I would like some feedback on this hand. NL $200 live game 3,2,2 blinds. Some history that will take too long to go over between him and I.



Him (LP) $650
Me (SB) $550

I was SB with bad hand and called a raise from this player LP after 3 limpers. All called as I expected and the pot had almost $90.

Four saw the flop of .

I flopped bottom two pair. Since he raised preflop I did not put him on a set of Tens. Possible but not likely.

I bet out $35. One caller. He push all-in. I told him that I had him beat and he said no you don't and I said yes I do. Like two children.

But, I mucked my hand. He asked and I said 2 pair he showed me . I said you had and he would not show the other card. He finally said that he had but that he would play a set the same way. There were 2 diamonds and I think if he had a set he would have made a pot size raise and not all-in to freeze out the players.

Bottom 2 pair is subject to redraws if it is the best hand on the flop so I did not want to risk my stack.

I beat him about 3 times later and he went on TILT. He finally went broke and left. Allin with against and lost of course.

The history I speak of is that he sucked out on me when I had the best hand for about $350. Stuff happens but I think he made a bad call and got lucky (I turned 2 pair and he rivered a better 2 pair with 3 outs).

That did upset me because I was a little stuck and I was being careful not to go on tilt mysefl. You can only buy in for $200 so it is hard to get back to a big stack when you go bust.

I cashed out $850 a few hundred ahead.

All comments are welcome even if you remind me that is a bad hand and should be mucked. This type of loose game a lot of money is made with strange hands like this. You get a straight and stack at least one player. Two pair is usually good enough as well.

the second the dude is like "no you don't", i am calling quickly. i agree you shouldn't be psyched in general to call an all-in w/ bottom two pair, but given the history and his tell, you can call and expect to be a decent favorite. i would expect to see x or an overpair here most of the time.

but if you wanted to wait for a better spot, i can't really argue w/ that. i definitely think calling is solid +ev, though.

yes 85s is a terrible hand to play for a raise out of position

You could make a case for calling the all-in there since most of the time he'll have an overpair, or TPTK as in this case, that he's protecting from the flush draw. As you pointed out, he'd most likely play a set differently.

However, you have a player yet to act that just cold-called your flop bet which *could* very well be a set. He limp/called preflop and then cold called so either he has the flush draw or he's slowplaying a set (or top two) hoping the original raiser will re-raise. He could also be holding which he'll most likely not want to fold. Turns out he didn't but there was a chance...

I would fold even though. Even if I think it is +EV to call most of the time I'm drawing to runner runner quads if he indeed has TT, ie: dead, and those times even though they're few will probably make it -EV in total seen over time.


You make a huge mistake calling preflop though. Really. What kind of hand is 85s to call with out of position against an aggressive player with 3 people left to act. For shame! You make another big mistake on the flop when you bet $35 into $90. With flush and straight draws out. With a vulnerable hand like bottom two. For shame again!!

Actually, that weak flop bet may have been what got him to push since he probably read you for the flush draw and thought you were trying to price the draw.

Worrying about the people behind you in the hand is EXACTLY why you should've raised more on the flop... If you bet $75-85 and someone calls, then he comes over the top, it's a MUCH harder call... If the caller behind has a flush draw w/ close to the origional buyin ($200), there's gonna be close to $600 in the pot that he'd win (counting only $200 from the reraiser and you each), which would actually give him decent odds to call... If you bet $80 on the flop and he calls with a draw, then he sucks, and will lose in the long run...

Thanks guys for the replies. Yes, I see where the flop bet was too small and should have been a pot size bet for sure since I THINK I had the best hand. Having the middle player smooth call the $35 put him most likely on a set or a flush draw.

(Reading your reply I remembered that I saw a player get trapped when the second player smooth called with a set. The first player to act bet (his flush draw) exactly like I did. The 3rd player with TPTK reraised by $100 and the middle player with the set pushed all in and nailed them both - so I have to remember that - THANKS).

Yes, is junk and thanks for reminding me. The biggest problem is that I am in the blinds and have to act first. As in this case when you hit your hand it became harder to play first to act.

The best and only flop that I would like is or the same ranks rainbow. It does happened but not often. Well maybe I did limp with LP and flopped and stacked the flush draw for $350. But, again these are rare. So your admonishment for playing is well taken - thanks

The size of the flop bet most often will define your hand and the $35 could have looked like a bet with a diamond flush draw so he mis-read my hand and pushed to protect his TPTK (something to try with a set?)

I saw a hand where two spades hit the flop with a Jack. The first player and PF raiser bet $20 into a $80 pot. Got three callers and the last player raised to $40. He said 'Hummm, flush hunters and said all you can eat and pushed his remaining $120. They all folded and he showed a set of Jacks. He said he did not want 4 callers.

MVP - sorry this was not clear -

I was SB with bad hand and called a raise from this player LP after 3 limpers. All called as I expected and the pot had almost $90.

I think it was $20 to go preflop so 3 callers and $5 SB and BB so the pot was closer to $85 than $90.

I lost $55 on this hand but if I had bet more, like the pot size, I am sure the middle player would have folded and then the PF raiser and I would be heads up. Now, I do not think that he would have pushed. We will never know but I will file this away for futrue reference.