2nl couple hands from the day

Villain has been pretty laggy so far. No other reads.


PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($1.56)
UTG ($1.98)
UTG+1 ($3.10)
Hero (MP1) ($5.26)
MP2 ($2.85)
CO ($0.37)
Button ($4.64)
SB ($1.44)

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif
2 folds, Hero calls $0.02, MP2 calls $0.02, 1 fold, Button calls $0.02, SB calls $0.01, BB checks

Flop: ($0.10) 10http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, Ahttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif, 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif (5 players)
SB bets $0.02, 1 fold, Hero raises to $0.10, MP2 calls $0.10, 1 fold, SB calls $0.08

Turn: ($0.40) Jhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif (3 players)
SB bets $0.08, Hero raises to $0.30, 1 fold, SB calls $0.22

River: ($1) 10http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...miles/club.gif (2 players)
SB bets $0.40, Hero raises to $1.14, SB calls $0.62 (All-In)

Total pot: $3.04 | Rake: $0.10


Villian sat down 10 hands ago and hasn't played a hand yet.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) - Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

CO ($5)
Hero (Button) ($1.92)
SB ($1.55)
BB ($5.38)
UTG ($0.65)
UTG+1 ($1.38)
MP1 ($1.40)
MP2 ($3.77)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif, 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif
3 folds, MP2 calls $0.02, CO calls $0.02, Hero calls $0.02, SB calls $0.01, BB checks

Flop: ($0.10) 2http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, 6http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...es/diamond.gif, 5http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, CO bets $0.06, Hero calls $0.06, 3 folds

Turn: ($0.22) 9http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/spade.gif (2 players)
CO bets $0.14, Hero raises to $0.40, CO raises to $0.80, Hero calls $0.40

River: ($1.82) Qhttp://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...iles/heart.gif (2 players)
CO bets $1.04, Hero calls $1.04 (All-In)

Total pot: $3.90 | Rake: $0.15

You flopped a couple of monster hands and got all your money in by the river with nothing obvious that beats you like a flush or one card to make a straight.

Hand #1 plays out really nicely since there's an ace on board. Sure, a villain AT would suck and is the most possible hand that has you beat, but I think you beat more hands than you lose to.

I would have liked to see a reraise in hand # 2 on the flop to punish a straight draw. The way it plays, villain could have an 87, but it's just as likely and more combinations that he could have two pair, too. This is a situation where knowing your villain better could help. Against most, I'd still have trouble laying down a set with no flushes, paired board, and two exact cards to make a straight. Of course, with just deuces, it's also easier to lose to a higher set. But, long story short, I don't think the outcome of hand #2 is bad per se - just more suspect of the two hands.

Hand 1, you have a loose villain limping in. Could have almost anything as of the flop. He acts first and bets the flop-- if he's loose aggressive, that doesn't tell you much either. You raise with your set and he's the second caller. We still don't know very much; he could have a draw, or a made hand that you beat. He isn't that likely to have a set of tens or aces, because there would have been a pre-flop raise, but I suppose anything is possible.

Turn comes and puts additional draws on the board. He bets and calls your raise. Now what does THIS tell us? Well, you don't know enough about what sorts of hands he will call on late streets. But if this is an average loose-aggressive player, that initial bet is more likely to mean made hand than draw, though the call indicates that he either thinks he is ahead on the hand or has a great draw to beat you.

Further, you are projecting great strength in this hand. So what does the villain put you on? Does the villain process information, or does he just bet his hand? We don't know that either.

But if I were to come up with a tentative range of likely and less likely hands at the time of the turn, I'd say the most likely ones are 78, QK, any 2 diamonds, AT, QA, T, 9, or 8, 8A, T, or 9, AJ, JT, J9, T9, Ax, perhaps Tx, and perhaps TT, JJ, KK, or AA. Those are the kinds of hands that it makes sense for him to be playing.

Now the river comes and he bets 40 percent of the pot. This is a very suspicious play-- it has the look of a value bet where he is trying to get your to pay him off rather than a typical loose-aggressive play to scare you away. Of course you make your boat so you have a very good hand.

So what hands in that range is he going to make this value play on? 78, AT, QK, QT, Q8, JT, TT, T9, JJ, or AA for sure. Less likely but still possible-- any of the 2 pair hands in his range, and any of the trips hands in his range. (He'll be more likely to do this if he isn't paying attention to the fact that you are representing a big hand.)

Of the hands that I suspect are most likely, you beat all of the straights and lose to all of the boats and the quads.

Bottom line, this is a very close call.

One thing I would add, however, is that when he places that obvious value bet out there on the river, it's basically a fold-or-raise situation. If you conclude that you have positive equity at this point, the raise is fine.

Hand 2, again, the limping tells us nothing about what the player's range is, and as you note, the guy just sat down so we really don't know anything. Further, this one is in late position and could be limping with anything. You are able to limp in and flop a set of 2's.

First thing to be aware of when you flop a low-card set in a multi-way limped pot is that it is ALWAYS a possibility that someone has a bigger set. In other words, rather than going straight to getting paid off, you still need to be watching for signs that someone else out-flopped you.

Cut-off's 2/3 of the pot flop bet, which you call, tells us little. The range right now includes the made straight (3-4), gutshot straight draws, 2 diamond flush draws, two pair, the two other possible sets, an overpair, any pair, and even just overcards.

Turn is a blank. Cut-off again bets 2/3 of the pot. Assuming this is a decent player, this means he must have something. But what? Well, I think "made straight" is actually somewhat unlikely-- he's either betting a lot more to protect his hand against flush draws or slow-playing it. Gutshot draw is also unlikely, as is flush draw. Missed overcards aren't likely. So I'd go back to pairs, two pair, and sets. So I say his range is 66, 55, 99, 92, 95, 96, 52, 56, 62, 9x, 6x, 5x, 2x.

Now comes the re-raise. OK, he's got a big hand. Out go the pairs. 66, 55, 99, 92, 95, 96, 52, 56, 62. Maybe we put 34 back in there though that's a somewhat strange way to play a straight with a flush draw on the board!

River is a Queen of hearts. I think it's fair to say this missed his range. You have your set, and he puts you all in for just over half of the pot. Would he do this with 2 pair? It's possible. Remember, the ONLY straight draw on the board is two inside cards, 3 and 4. On that type of a board, players with 2 pair are a lot less worried about straights than they are on a board with 3 connectors. On the other hand, not knowing the guy, maybe it's a better idea to assume he is a tight player and has a set or a straight.

That's what frames the decision to call or fold here.

Thank you guys, very interesting stuff.

Looking back, I think it may have been better to either push over his min raise on the turn or fold at that point. I appreciate the input.

what's your question? seem like standard coolers if you got beat

Hand 1- raise preflop, played well postflop.

Hand 2- Fine preflop, fold river if board doesn't pair and it isn't 2NL.. he's likely got a better set or straight... of course at those stakes.. I never lay down sets.. so I guess the call is fine.