Top pair 3rd kicker against an aggressive player – high stakes NL

Thanks to HighStakesReport for the hand history.

Game type: 200/400 No Limit cash on Full Tilt Poker
Your image: Very Aggressive
Opponent’s image: A solid NL player
Your hand: Q♣J♣

This hand is taken from actual game play at the 200/400 NL holdem table at Full Tilt. This hand took place between Patrick ‘Luigi66369′ Antonius and ‘LarsLuzak’ You’ll be standing in for Patrick

The Setup: Lars was on the table earlier and made a killing against some other players. He’s back now and it’s HU between you two. You’ve taken quite a hit today when several of your opponents have hit their draws against you. Here, Lars raises to $1400 and you re-raise to $4200 with QJ of clubs. Lars calls and you hit top pair:

J♦2♠9♦

You lead out for $7200. Lars instantly puts you all-in for about 34k more. Do you call here?

7 COMMENTS (Jump to comment form)

Joe

This is a tough hand and a hand that seems to have gotten out of control. He is showing a lot of strength in my opinion and ill be worried I’m up against a monster. With that being said seeing that we are heads up I don’t think I can fold here and will make this call for the price 9 out of 10 times.

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Raoeoiku

Pretty straightforward call. In spots like these you have to try and determine what a reasonable range is for your opponent. With this being high stakes hu, he’s probably calling with most suited connectors, probably some low pp’s, maybe trapping with something like AA the odd time.

With such a draw heavy board, there are just far too many hands LarsLuzak can have to make a fold more profitable than a call. Are you a bit behind vs his range? Almost certainly. However, you need to be a bit better than 37% vs his range, and I can hardly see any way that his range would be tight enough to make this a fold.

As an aside, with AJ its a snap call at these stakes and stacks. With any J in your hand, I think you have to call. Now with something like Ad9c you’d have a tough spot, it would be a lot more situational. Things like whether you think your opponent is more likely to just raise or push with a draw come into play a lot more.

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onlinepokerincome.com

easy fold – this is a weak hand – the trick to making money at NL cash games is to learn how not to lose your stack with 1-pair hands while winning your opponents hands when they have 1-pair

that’s exactly what this game is all about and to lose your stack by CALLING with 1-pair weak-kicker is a total donk play, this is what you want your opponents to be doing (assuming you can find players that bad)

It helps not to build big pots pre-flop with trouble hands (suited trouble hands aren’t much better short-handed)

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matt tag

I voted fold – I don’t like to go broke on one pair.

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Keith Harris

The fact that it’s cash usually would make me alot more cautious since I don’t think a solid player would be re-raising without feel pretty confident putting his money at risk. But like the last person said, the hand has already gone way outta control… but the re-raise says alot. I would be worried that he has an overpair or possibly AJ, KJ, Plus all the draws on the board, there’s no way to feel comfortable on a board like that He could possibly have 10s…. thats probably the only solice I could give myself to convince me to call but otherwise I have more ways to be beat than to win. This is not an easy cut and dry decision though and there could definitely be a good argument to call or fold. But I’d reluctantly fold here.

Ohh and this site is awesome. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of this site until yesterday. keep up the good work. I’ll be visiting this site alot.

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Pags

Fold! obvious protection of a good hand.

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trix

easiest call in the world vs an aggro hu player.

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