$1/$2 NL at Party.

First some backgound. An earlier hand.

MP raises to $6, I reraise to $15 on the button with KK. BB calls as does MP.

The pot is $45. The flop comes J63. BB leads out for $25, MP folds and I call.

Pot=$95. Th turn is a brick and he pushes all in for $130. I fold and he shows JJ.
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Ok , on to the hand in question. MP limps, I raise to $8 with [Td] on the button. Villian is the BB again and calls. The limper folds so we're heads up.

Hero ($220)....Villian (has me covered)
The pot is $18. The flop comes [Ts][5d]. He leads for $2, I raise to $18 and he calls. With a set he led out much more.

Pot now $54. The turn is the . I now have 2 pair and a flush draw. He leads again. This time for $15. Whats my play?

I would just call. He could have you beat with KQ and 55 (among other things). If he is smart, he will remember how he played his set last time against you and may be switching it up. He did call a near pot-sized raise on the flop. I think that eliminates a naked 10 and probably at least means TPGK. Set of tens is unlikely, but set of 5s is definately possible. He could have KQ/AQ or QT. Either way the only hands you are probably way ahead of is TP, and I don't think he would keep calling big raises with that anyway, so I think smooth-calling is the best option and rying to hit one of your 13 outs if you are behind. If you hit the third diamond he will never put you on that and you could potentially take his stack if he has a set or 2-pr.

You could re-raise his tiny bet on the flop with just about anything, so he doesn't necessarily put you on a good hand yet.

I could see myself playing AK the way he played the hand so far. He is liking his hand a lot better now that the K is out there. He can't put you on any sets because your flop raise looked like you were trying to drive him out. QT is not a normal PF raising hand so he is not putting you on it. He might put you on AQ or JJ or something. I raise the turn to, say, $45.

I played a hand disturbingly like this a few days ago. I had top 2 on the flop with broadway cards. Lost ugly. The b*stard hit his straight on the turn with his own two broadway cards after calling way too much on the flop with just a gutshot. But it's really hard to see a guy at this level calling your big flop raise with AJ. I hope he didn't have that, anyway.

EDIT: AK only makes sense if he's a dummy like the ones I tend to see. $2 on the flop is too obvious as a weak bet. A set of 5s played in a strange way this time does worry me a bit.

The thing is, though, a set of 5s for him doesn't make much sense. You raised preflop so you could well have an overpair. A tiny bet on the flop with a baby set is just inviting you to flat call and then have the chance to hit a set of your own. I would think the K on the turn would make him feel less good about his set of 5s. So if he's playing normal, the K helped him. KQ is out because he would lead for a lot more with that on the flop. I'm back to AK for him. Hmm....

I wouldn't discount the possibilty of KJ. He's open ended on the flop and then picks up top pair with it on the turn. However, I would probably still just call and call a reasonable bet on the river if you don't improve.

I've been burned several times when flopping 2 pair and I didn't like the K so much even though it gave you a flush draw. But I still think your ahead, so I would like to take the pot down now so I reraise 40-50$.

Ive been working on some new plays lately (as you can see from the raise with QTs)

Ive also been working on pushing all in as a semi bluff with strong hands like this one as well as pushing in with the nuts (similar to what Ive seen Sprirt Rock do).

Edit: I dont claim to be anywhere near his level yet, but Im trying to be as hard ot read as he is.


I pushed all in here. Believe it or not he called and had J9. A diamond hit the river and Im sufddenly being accused of being the biggest fish on the planet. I have a feeling Spirit Rock got the same treatment until he got famous. Now those same plays are considered expert plays. Imagine that.

You so lucky

first the Q5 hand then the ATs hand, now this. What a fish.

My first response to this was J9 or KJ for him. What would he weak lead with and call a substantial re-raise with, he obviously was drawing to me. The turn helped him but it could have just given him kings, considering i picked up the flush draw I think I just call being hes making it fairly cheap for me. I don't like risking another 180 or 190 pushing in. He most likly calls with KQ, will call obviously with j9, what hand that has you beat are you trying to fold down, would he lay down KQ or a set because of your all-in? Most likly not so I don't see what you gain by moving in, a weaker hand will fold and almost any stronger hand is calling

Ice,

If people don't like your play, just simply type "I had a boat draw" and move on. That will help you get even more action.

In the first hand I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about why you didnt raise his flop bet w/the KK

In regards to the KK hand. Think about the preflop action. Theres a raise to $6, I reraise to $15 and he calls. People dont call a raise and reraise without a very good hand.

The flop was J63. When he led out with a pretty decent sized bet, I was pretty sure he had AA, QQ or JJ. What else could he have? He couldve called preflop with TT but hes not going to lead with that.

It has to be AA, QQ or JJ (or KK of course). I almost folded to his flop lead but decided to see what he did at the turn. When he went all in, I was pretty sure he had JJ.

I couldve raised his flop bet, but it wouldve had to be around $75 to be of any use at all and if he flat calls that, Im still not in great shape. I had a bad feeling is all I can say.

You can not figure this fella for a set. He put it all in on the turn with the JJ so he understands the value of protecting a hand, even a very strong hand like top set of Jacks. Knowing this about you opponent I would exclude a hand as big as a set or 2 pair bigger than yours. If he had KQ you gotta imagine he'd push harder here as the board starts to straighten. I would think that you are probably ahead in the hand but it looks like you should just call so you can get a shot at your huge draw as it looks like he has enough chips to take you off the hand if you raise his $15 bet. You wont be pot-commited on the river but your river decision may be difficult. He could be playing AJ this way trying to get you to raise him but who knows.

I will say this though...since you "started it" by raising on the button with a marginal hand there probably is a case for you pushing it all-in here as you may have some folding equity. You raised because you had position and now you can use your position for 2 different plays, raising and getting him to fold or calling and getting a shot at your draw.

good flops