Just for a change of pace, let's go through an entire heads-up SnG with me giving the commentary... on my own play. Schizophrenic? Maybe. Let's not analyze that, though. We've got 15 hands to get through. Let's shuffle up and deal!
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:09:03 ET - 2007/07/31
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Ad Ah]
Nice way to start the day.
hero raises to 90
villain calls 60
*** FLOP *** [5d 9h Kc]
There just is nothing at all better in this world than having rockets and seeing an uncoordinated board with a king on it.
villain checks
hero bets 140
Standard continuation bet.
villain raises to 440
hero raises to 1,410, and is all in
Why mash here? Well, any 3x raise is going to be virtually all-in anyway, so my choice is call or raise. Why raise? Because if he folds, he won't know what I'm holding. I want to protect my continuation bets. He'll think better of trying to raise them, perhaps. Besides, there's an outside chance he could hit two pair or a set. While you can't worry about monsters under the bed, it is still better to win a small pot than lose a big one.
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 970 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (1,060)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,060 | Rake 0
Board: [5d 9h Kc]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (small blind) collected (1,060), mucked
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:09:37 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (970)
Seat 2: hero (2,030)
villain posts the small blind of 15
hero posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Js Ad]
villain raises to 90
hero calls 60
*** FLOP *** [4s 4c 5h]
hero checks
Here I probably might have continuation bet, but it would have looked pretty obvious. If I raised before the flop, did I really have a 4 or a 5 in my hand? That would have invited a check-raise. Could I have called a check-raise with ace high?
villain checks
*** TURN *** [4s 4c 5h] [Qd]
hero checks
villain checks
He's either slow-playing or the ace-high is good. It's not worth trying to steal, so let's see what happens.
*** RIVER *** [4s 4c 5h Qd] [Kc]
hero checks
villain checks
Same again - if my ace is good, then I won't get paid off if I bet, and if it isn't, I'm giving away money.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
villain shows [6h Ah] a pair of Fours
hero shows [Js Ad] a pair of Fours
hero ties for the pot (90) with a pair of Fours
villain ties for the pot (90) with a pair of Fours
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board: [4s 4c 5h Qd Kc]
Seat 1: villain (small blind) showed [6h Ah] and won (90) with a pair of Fours
Seat 2: hero (big blind) showed [Js Ad] and won (90) with a pair of Fours
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:10:05 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (970)
Seat 2: hero (2,030)
hero posts the small blind of 15
villain posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qd 8s]
hero calls 15
Hand values go way up heads-up. Q8o is the "computer hand" because it has half the starting hands beat. Certainly worth completing here and then playing in position on my opponent post-flop.
villain checks
*** FLOP *** [Jd Qs 6h]
Nice.
villain checks
hero bets 40
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 40 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (60)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 60 | Rake 0
Board: [Jd Qs 6h]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (small blind) collected (60), mucked
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:10:21 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (940)
Seat 2: hero (2,060)
villain posts the small blind of 15
hero posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [2s Ks]
villain raises to 90
hero calls 60
This was a bit of a mistake, perhaps. If he has an ace or a king, this hand is probably crushed, and since he is raising, the chances of that are far higher. At this moment, the plan was to get a flush or get out.
*** FLOP *** [Kd 7c 7d]
hero checks
No flush.
villain checks
*** TURN *** [Kd 7c 7d] [9c]
He's either trapping or has nothing. Let's find out.
hero bets 140
villain raises to 850, and is all in
hero calls 710
Oh! Nick, that was a dumb call. What could you beat there? A9? A7? Jacks? Would he have really pressed with those?
villain shows [Kh Qs]
Of course.
