Going off-script and getting results

[Anosmic]

Had a couple of hands at $10nl today which were unusual in that I saw flops I normally wouldn't on two occasions where I normally wouldn't and both paid off.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

UTG+1 ($2.55)
MP1 ($12.31)
MP2 ($5)
MP3 ($7.08)
Hero ($9.85)
Button ($11.63)
SB ($18.63)
BB ($5.60)
UTG ($10.70)

Preflop: Hero is CO with T, A. MP2 posts a blind of $0.10. SB posts a blind of $0.05.
2 folds, MP1 calls $0.10, MP2 (poster) checks, MP3 calls $0.10, Hero raises to $0.4, 2 folds, BB calls $0.30, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, MP3 calls $0.30.

So I'm CO and there've been two limpers and one blind, so I think I'll actually play this hand and play it aggressively. So I raise as I would a "playable" hand.
It thins the pot a little and we see the flop:

Flop: ($1.45) 3, 5, A (3 players)

So I've got TPWK and there's little for anyone who doesn't have AQ, AJ so I suppose it's time to attack:
BB checks, MP3 checks, Hero bets $1, BB folds, MP3 folds.

Final Pot: $2.45

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins $2.45.

If I had been rr pf I'd have folded and I would think that a call on the flop would have been a sign to stop putting in money unless I hit a T.

So, firstly I've decided to go for it with a marginal hand. Do you think that was a mistake? (Table was fairly loose, fairly passive).
Once in, is this an okay way to play? What about this will get ripped to shreds at higher levels?

Second example, probably worse:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP1 ($2.75)
MP2 ($13.91)
MP3 ($0.35)
Hero ($10.30)
Button ($13.03)
SB ($8.25)
BB ($0.95)
UTG ($14.08)
UTG+1 ($9.90)

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, K.

I don't really like playing KQ, always seems difficult.

SB posts a blind of $0.05.
UTG raises to $0.5, 1 fold, MP1 calls $0.50, 2 folds, Hero calls $0.50, Button calls $0.50, 2 folds.

So I'm in late-ish position; I have an okay hand and am facing a big raise. I decided that it was worth trying as the table seems to beleieve the idea "any ace is good"

Flop: ($2.15) T, A, J (4 players)

Okay, so just about the only flop that legitimises me playing this hand.

UTG bets $1, MP1 calls $1, Button folds, UTG calls $8.80, MP1 folds.

The hand converter seems to have messed up here... hmm. Well anyway, there's a bet of $1 from UTG and a call. The pot is now $4 and there's a dangerous flush draw. So i decide I want the pot now, thank you, because the danger of a Q or a K falling or any spade and having to split or give up the pot doesn't appeal to me.
So I push, that's $8.80 to win the $12 pot, so hopefully they'll fold.

Then one guy calls. Someone riskily playing for a flush? Or perhaps he's hit 2p or even perhaps trips?

Turn: ($12.95) 5 (2 players)

River: ($12.95) 6 (2 players)

Final Pot: $12.95

Results in white below:
UTG has Ac 8c (one pair, aces).
Hero has Qs Kh (straight, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $12.95.

Hmm, hand convertor doesn't get it. It's a $20 pot, but you can probably work that out!



So, no. He had TPWK and called. Gotta love that.
Is this just a no-brainer call? Or is there something I can to get this sort of result when I flop the nuts. I mean if I can forget check-raising and just push and get called when I hit a set, or make my flush or whatever that would really be very nice

And on a scale of one to stupid, how bad was my pf call?

[Pelion]

I love hand 1. I do that pretty much everytime. You are in late position, and everybody has shown weakness. If you are called down by a tight player after the flop you need to think about whether he would play AJ/AQ like this. If you are called down by a loose player then there is no need to slow down too much. Just make nice 1/2 - 3/4 pot value bets. They probably just have a weaker A or a 2/4 or both. Maybe something like A2s.
If you are reraised, either preflop or postflop then fold it fast.
Im also playing KQ and 55 like this pretty often. I think you will probably find yourself doing this more as you move up and the tables get slightly tighter. Winning the blinds with a hand like 55 is awsome. You also have a good chance to take any flop with an A or K as well as the 5.

Hand 2 is a whole other kettle of fish. In this hand there is an UTG raise in front of you and your hand is not even s00ted. He probably has something like

AA/KK/QQ/JJ maybe TT
AK,AQ,AJ maybe KQ

if you hit the K or Q you cant be sure where you are. Even if you hit 2 pair he could have the set or a straight draw. You hit just about the only flop you can be happy with with KQo. I fold KQo to any preflop raise unless its from a maniac (and then i probably reraise), You got very lucky with this hand imo.
Id much prefer to have 67o than KQo and 67s would be wayyyy better. With 67 you can hit a straight and be fairly immune to redraws splitting the pot with you. You are fairly sure your 2 pair is good. Your 1 pair might even be good on a low card flop. Your trips are going to stack him instead of stacking you. There is just so much more going for 67.

Postflop I dont even know if i like the push. I guess you have to do it because the pot is pretty close to half your stack and any and any broadway is a big scarecard for you. I suppose there is always the chance that some donkey will call you with A8 aswell...

Anyway. Hand 1 I love, hand 2 I hate.

[andy-akb]

I have to agree with pelion here, getting aggressive in late position with a limper or two is something that will defintiely increase your winrate, and that is a good example of how to do it. One thing I'd do differently is probably raise it to atleast $0.50.

Hand 2 you arent the aggressor and against an EP raiser you want a better hand to be calling that. I dont necesarily agree with the gap concept that you need a better hand to call a raise than the original raiser had to make it, because that completely disregards implied odds. In your position I would flat call with 22-JJ and reraise QQ+, AK. Simply calling here is probably the worst play with the best being fold, and Id say a raise is better than a call. In short, KQ is a limping hand, not one youd want to play for a raise unless you were making the raise.

[Anosmic]

Thanks guys.

This pretty much agrees with what I thought. I liked hand 1, but hand 2 I couldn't tell you why I called. Not typical at all for me.