective reading and bluffing not possible. I also believe that I should have considered the idea that the button had the straight or at least had a hand that had me beat. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Gifford
Gifford,

I think you played correctly preflop. Pocket fives are really not a raising hand. Raising may have thinned the field, but you said the field was a mixed bag. A raise may or may not have worked. Pocket fives are limping hand, in the hopes to flop a set.

Beyond that, I think you played the hand find. You flopped a set, bet and then the cutoff moved all in. The button flopped a near miracle hand and moved all in. You were correct to call the bets. Also remember that you had 8 outs to still win after the flop.

I would have played it the same way and probably went broke too.

Flipping Cards Over to Another Player

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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.

Not Sure of My Moves

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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.