I know I messed up, but just how badly? :)

Live multi-table game. Started with 35, down to 24. Total chip count is $173,000, avg stack is $7,200. I'm on an 8-handed table with all but two stacks upwards of $10,000 (inc. the chip leader on about $40,000) and, after being down to $1,500, have forced myself up to $5,500. Blinds are $100/$200.

I get dealt in the big blind.

A player half way round (sitting on a decent stack) raises to $600. Folded round to me and I re-raise to $1,800. He calls.

Flop comes .

I check. He goes for his chips right away, leans forward, then stops himself and checks after a few seconds.

Turn is .

Right now, I'm putting him on a couple of high-ish cards but nothing special (maybe KJ or something), and not a pair. After seeing him almost raise me last time I fancy my chances of the check-raise, so check again. He checks immediately.

River is .

I figure my big initial bet then consecutive checks could be read as AK that missed, so represent the ace with another $1,800. He calls instantly.

Turns over .


Clearly I screwed up here, but where? I was in a poor position with regard to the table, if not the tournament, so I needed to play big when I got the chance. I'm thinking I should have read more into his check on the flop and made a medium raise on the turn, when there was no danger of a flush and little danger of a straight.

Should I have raised on the turn? Raised on the flop? Raised higher pre-flop? Checked the river?

I would have bet the flop myself, to see where I was. The flop isn't a bad one for you. Just the one overcard and if you have a call/raise you can slow down or fold. If you don't bet you can't really get a read on him.
You can be pretty sure at this point that he doesn't have an overpair as he would have been likely to re-re-raise you pre-flop, so you can put him on AK or a middle pair.

Your idea about check-raising the turn is a good idea, however a risky one. you were a little unlucky for him not to bet however with A10 you'll happily take a free card on the turn.

Your bet on the river was a little suspect, he called a raise pre-flop so he should have something, and if he doesnt have the Q and you have 2 Js there's not much else for him to have.

I don't think that you should have allowed ANY free cards after the flop.

im taking a guess here that the blinds were about $200. Your reraise was ok. If the blinds were higher an all in might have been better but if they were not killing you the reraise was the best option.

Where did you mess up? The flop....and the turn

You reraised his raise pre flop - which in a way is you saying to him 'ive got a good hand'. Your check indicates weakness to him and is inviting a raise.

You had to bet here. I would have bet about $1,000. If he reraises you then id give him credit for the queen and be prepared to drop it.

If you check

* You dont know if the flop helped him. If i was in his position (ie. late) and was sitting with AK and that flop came i would have bet after you checked to see where i stood.
* You gave him a free card.

To make things worse you checked on the turn. This was even worse in my opinion. You had to bet here. You had the best hand in two rounds here and decided to check twice and let him catch two free cards.


When the flop came you need to try and figure what he was raising with. I would have put him on either a medium pocket pair or ace with a decent kicker. I wouldnt give him credit for pocket queens, kings or bullets as when you reraised him he would have went all in. So at the flop the hand your really worrying about is AQ - which is why you need to bet at the flop to see where you stand. You cant check because if he has AJ, AK or A10 etc your gonna be giving him a free card.

hope you dont think im being too hard on you buddy - just this guy took down a pot that was effectively yours.

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You re-raised 3x his bet pre-flop so I don't see a problem there. I think a bet of 1/2 to 2/3 of the pot on the flop was in order. You have to find out where you're at. Your re-raise pre-flop says you have a strong hand and you need to continue to represent that. His fake bet/check on the flop, imo, was an act to possibly make you think he was setting a trap for you. So you check on the turn and he immediately checks behind you. You give him a free card and it's the one that beats you.

I think if you had fired at the pot on the flop and then on the turn you'd have never made it to the river.

yeah thats something newish players who think theyre fantastic do.

I was playing at my regular game on sunday. Young lad was there and was so easy to read. He was a truly awful player but thought he was amazing. He made huge raises and reraises and then when he won he flipped over his J4 or similar and had a little smirk. A few of us couldnt help but laugh after he did it a few times.

He was soooo bad though. He was on the button and went to put some chips in and said 'im first to act arent I'. It was soo easy to read him. Credit to the girl he did that too, she raised all in and he immediately folded. When down to the last 3 i was in big blind. The button folded and he put in a large raise to me. I immediately went all in and he folded. He never reraised me again....his mates asked what he had and he said he had nothing. lol

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Thanks for all the comments. I thought my biggest mistake was sitting back on the turn, but you're all correct, I really should have done something on the flop. What was holding me back was if I had raised in the region of $1,000 and he'd put me all-in, I'd have virtually had to call. It'd have only left me with $2,900 in front of me on a stacked table, and there would be five grand in the pot at that point. I didn't feel like I was comfortably in front and okay to bet until I saw him check the flop and the turn came out useless.

Oh, needless to say, after being decimated to $1,900 I was back to playing the all-in game, went out three hands after this (pocket tens versus KQo, lady on the river).

Fonz do you still live in uk.......If so where do you play....??

Thanks

Sonny