Using the free card

CARDSON
With this hand, as I was thinking about it during the day today, I was worried that I had made some bad plays and just got lucky on the river.

However, once I really looked at this history, I realized that I bought the free card with my bet on the flop and check on the river. Good thing too as he had the hidden set.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (8 handed) converter

BB ($24.90)
UTG ($48.75)
UTG+1 ($37.75)
MP1 ($16.60)
dar103 ($27.80)
CO ($50.55)
Button ($48.15)
SB ($18.70)

Preflop: dar103 is MP2 with , .
UTG calls $0.50, UTG+1 calls $0.50, MP1 folds, dar103 raises to $2, CO folds, Button folds, SB calls $1.75, BB folds, UTG calls $1.50, UTG+1 calls $1.50.

Flop: ($8.50) , , (4 players)
SB checks, UTG checks, UTG+1 checks, dar103 bets $3.5, SB folds, UTG calls $3.50, UTG+1 folds.

Turn: ($15.50) (2 players)
UTG checks, dar103 checks.

River: ($15.50) (2 players)
Super long pause here before he bet. I really thought he was going to check fold. Once he bet I couldn't raise All In fast enough. Couldn't believe he called that as well.
UTG bets $10.5, dar103 raises to $22.3, UTG calls $11.80.

Final Pot: $60.10

Results below:
UTG has :Tc: :Td: (three of a kind, tens).
dar103 has :Ad: :Qd: (straight, ace high).
Outcome: dar103 wins $60.10.

He gave you the free card becuase he thought you'd bet. You were wise enough not to. Well played.

-'rilla

I actually think he played the hand poorly. He slowplayed the set and got beat. You could hae semi bluffed the flush draw with the 2 clubs on the flop. Then he checks the turn to you. I think your semi bluff was good on the flop because then when you hit the straight, it is hard for him to put you on it since you bet the flop.

He should have check-raised you on the flop or called and then bet the turn. Too much slowplay leads to disasters like this one. I'm not that surprised that he called you at the end - he probably figured you for two pair and didn't expect the straight.

Originally Posted by Darby

I actually think he played the hand poorly. He slowplayed the set and got beat. You could hae semi bluffed the flush draw with the 2 clubs on the flop. Then he checks the turn to you. I think your semi bluff was good on the flop because then when you hit the straight, it is hard for him to put you on it since you bet the flop.

Yep. The lesson to learn being: DO NOT slowplay a set if the board has any hint of danger. Especially not a middle set. And don't offer free cards to someone who probably needs them. Nice play on your part, good catch. But mostly it was just bad play by your opponent! Got to love it, and way to take advantage!

just like it did with this guy losing a straight to a full house

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...pic.php?t=4989

I can't believe you thought that you played this hand poorly for a while. Pretty standard good play on your part, really. You backed up your preflop raise, realized you were beat when he called and took the free card on the turn.

Its not all that bad of a play on his part though, just a bit unlucky that you didn't have a pair and therefore didn't bet the turn, and then unlucky that you caught your gutshot. But I agree that doing the check raise on the flop is better on a flop like this. Calling the all in on the river was the obvious play by him even if he suspected he was beat, given the pot odds.