Breakthrough hand for a long-time "beginner"

I'm one of those average players who break even and get by on the occasional +variance or bonus/rakeback. I've seen probably about 100,000 hands (not sure, because I just started using PT the last 30k or so), but this is the first hand I really "felt it" all come together. I'd like to share this with you. Also, I'd like feed back on what you feel about my play and instincts here.

I'm playing 50PL. I had only seen about 30 hands at this table, but that was enough to see the villain at 40/10/1. He's in the small blind here and raises to 3x bb.

Full Tilt Pot-Limit Hold'em, $0.50 BB (6 handed) - Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($50.60)
Button ($54)
SB ($25.80)
BB ($60.55)
UTG ($39.40)
Hero (MP) ($50.05)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, 4http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif
1 fold, Hero raises to $1.75, 2 folds, SB calls $1.50, BB calls $1.25

Flop: ($5.25) 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif, Khttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($5.25) 7http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif (3 players)
SB bets $2.60, 1 fold, Hero calls $2.60

River: ($10.45) 3http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (2 players)
SB bets $5.20, Hero raises to $26.05, SB calls $16.25 (All-In)

Total pot: $53.35 | Rake: $2.65
He showed KQo and I win with the straight.

Completely missed the flop. Fish slow plays me with a check (first mistake in my opinion, I probably fold on a cbet here). Then the turn gives me a TON more outs with a OESD. So now I have 10 outs. He bets out $2.50, about 1/3 of the pot. Now I'm thinking odds. 10 outs is about 22% chance of hitting the river, which is less then 33.4%, BUT, I'm factoring in implied odds here to take the rest of his stack if I hit trips or the straight, so I called. Then I push on the river after I catch. He's (mostly) pot commited, and I really only lose to 89 here.

I guess I really felt it all come together in the way that:
1.) I recognized a fish by his play
2.) I exploited his weaknesses
3.) All the odds of pot (including implied) came together in my head.
4.) I was 4 tabling after JUST moving up limits

Please tell me if I played this well, or if my opponent here is just that bad (or if I just got lucky). Thank you! ^_^

it looks like you opened PF yet you act like villain did

Jeez, you're right. Well ignore my comment about the cbet then.

*sigh*

Guess I'll go back to being a winning donk. I'll post the next time I have a 'breakthrough'.

I think the hand was well-played as long as you had correct reasoning on your turn call. By stacking off your opponent, you gained maximum value for your straight and gaining correct odds on your play on the turn. Decisions in poker do not come by so easily though once you play more hands. Good luck on your journey

Thanks kid. I appreciate your honesty even though I'm an obvious jackass. I hope to become more a part of this community and stop thinking I know everything :)

You never know who you're with a table at. Sometimes I wonder if I'm sitting there with 5 recreational players or 5 sharks.

if you cant recognize the sharks and fish, your the fish.

you played the hand well, but i wouldnt class this as a breakthrough by any means, just a simply standard hand.
Anywho good luck with becoming a better player, seems as if your on the right track.

Nice Hand

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ib3x

You never know who you're with a table at. Sometimes I wonder if I'm sitting there with 5 recreational players or 5 sharks.

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probably not 5 sharks.

ps nice hand, both your play and the thinking behind it.

I think you are on the right track in thinking about your hands this way. However, I would not say you had 10 outs on the turn.. I would say its more like 4. You cannot be sure an 8 gives you the best straight and a 4 four you completed a lot of other straights. Be really careful when calculating your outs. You will find out the hard way that chasing the bottom end of straights is not very profitable.

What if you hit your set and he shoves? The non-paired board is 4567.. what if the 8 comes? The board is 5678.. I'd fold in either case... unless you are more than 50% sure he has the K.. of course, I doubt he shoves on a 4 straight board like that.

A better play imo was to Cbet the flop.. if he comes over the top then, you can toss it. This might get you a free card on the turn if he is afraid of a big hand (assuming he is a passive fish) then you hit the straight on the river and its well disguised.. you valubet and pick up some safer money. If he still shoves the river.. you can now profitably call with your much better straight.

Of course I am a beginner too, so take this with a grain of salt. But I used to lose a lot of big pots in hands like this.

Keep posting hands, you are well on your way!

Tj

I cbet this flop a lot of the time but seeing how you thought you had limp/called PF or something I guess your reasoning is OK.

I would cbet here with most of my crap pocket pairs but check 44 and 77 if that makes sense.

I lean toward a cbet, but if you check this you also have to check your made hands at times as well for balance.....

I don't think balance is that important at $50NL.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jyms

I don't think balance is that important at $50NL.

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its important enough, and its good to start balancing your range early so youre more used to it at higher levels.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jyms

I don't think balance is that important at $50NL.

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Not sure if it makes a difference, but he's playing $50PL