Advice and suggestions

Advice and suggestions

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who reads my blog, it's really encouraging to know that someone out there in cyberspace (that sounds so geeky!) is getting something out of what I write. And so I'd like to say an extra big thanks to LJ, Fuel55, RecessRampage (aka Dirty Vizzer), and Anguila for each commenting on my previous post; I really do appreciate your input guys, so thanks again for taking the time.

I'd also like to give a thumbs up to the SurlyPokerGnome for helping me get setup with PokerACE HUD now that I have finally got round to using PokerTracker. For those of you who consider yourself serious players but don't know what this PokerTracker program is all about: suffice to say you NEED this tool. I won't try and list it's uses here, as a more talented person has already completed that task far better than I ever could. Check out his input here.

For those of you who were interested in the hand where I had the nut fullhouse on the river but felt that I didn't maximize me profit, I'd like to go into it now. I really want to find out how I can get more money from river situations such as these, as I believe you can make a lot more profit through correct bet sizing because the pots are so damn big! Allow me to set the scene....

I had just sat down at a fairly loose $2/4 game on UB and was dealt 8h 6h in th BB. The button made a typical button raise to $14, and after the SB folded, I chose to call.

The flop came down Jh 10s 5h (Flush draw....)

I checked with my weak flush draw, only to see the button bet $12 into the $30 pot. So, sensing weakness, I raised to $30. The button insta-called.

The turn came down Jh 10s 5h (2c)

I still had nothing, but fired again, betting $60 into the $90 pot. My opponent again insta-called.

The river bricked out, and lacking the moxy to fire a third bluff, I conceded the pot and checked to my opponent.... who proceeded to bet $6 into the $200 pot, leaving me in the insta-calling seat, just to figure out what the hell he had! He tabled QJo, and I thought wow: either he made a great read, or he's a total calling station with any medium strength hand.

So, 20 minutes later, I've been on a tear and had built my stack to $900, while Mr QJo had amassed about $650. I find myself with Th Td in the cutoff facing a raise to $14 from the earlier villain who is UTG. Knowing his propensity for going too far with weak hands, I raise to isolate him hoping to flop something strong.

The flop came down: 3c 7h Ts

Top set? Yeah, I'll settle for that! So the action is on the villain, and he bets $6. Knowing now that he will call raises with weak hands, I raise to $66 which to my delight is promptly called.

The turn brings: 3c 7h Ts (8h)

Once again my opponent bets $6! I now raise to 160, hoping this again looks like a bluff/steal attempt. He insta-calls, and I wonder if he has a set (unlikely) or perhaps an overpair, and is hoping that I hang myself. Either way, he has called 2 big bets now with something, and TPTK is unlikely given my hand.

River: 3c 7h Ts 8h (7c)

I now have the nut full-house, and what does my opponent do? He bets $6, into what has become a $530 pot. Now I have to decide how best to get value. If my opponent remembers that the last time I bluffed where I chickened out on the river, he might think that I will go all the way this time and expect a big bluff. If he thinks I only ever bet the river when I'm not bluffing, then I should bet small (though larger than $6 perhaps!) I also tried to put him on a hand, and figured that he must think he had a decent hand to go so far with. I figured an overpair was most likely, and as he most probably had me pegged as a habitual bluffer, I decided to bet large: $390, putting my opponent almost allin.

My opponent thought for a full 15 seconds before folding.

What did I do wrong here? Should I have bet far smaller on the river? Or should I have raised more on the flop?

Of to Egypt tomorrow, so will look forward to reading the comments when I get back! Best of luck....