Champions of Poker

Hi,

Before my question, I would like to share something first. Just recently, I hosted an 11 man home tourney. I remember there were some aggressive college students who came and then keenly watched.

Earlier, there were more all ins than usual. Good as I thought I was able to move up slightly. However, I found out afterwards that there was a trouble ahead. I found a little under-dressed, off-suit.

Eventually, I raised three times the big blind. Consequently, table folded around except for one player who pushed all in all the way. The said player was actually the big stack. I believe he was just making fun then with a low pair. Later, I called all in while he flipped pocket sevens. On the flop, he was able to catch his 7 and so I was then busted out.

Now, I’m curious because of some stuff. When facing the big stack, should I consider folding A-K off thinking that I might be in a coin flip situation at some point? Also, do you think I should wait to push a smaller stack all-in in order for me to later on see where I stand considering the cards I have?

Another thing, I believe I am a much better player and so because of this I should have reduced volatility. What’s your thoughts on this?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Thanks and nice site!

Regards,
John Eastwood
John,

A-K against a chip leader is a tricky hand. Some people think it is great, but is really just a glorified drawing hand. I would have folded this hand preflop after the reraise unless I was short stacked. If I was short stacked, then I would have played it. Being all in short for a coin flip is not that bad a situation.

Hello,

For more than a month now, I’ve been playing holdem online. Just weeks ago, I decided to improve my skills as I already considered the game fun and exciting. I started to add more hours to my playing time and then make some adjustments with how I see my cards. I also stopped focusing on how other players play. Well, all my efforts eventually paid off. In a WPT tourney, I ended having the 7th place.

Luckily, I got then the chance to see your site. Thanks to you and your site as I was able to learn not only what the good cards are but also what the bad ones are. I was also able to learn how to play, when to play, so on and so forth.

Because of the many things I learned, in a $1 tourney just recently, I was the 2nd placer out of 1300 players who joined. And in a $5 tourney early this morning, I was in the 24th place out of 900, not so bad I believe.

Despite the achievements I got, I still have some questions to ask. One of the most intriguing to me actually is the one about closing the deal. How do you actually close the deal? In the two recent events where I got the 2nd and 24th place, I had high chip count later part. I tried to play loosely then and tried two bluffs as well. I’m thinking of posting and folding then but I’m not sure.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks!

Engelbert
Englebert,

In the later part of the tournament you need to punish the short stacks and force them to either play for all their chips or lay down. Don’t get into too many big confrontations with big stacks unless you have a strong hand. Otherwise, try and see flops cheaply and punish your opponents when you hit the board strong.

When you get to the last few players, open up your hand ranges a bit to try and take the win. Two big cards, any ace, any pair, and large suited cards are strong hands 4 handed through heads up. Otherwise, continue to play small pot poker and see cheap flops.

I was in a game of $10 buy-in last week. Earlier part of the game, I was the chip leader with pocket 6s and a flopped set. However, later on, my cards dried up, therefore I had to tighten up. Also, my stack decreased after I paid blinds.

Following rounds and I folded, also limped into hands with suited connectors. I was in the small blind when I was dealt AQ suited. A certain player called the blind while others folded without doubts.

Later, I had to raise 2,000 hoping to steal or else have some excitement and then win the pot. Unfortunately, I was re-raised by the big blind, the second-biggest stack. Others folded immediately while I called afterwards.

Few seconds passed and he flipped over Jacks.

Now I was thinking if I made the right call. What’s your thoughts on this?

Thanks!

Irwin
Irwin,

Both of you woke up with big hands in the blinds. A-Q against just the big blind is usually a favorite. He just happened to wake up with a pair. You still had over cards however.

I would like more information on your stack. If you were short stacked, then this call was fine. If you had a medium or larger stack, then this may have been a poor call as this was one of the stacks that could bust you.

Overall I think that it was a case of two reasonable hands going to war and you happened to be on the short end of the stick.

Hi there!

I’m having problems now with regards to winning at live tournaments specifically those friendly ones.

Monday night I played and in the big blind had 7-6. Flop came and was 5-8-9. Thus, I then got a straight. My opponent back then was obviously a newbie and so my focus was not much to him but to the pot instead. I wanted to have as many chips into the pot actually. Luckily, I was able have a few.

Then turn came and was a K. My opponent afterwards went all in, well, it was because of my convincing power. River followed and was a Q. He then was able to have a straight, a straight that was far better than mine.

Just to share with you another incident. Last night in a certain event I had A-10. Flop came and was Q-10-3. My opponent then placed a big amount while I placed him on a bluff. I thought he would fold then and so I raised all in. Unfortunately, I was wrong as he didn’t fold instead he called with K-7o.

With those two events, what do you think was wrong with me? Have I played too aggressively? Any advice?

Thanks!

Best regards,
Hutchin
Hutchin,

In the first hand, you just got unlucky. You had your opponent all-in and your were ahead.