hero shows [2s Ks]
*** RIVER *** [Kd 7c 7d 9c] [3c]
villain shows two pair, Kings and Sevens
hero shows two pair, Kings and Sevens
villain wins the pot (1,880) with two pair, Kings and Sevens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,880 | Rake 0
Board: [Kd 7c 7d 9c 3c]
Seat 1: villain (small blind) showed [Kh Qs] and won (1,880) with two pair, Kings and Sevens
Seat 2: hero (big blind) showed [2s Ks] and lost with two pair, Kings and Sevens
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:10:52 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,880)
Seat 2: hero (1,120)
hero posts the small blind of 15
villain posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [As Kh]
hero raises to 90
villain calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Ts 7d 9d]
villain checks
hero bets 140
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 140 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board: [Ts 7d 9d]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (small blind) collected (180), mucked
That hand is one of the big patterns in no-limit hold 'em. Raise, call, flop, continuation bet, fold. Happens repeatedly in any tournament.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:11:12 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,790)
Seat 2: hero (1,210)
villain posts the small blind of 15
hero posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [4d 6d]
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 15 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (30)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 30 | Rake 0
Seat 1: villain (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: hero (big blind) collected (30), mucked
Always nice to get a walk when you're holding crap.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:11:19 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,775)
Seat 2: hero (1,225)
hero posts the small blind of 15
villain posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qs Kc]
hero raises to 90
villain calls 60
*** FLOP *** [8d 5c Kh]
villain checks
hero has 15 seconds left to act
hero bets 140
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 140 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board: [8d 5c Kh]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (small blind) collected (180), mucked
There's that pattern again.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:11:45 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,685)
Seat 2: hero (1,315)
villain posts the small blind of 15
hero posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [2c Ad]
villain calls 15
hero checks
*** FLOP *** [9d 2d Qh]
hero bets 40
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 40 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (60)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 60 | Rake 0
Board: [9d 2d Qh]
Seat 1: villain (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (big blind) collected (60), mucked
You don't see the limp-continuation that often except for heads-up. Why? Because when you limp, it generally encourages further limping (by making the pot bigger, thus offering better odds to players acting behind). There's about a 1 in 3 chance that if you have different ranking cards in your hand that you will connect on the flop. The same holds for your opponent. That means that there's a 1 in 9 chance that you both will. So if you hit the flop at all, even with bottom pair, you have to feel good about it. That will come up later.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:12:01 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,655)
Seat 2: hero (1,345)
hero posts the small blind of 15
villain posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [7c Qd]
hero calls 15
villain raises to 90
hero calls 60
*** FLOP *** [Kh 5d 6s]
villain bets 120
hero folds
Uncalled bet of 120 returned to villain
villain mucks
villain wins the pot (180)
The blinds are now 20/40
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board: [Kh 5d 6s]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) collected (180), mucked
Seat 2: hero (small blind) folded on the Flop
Here, we saw the raise, call, flop, bet, fold pattern run the other direction. Could I have folded the Q7 pre-flop instead? Eh. I suppose. But big cards are valuable heads-up, and as we just discussed, the chances of your opponent connecting are low. Could I have raised him on the flop? What if this was one of those one-in-3 that he HAD connected? Not worth the risk. There's always a better spot.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:12:25 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,745)
Seat 2: hero (1,255)
villain posts the small blind of 20
hero posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Qc 8h]
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 20 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (40)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 40 | Rake 0
Seat 1: villain (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: hero (big blind) collected (40), mucked
Walk.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:12:31 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,725)
Seat 2: hero (1,275)
hero posts the small blind of 20
villain posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [Kc 8c]
hero raises to 120
villain calls 80
*** FLOP *** [Kd 6c 9h]
villain checks
hero bets 180
villain folds
Uncalled bet of 180 returned to hero
hero mucks
hero wins the pot (240)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 240 | Rake 0
Board: [Kd 6c 9h]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: hero (small blind) collected (240), mucked
There's that pattern again.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:12:55 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,605)
Seat 2: hero (1,395)
villain posts the small blind of 20
hero posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [2s Qc]
villain calls 20
hero checks
*** FLOP *** [Td 6h Ah]
hero checks
villain checks
*** TURN *** [Td 6h Ah] [3d]
hero checks
villain checks
*** RIVER *** [Td 6h Ah 3d] [4c]
hero checks
villain checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
hero shows [2s Qc] Ace Queen high
villain mucks
hero wins the pot (80) with Ace Queen high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 80 | Rake 0
Board: [Td 6h Ah 3d 4c]
Seat 1: villain (small blind) mucked [7c 8d] - Ace Ten high
Seat 2: hero (big blind) showed [2s Qc] and won (80) with Ace Queen high
Here, again, we got into that mode where my queen high was quite possibly good, but it wouldn't have been worth trying to steal for fear of being played back at.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:13:18 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (1,565)
Seat 2: hero (1,435)
hero posts the small blind of 20
villain posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5h Ah]
hero raises to 120
villain calls 80
*** FLOP *** [7h Js Kh]
villain checks
hero bets 180
Standard continuation bet...
villain raises to 1,445, and is all in
Wha...?
