Limiting your losses
May 10, 2008By: PokerPeaker THE SITUATION -
I'm playing $25 NL in a full ring game on Bodog Poker. I called a raise from late position with K♠ - 10♠. I am in middle position. It's mostly a position call. It's not the best call I ever made, but I want to see what happens. I've had a lot of bad cards and I just want to play a hand. Plus the raise is only .50 more.
It's really not a good call but let's see what happens.
The flop comes K♥ - K♣ - 3♦
Gin!
I check the flop.
WHY DID I DO WHAT I DID HERE?
I don't see a real reason to bet the flop. I do prefer to bet the flop about half the time when I flop trips because no one ever believes that you would lead out when you've got trips. But in this case there's no draw that could hurt me. So I check, and the guy checks behind me.
When the 9♣ comes down, there's a flush draw out there, so I bet the pot - $2, and he calls.
NOW I'M A LITTLE WORRIED. WHY?
Well, he just flat-called me. There are two clubs out there, and yet he doesn't seem worried about the draw. One way to see if your opponent is slow-playing a hand is if there's no real draw on the flop but one on the turn; and your opponent still just flat calls you, you need to start thinking about hands that beat you and see if you think they're possible. That tells me my opponent has a monster.
In this case, I have to wonder what he's raising me with, especially because he did raise me pre-flop. Does he have A-A or any other high pocket pair? I can't see it. I don't think so simply because I think he'd bet that on the flop. Most players are uncomfortable slow-playing a high pair after the flop, and there's a good reason for that. It's just a pair.
Does he have A-9? I guess, but would he raise with A-9 in early position? I guess it's possible. But it's not likely.
Does he have another King? It's not likely, but he did raise me pre-flop, and not only that, he checked the flop when there wasn't a draw, like I did.
I've decided it's certainly possible that he has the other King, and a higher King at that, and so I decide to be cautious with this hand from here on out.
When the 5 ♥ comes down on the River, I check. I am wondering what is going on with the hand and I need more information. Plus I'm not willing to put more money in the pot when I suspect I might be behind.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
He paused and bet $3. That's probably half the pot. I figure that's a fair price to see what he has. He could have A-A and was worried about the two Kings out there.
I think I'm beat. But I call. He shows K-Q
WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THIS HAND?
If your opponent's actions indicate that you are beat, you are beat, even if it's unlikely.
Sometimes you will lose money. Losing money in this hand was unavoidable. But just how much should you lose in this situation? Most players would have jammed with their trips.
That would have cost me a lot of money. Most players lose far too much money with trips than they should. Trips are not golden.
Remember, he raised pre-flop, and I called with an easily dominated hand. That can always cause you problems. But I did limit my losses when I thought I might be beat. Checking is not always weak, especially on the river. Sometimes it's a great way to control the pot size when you might be beat.
If I bet here, he surely raises, and I would have to call unless he jammed because I still have a great hand and it warrants a call. Instead, I checked the river and he was forced to bet small to get paid. I paid him, but not nearly as much as he would have liked.
