4 Hands for Beginners to See

I decided to post some examples of hands I believe were played well or just correctly from today's session. I think stuff like this is very good for the Beginner's Circle. Feel free to comment.

Hand #1

Villain is a bit over being a 1/2 stack here. After he raised my flop bet I thought he was probably not getting away from his hand and decided to let him hang himself. He probably would've called if I pushed over his raise, but I thought the easiest way to get his money in would be on the turn since the pot was huge compared to his remaining stack.

25NL - 9 Players

saw flop|saw showdown

Hero ($25.00)
UTG ($18.50)
UTG+1 ($28.75)
MP1 ($4.70)
MP2 ($8.75)
MP3 ($21.00)
CO ($36.50)
Button ($16.10)
SB ($7.40)

Preflop: Hero is BB with K, K.
5 folds, CO calls $0.25, Button calls $0.25, SB completes, Hero raises to $1.5, CO folds, Button calls $1.25, SB calls $1.25.

Flop: ($4.75) 6, Q, 4 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $3.5, Button raises to $7, SB folds, Hero calls $3.50.

Turn: ($18.75) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $7.6 (All-In), Hero calls $7.60.

River: ($33.95) T (2 players, 1 all-in)

Final Pot: $33.95

Results in white below:
Hero has Kd Ks (one pair, kings).
Button has Qs Jc (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins $33.95.

__________________________________________________ _____________

Hand #2

I wasn't sure what a minraise meant from this guy yet. My guess is he's just a chronic minraiser and that's how he raises everything (High PP's + Paint, etc.). So after I miss the flop and check he throws out a REALLY weak c-bet. These extremely weak bets are usually a bad attempt at a bluff. Sometimes they are the nuts and you have to take note of the players who do this with strength. So after the CO folded I tested villain out and raised.

25NL - 9 Players

saw flop|saw showdown

MP3 ($12.85)
CO ($13.00)
Button ($10.10)
SB ($24.20)
BB ($5.85)
UTG ($14.25)
UTG+1 ($28.90)
Hero ($25.25)
MP2 ($25.05)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 6, 6.
2 folds, Hero calls $0.25, 1 fold, MP3 raises to $0.5, CO calls $0.50, 3 folds, Hero calls $0.25.

Flop: ($1.90) J, 7, 7 (3 players)
Hero checks, MP3 bets $0.5, CO folds, Hero bets $2, MP3 folds.

Final Pot: $4.40

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins $4.40.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Hand #3

This hand is just classic value betting. Villain could easily be on a draw. On the river the straight and flush draws both completed so I checked and was prepared to call any weak bets. Luckily he checked as well and I'm guessing he had a weaker Q. For some reason I couldn't see his mucked cards this time.

25NL - 10 Players

saw flop|saw showdown

Button ($20.80)
SB ($25.85)
Hero ($23.75)
UTG ($11.15)
UTG+1 ($21.50)
UTG+2 ($44.30)
MP1 ($30.00)
MP2 ($18.30)
MP3 ($44.85)
CO ($27.70)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, T.
UTG calls $0.25, 3 folds, MP2 calls $0.25, 3 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($1.25) 5, 7, Q (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.75, UTG calls $0.75, MP2 folds, SB folds.

Turn: ($2.75) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $1.85, UTG calls $1.85.

River: ($6.45) 6 (2 players)
Hero checks, UTG checks.

Final Pot: $6.45

Results in white below:
Hero has Qs Ts (one pair, queens).
UTG doesn't show. (8s 6s)
Outcome: Hero wins $6.45.

__________________________________________________ __________________

Hand #4

I hit my set (YAY)! It's a flush board (BOO)! It's unlikely that someone flopped a flush so I have to bet out for value and to charge draws. I usually bet like 3/4 pot on the flop - not sure why I didn't. Maybe I accidentally typed a "1" instead of a "7." Anyways the turn sucks so I checked looking to call a bet and improve my hand. The river helped me so I bet the pot and got paid. Hollywood didn't show the mucked cards again so we can only guess - probably a flush.

25NL - 9 Players

saw flop|saw showdown

MP1 ($12.00)
MP2 ($4.60)
MP3 ($20.15)
CO ($11.20)
Button ($18.60)
SB ($8.25)
BB ($25.00)
Hero ($25.95)
UTG+1 ($26.20)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with 6, 6.
Hero calls $0.25, 1 fold, MP1 checks, MP2 calls $0.25, 2 folds, Button calls $0.25, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($2) 2, 6, A (6 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $1.1, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Button calls $1.10, SB folds, BB folds.

Turn: ($4.20) T (2 players)
Hero checks, Button checks.

River: ($4.20) 2 (2 players)
Hero bets $4, Button calls $4.

Final Pot: $12.20

Results in white below:
Hero has 6c 6s (full house, sixes full of twos).
Button doesn't show. (5h 2h)
Outcome: Hero wins $12.20.

You can't see mucked cards on Ongame at showdown the way you can at Party, Stars, and Crypto. The only time you'll see them is if you're the caller at the river as the caller gets to show cards last at SD (he won't be able to see yours in his HH in this case). The bettor can muck and keep it a mystery.

if i go to the hollywood website and login and go to the HH section and type in the hand# i can see the mucked cards sooooo

hand 3 - he had
hand 4 - he had

In hand 3 he could easily have a better queen. I check fold that river to all but the weakest of bets.

In hand 4 I think you need to go full pot on the flop.

Originally Posted by HalvSame

In hand 3 he could easily have a better queen. I check fold that river to all but the weakest of bets.

In hand 4 I think you need to go full pot on the flop.

hand 3 - i said i'd call any weak bets. otherwise i'm out.
hand 4 - lol come on man i said i meant to bet $1.70....it's close enough.