We have an overcard and the nut flush draw. What could he have?
If he has a set, two pair, aces, or if he has an ace and a king, jack or 7, our flush draw is a 2:1 dog. If he has an ace and bigger kicker than a 5, we have 9 flush outs and 3 5s to beat him. If he has a pair, then we have 9 flush outs and 3 aces to beat him. If he has nothing, we're actually in the lead.
So which situation is it? At this point, I actually think he might have KQ or K9, in which case, I'm in one of those 12 outs spots. With 12 outs, we're only a 2:3 dog, and that's only if I'm right about my read. Let's gamble.
(edit: When I wrote this, I was off by a little bit. The pot odds offered by his all-in were even money because we started with a shorter stack, so the call was not justified on pot-odds by the flush draw alone. But throw in the possibility of the 3 ace outs being good and suddenly it's a coin flip. So on pot odds the call was correct, but when you're going all-in in a tournament, it's no longer about pot odds. It's about life or death. That's why it was a gamble)
hero calls 1,135, and is all in
villain shows [Qc 2c]
Wow.
Let's look at the hand from his point of view. Our opponent raises from the button - so we're going to be playing out of position, and we have a suited queen. It's worth trying for a queen or a flush draw, so we call. The flop has an overcard and not a single club. We check, our opponent leads out and.... we bluff at it? Why would we do that? Our opponent showed pre-flop strength. So there's NO way he has a king or a jack? That's dangerous to the point of being foolhardy. Yes, you're putting your opponent to the test for his entire tournament life.... but look at the relative stacks at the start. You lose this hand and you are going to be completely crippled, so his life isn't the only one really on the line here. I like this bluff play if your opponent has shown aggression and is down to, say, $500 or so (so even if he wins it, you've still got the lead). I don't like it when the consequences of having it backfire are so great.
hero shows [5h Ah]
Uncalled bet of 130 returned to villain
*** TURN *** [7h Js Kh] [3d]
*** RIVER *** [7h Js Kh 3d] [Kc]
villain shows a pair of Kings
hero shows a pair of Kings
hero wins the pot (2,870) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2,870 | Rake 0
Board: [7h Js Kh 3d Kc]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) showed [Qc 2c] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 2: hero (small blind) showed [5h Ah] and won (2,870) with a pair of Kings
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:13:50 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (130)
Seat 2: hero (2,870)
villain posts the small blind of 20
hero posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [7h 6d]
villain raises to 130, and is all in
hero folds
Uncalled bet of 90 returned to villain
villain mucks
villain wins the pot (80)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 80 | Rake 0
Seat 1: villain (small blind) collected (80), mucked
Seat 2: hero (big blind) folded before the Flop
He's so short now that every decision should be all-in or fold.
Full Tilt Poker Game #_: $6 + $0.25 Heads Up Sit & Go (_), Table 1 - 20/40 - No Limit Hold'em - 13:13:59 ET - 2007/07/31
Seat 1: villain (170)
Seat 2: hero (2,830)
hero posts the small blind of 20
villain posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to hero [5s Qs]
hero calls 20
villain raises to 80
He raised half his stack, so it's clear he's pot committed, but he's letting me see the flop cheaply. If he pressed here, I probably would have folded and waited for a better hand. Instead...
hero calls 40
*** FLOP *** [5h Ac 4s]
villain bets 90, and is all in
There is no way in hell he wouldn't have pressed pre-flop holding an ace. Much more likely that this is a stop-n-go play. But the stop-n-go only makes sense if you have sufficient fold equity. Our opponent here had four big blinds at the start of this hand.
2nd pair here is almost certainly good.
hero calls 90
villain shows [2c Kh]
et voila.
hero shows [5s Qs]
*** TURN *** [5h Ac 4s] [Jd]
*** RIVER *** [5h Ac 4s Jd] [7d]
villain shows Ace King high
hero shows a pair of Fives
hero wins the pot (340) with a pair of Fives
villain stands up
hero stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 340 | Rake 0
Board: [5h Ac 4s Jd 7d]
Seat 1: villain (big blind) showed [2c Kh] and lost with Ace King high
Seat 2: hero (small blind) showed [5s Qs] and won (340) with a pair of Fives
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
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