Overcard Play

Hi ...

As a beginner one of the hands that is troubling me is how aggresively to play overcards, and when to give them away if you don't hit anything. I realise there are a lot of variables, not least of which a read on how likely an opponent is to be intimidated into choosing to fold.

Here's an example from today ... given he called UTG and didnt raise I thought high PP unlikely ... then he called my raise I'm thinking maybe he has KQ, KJ or Ax. The J on the turn concerned me if he had KJ but at this point I've raised consistently so I figure a bet on the turn I still have outs and he might think I have AA or KK. I'm sure I played this poorly, but appreciate some pointers where my logic is wrong , and/or recommendations on good threads on this topic that have been posted previously.

Thanks!

Ultimate Bet No-Limit Hold'em, $.02 BB (10 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

UTG+1 ($1.98)
UTG+2 ($2.28)
MP1 ($1.53)
MP2 ($2)
MP3 ($2)
Hero ($2.68)
Button ($.63)
SB ($1.47)
BB ($.13)
UTG ($2.35)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q:club:, A:heart:. MP2 posts a blind of $0.02. MP3 posts a blind of $0.02.
UTG calls $0.02, UTG+1 calls $0.02, 2 folds, MP2 (poster) checks, MP3 (poster) checks, Hero raises to $0.12, 3 folds, UTG calls $0.10, UTG+1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 folds.

Flop: ($0.33) 2:heart:, T:heart:, 9:club: (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.33, UTG calls $0.33.

Turn: ($0.99) J:club: (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $0.5, UTG calls $0.50.

River: ($1.99) 5:spade: (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks.

Final Pot: $1.99

Results in white below:
UTG has Kc Td (one pair, tens).
Hero has Qc Ah (high card, ace).
Outcome: UTG wins $1.99.

I think you played it fine, but at these stakes raise it to 20cents or more. I have a lot of experience there. Camp for AQ+ and raise it 20+ cents.

You ran into a calling station and bluffed him beyond the flop unimproved...you still had plenty of outs, and you bought a free showdown, which is certainly one way to go...I don't think it was poorly played, though I tend to check the turn and take my free card and then fold to any respectable river bet.

Good repping of overpair. However, please don't rep the hands you don't have because for those typical $2NL opponents "putting someone on hand" is beyond their thinking comprehension :)

On $25NL those tricks rarely work too, maybe on missed drawing boards or if opponent flopped total zilch, but that's it. If they see any piece of flop that fits to their hand you can be in trouble....

OK thanks all appreciate the advice. I guess thats the hard part in starting from a limited BR ($100 in my case) ... I'm reading a lot of stuff and trying to put it into practice and most of it probably doesn't apply at micro limit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buzz

I'm reading a lot of stuff and trying to put it into practice and most of it probably doesn't apply at micro limit.

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Play more hands in position and make them pay you off when you hit.

2-barrel bluffing on a super draw-heavy board is almost certainly -EV at these stakes. If you are going to fire the second barrel, it's gotta be a lot more, like pot sized. But that's besides the point. I would just check the turn and hope to hit one of your overs on the river.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buzz

I'm reading a lot of stuff and trying to put it into practice and most of it probably doesn't apply at micro limit.

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It all applies. You just have to play enough hands to start realising what situations it applies in. You will find rocks even at 2NL. You need to start recognising what types of players people are and learn what sort of way to play against each type. Im talking really generally here. If you just roughly know the VPIP(percentage of times the volentarily put $$ into the pot) and PFR(% of times raised preflop) then thtat will go along way.

Until then though... just dont bluff more than the flop with just overcards. In some games Cbetting is just a waste of time altogether.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pelion

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buzz

I'm reading a lot of stuff and trying to put it into practice and most of it probably doesn't apply at micro limit.

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It all applies. You just have to play enough hands to start realising what situations it applies in. You will find rocks even at 2NL.

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True enough, PT rates me as a rock at the moment, although I'm trying to get more aggressive post-flop.

I'm playing at UB mostly, I've left Poker Tracker data mining a bit so I have a reasonable database on UB 2nl players. I try to look up each players stats as you mention before I begin playing hands at that table. It has proven very useful at times.