both hands on 2/4 nl...

i get [Qc[Qh] in mp. i have $400..opponent has me covered.

I raise to $20. get 3 callers.

FLOP $80
[6h][5h]

Checked to me in LP I bet $70.

Only the LAG calls.

TURN $150
[6h][5h][Th]

opponent bets $80. hmmm...I don't beleive him plus i have outs for a queen high flush. I call.

RIVER $320
[6h][5h][Th][Ac]

Opponent moves allin..it's about $200 for me to call. Instinct says call, call! I fold. He shows [4s] for nothing.



Second hand

I have 88 in the blind. I have $800 opponent has $600.

Opponent raises to $16. I'm the only callers.

FLOP $32
[9c][8s]

yay. I have a set. I bet $30. Opponent raises me to $60. I reraise to $180. Opponent reraises the min instantly to like $350.

My instincts say...KK..you need to fold. So what do i do? I move all-in. He calls and shows [9h] for set over set. No help and I lose $600.


I guess the moral of the story is that I understand my opponents much better then I thought. I need to start acting on these instincts. After that...my reads will only improve.

I have the same problems. You just know your opponent flopped a set / nut flush / turned a straight etc. Your own hand just look so pretty that you can't fold it.

The second hand he could have had to many possible hands for me to start acting on instinct alone. KK 99 are the only two you are behind too now, however it may be a marginal play to push now if he has AQ JT properly suited, and hands that you stomp AA AK QQ JJ with the later two probably being over played unless he thinks you have the draw.

Where I would start to make a choice in the second one, and probably come up wrong like you is by analyzing to my best of my ability what he bet like that. Many people will make that play with a ton of hands you beat, and I don't think he is bluffing. Set over set stinks, but I don't think you can muck this one unless you think he is a super rock that would get defensive with AA AK.

It was the min raises on the second hand that told my instincts to get out. he min raised my flop bet and then min raised my huge overthetop reraise. it was time to let it go.

Yeah kenny I do the same thing sometimes I just want someone to smack some sense into me. I was playing KK on one of the $50 nl party tables. I get KK on the button, loose player raises to $3, one caller, rock min raises to $5.50, all my instincts are screaming you are behind. I want to know for sure, so I raise to $13, first two fold, rock instanly goes all in. So i set this up perfectly, I make the reraise, he pushes, I should be able to fold and only lose $13 instead of the $55 I have in front of me, instead I call, why??? Becuase I'm a dumbass.

Hand 1: Unless I had seen that opponent make big bluffs like that before there is no way I would call that bet on the end. There is a lot of stuff that beats you and its really hard to put somebody on a busted straight draw. Instinct or not I can't see calling here.

Hand 2: I would have gotten broke here too, but it is a tougher decision than hand 1b/c of the two min-raises etc.

Folding hand 2 should be considered a capital sin (down here in my world: NL$25)

At NL25 you can put villain on AK. Push in and double up about 85% of times!

I am almost ready to go up to NL50 and I always think if this kind of overvalue of hands is going to get me into troubles when I move up.

Hand 1 was way easier... fold... to many hands had you beat. I have that same problem: I read most players very good but sometimes their hands gets so good that I dont believe my thoughts and call all the way to the SD and BAM! Reload! One buy in down! I am so stupid sometimes!!

I've been telling myself this same thing for awhile now. On hand one, however, despite your instincts that is a tough call to make, I think most times you will be behind there. On the second one I don't think you have to lose your stack every single time you end up with set under set. To summarize Iceman. . . fear the min-raise, especially two min raises in one betting sequence.

I am glad to read these posts by you guys though b/c I beat myself up over a call I made today, it was only a $40 bet on the river into a 120 pot after he checked called me the whole way. I had KK overpair but flush hit on the turn and when I bet it he called and then lead on a brick river. I knew there was not much I could beat but the pot was laying me 4-1 and I just couldn't let it go. I just want to be able to trust my reads more!