1) Given the stack size why not just push the flop, or atleast push the turn? I really dont like leaving myself or an opponent with a stack that is tiny in comparison to the pot because if a scare card hits it going to be harder to get away from the hand. Also, since it is such a small stack in comparison to the pot, that makes it easier to get the money in early. I guess I personally just dont see why we arent trying to get our stacks in on the flop when you even said he'd probably call.

2) This is fine

3) OOP in a 4way pot on a very coordinated board Im not sure I like this bet without some idea of the types of players in this hand. If Im against some loose passive players, which is very likely, then I dont mind this play. My point here is that this is really player dependent and while against some players this is considered value betting, against others you are hanging yourself. If I do bet this board though, Im going to be potting it to help protect against draws in a multiwaypot.

4) Preflop Im raising even in fullring [although I havent played it in awhile], but limping is ok as long as you do this with hands other than small PPs. In a 6way pot if I hit the board Im potting it, regardless of how wet or dry it is simply because I will get more value from the hand that way. Since this flop is monotone, thats even more reason to pot it. I dont think there is anything wrong with the turn, but a more aggressive player may see your check [rightly so] as being scared of the 4th diamond and try to take it away from you and I dont know how much you can really call and expect to get paid off with if you hit a boat. I dont think its horrible by any means though. On the river I think Im betting less given how the hand has played out. If my standard bet was a PSB and the action had gone "Pot-Pot-Pot" then this is fine, but you need to make bets this size with weaker hands as well.

Originally Posted by andy-akb

1) Given the stack size why not just push the flop, or atleast push the turn? I really dont like leaving myself or an opponent with a stack that is tiny in comparison to the pot because if a scare card hits it going to be harder to get away from the hand. Also, since it is such a small stack in comparison to the pot, that makes it easier to get the money in early. I guess I personally just dont see why we arent trying to get our stacks in on the flop when you even said he'd probably call.

2) This is fine

3) OOP in a 4way pot on a very coordinated board Im not sure I like this bet without some idea of the types of players in this hand. If Im against some loose passive players, which is very likely, then I dont mind this play. My point here is that this is really player dependent and while against some players this is considered value betting, against others you are hanging yourself. If I do bet this board though, Im going to be potting it to help protect against draws in a multiwaypot.

4) Preflop Im raising even in fullring [although I havent played it in awhile], but limping is ok as long as you do this with hands other than small PPs. In a 6way pot if I hit the board Im potting it, regardless of how wet or dry it is simply because I will get more value from the hand that way. Since this flop is monotone, thats even more reason to pot it. I dont think there is anything wrong with the turn, but a more aggressive player may see your check [rightly so] as being scared of the 4th diamond and try to take it away from you and I dont know how much you can really call and expect to get paid off with if you hit a boat. I dont think its horrible by any means though. On the river I think Im betting less given how the hand has played out. If my standard bet was a PSB and the action had gone "Pot-Pot-Pot" then this is fine, but you need to make bets this size with weaker hands as well.

1 - During the hand I just felt like my line had a higher chance of getting his money in. I could be wrong though.
3 - How are you not going to bet this? You have top pair. You aren't afraid of an overpair. Yes the board is coordinated which gives us even more reason to bet. And you don't have to pot to protect against draws. It's ok to get drawn out sometimes. Isn't that how you make your money with single pair hands? Betting into chasers?
4 - Raising PF here is personal preference really. On the flop I meant to bet $1.70 and that is close enough! On the turn I felt like a bet would only get called by a better hand. I guess I could bet and try to set my price for the river. On the river yes, perhaps I should've bet less but apparently villain thought his 2's were good so no wimpy betting into him in the future.

Originally Posted by martindcx1e

1 - During the hand I just felt like my line had a higher chance of getting his money in. I could be wrong though.

I really think the money is getting in either way and would rather get it in as soon as possible

Originally Posted by martindcx1e

3 - How are you not going to bet this? You have top pair. You aren't afraid of an overpair. Yes the board is coordinated which gives us even more reason to bet. And you don't have to pot to protect against draws. It's ok to get drawn out sometimes. Isn't that how you make your money with single pair hands? Betting into chasers?

I never said I wouldnt bet here, I said Id want some kind of idea about the kind of players Im playing against before I made that decision. You didnt really give any player specific information here so I have no idea what kind of players are in the pot. Since this board is pretty wet Im going to be
more inclined to bet here but that doesnt change the fact that we are OOP in a multiway pot with a very marginal hand. This simply isnt a hand Im going to be wanting to build a huge pot with unless it is against a very loose passive table. The better the players, the more likely I am to check here, because in this situation the bigger the pot, the more likely Im behind.

Originally Posted by martindcx1e

4 - Raising PF here is personal preference really. On the flop I meant to bet $1.70 and that is close enough! On the turn I felt like a bet would only get called by a better hand. I guess I could bet and try to set my price for the river. On the river yes, perhaps I should've bet less but apparently villain thought his 2's were good so no wimpy betting into him in the future.

Yea, I dont really know how Id play the turn, its a tough spot. On the river Im not necessarily saying always bet less, Im looking at the bigger picture. Either make your other bets bigger so this is your normal bet size for this board, player, etc. or make this one smaller, you dont want big bets to mean big hands.

Originally Posted by andy-akb

The better the players, the more likely I am to check here, because in this situation the bigger the pot, the more likely Im behind.

so vs. good players is your line c/f? i think even decent players call a flop bet with a flush draw here. betting here doesn't create a huge pot. if everyone calls then we have a huge pot. if 1 calls and we bet again we still don't have a huge pot. of course i'm giving up to much resistance at any point.