The second hand you did play a little aggressive, but you were indeed ahead when he called you. I’m assuming that the player caught a king as you asked what you did wrong there.

In both cases you were ahead when the player went all-in. For situations like those, you can only get your money in as a favorite and hope the cards cooperate to keep you ahead until the end.

Hi,

Before anything, I would like to commend you for having a great site!

Well, I am actually here now because I want to clarify something. For two times in just three months, this situation happened to me. In a small buy-in freeze-out tournament with around 90 players, I would try to play tightly and aggressively. At certain point, I will then have a-k and j-j. I would then raise four times the big blind and then have three or four callers. Flop would appear but not that significant, therefore I’ll be kicked off. Gradually, my stack will decrease. Then when blinds were 30 and 60 and I had 120 points left, I will go all in with a pair of 8’s, some other time a pair of 6´s. Later, two callers would appear with two over cards so obviously, I can’t anymore take home the pot.

I’m not so sure with the way I played. Anything in mind?

Thanks!
Agren
Agren,

A-K is a drawing hand at best. It must hit in order to be strong. Otherwise, it’s ace high and not that powerful. If the flop did not produce overcards, I am surprised you were folding Jacks so easily. Unless there was significant action from other players, there is no reason to believe that Jacks are beat.

As far as your middle pairs getting beat, the problem here is that you are waiting to long to push with a hand. When you do, it will not scare opponents off and they will take coin flips with you to eliminate you, especially if they have plenty of chips.

Hello,

I played no limit holdem with some friends early this evening. Back then I was short stack and was only getting not so good yet not so bad cards.

At some point, almost everyone folded. The player with the big stack went on his way differently. He was loose then actually but was betting aggressively. I remember the first bet was the minimum BB and I had a 7h Js then. Eventually, two of us have seen the flop, three more hearts. Well, to a flush, I had one, however not that huge.

Later part, my opponent placed a bet first – $2,000. With $3,200, I called him all-in. Next thing happened was he has seen the all-in. Then, it was finally revealed that he had a King in hand and one on the flop. Well, I’ve taken the challenge to bet as I was hoping then that I could improve the situation I was into. Unfortunately, I never had the flush but on the flip side I don’t have any regrets for betting.

Any comment?

Thanks,
Mankin
Mankin,

What you had there was a semi-bluff raise all-in. The only problem I see with this was the fact that you were against a big stack that played loose. In this case, I think he is calling with any sort of reasonable hand. You should have reserved this move to use against someone that would have given you credit for a hand and that would have folded.

Hi,

For some time now, I’ve been playing step tournament at Party Poker. In one of my games, I was dealt 9Qo. A certain player then checked before me and I as a result raised a not so big amount. Eventually, two players called. Flop came and was 9Q9. Because of this, I went all in. Not really expected, the player just before me went all in. At such instance, I was sure I had him beat. But I don’t know why, when the cards were flipped over, he had KK. Turn then came and was K. River followed and was 8. In the end, I came home with nothing.

Now, I’m curious if I played just right. What do you think? Was it sensible to go all in?

Thanks,
CB McCoy
CB,

What position were you in? If you were in late position and raised, then that isn’t that bad a play preflop. Personally, Q-9 is one of my favorite hands to play because when it hits strong, it is well disguised. You hit the flop super strong and someone with Kings went all in. He then got lucky.

I don’t think you played bad overall. If I were you and were in that situation, I would have played it the same way.

I would not have called a raise preflop with that hand however. Q-9 is a hand to see a flop cheaply with or play in position.

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.

Hello,

I played poker the other night with two friends James and Matthew. James had an Ace with two aces on the board back then while Matthew had pocket jacks with a jack on the board. Matthew eventually discovered that James had the ace and so put up his cards.

James had 3 aces while Matthew had a full house jacks full of aces. However, Matthew haven’t discovered this until later on when James took the chips and placed them in pile.

By the way, the situation looked like:

James- A 3 Matthew - J J Board- A J 8 6 A

Do you think Matthew should give James the money? Or else he should just keep it safe as James had an error?

Thanks,
Haarstick
Haarstick,

If this was in a casino, the dealer should have divided up the pot and sent the money to the other player. If your friend discovered the error during the hand, then James should pay back the money. If the error was discovered or thought about later, there really isn’t much that can be done since the next hand has been played.

Hello,

I’m just wondering, can a player reveal his cards in the event he has already went all-in before the end of the hand and is just waiting for the other players left in the side pot to finish betting? Say there were three remaining players, player A, player B, and player C. Player A has $20, player B has $30, and player C has $5. At some point, player C went all in before the flop while player A and C opted to call. Do you think because he was into betting and was just waiting for the betting to finish, he can then flip his cards over?

Thanks!

Regards,
Polk
Polk,

When a player goes all in and two or more players are in the pot, the all-in player must wait until the end of the hand and the side pot, if any, is determined between the other players.