Improved draw out of position on the turn, high stakes no limit holdem

Thanks to High Stakes Report for the hand history.

DailyHandQuiz

Game type: 200/400 no limit hold em heads up, Full Tilt Poker
Your image: You’ve been a bit of a calling station, but you’re getting there
Opponent’s image: A little frustrated
Your hand: 6♦3♦

This hand is taken from actual game play at the 200/400 NL holdem table at Full Tilt. This hand took place between ‘woeisme’ and ‘p_c4Libr4ted’. You’ll be standing in for ‘woeisme’

The setup: You’ve been making a lot of check-calls so far in this heads up match and you’ve been coming from behind to win a lot of those hands on the river. Your overall approach to the match has been a little passive so far, but you’ve managed to to double up.

This hand, you’re dealt a suited 2 gapper in the BB. Your opponent raises to 3x and you call. You flop a gutshot:

5♦A♠2♣

You check and the SB fires out for 3/4 pot. You call, and the turn improves you to a straight and flush draw with the 9♦.

It’s your action. What’s your play?

6 COMMENTS (Jump to comment form)

philes

This is a tough problem, in a NL situation, and I guess you’re going to have to decide, without making your bet, whether or not you’re tossing in your stack, because that’s likely what it will come to. You won’t have enough time to decide, if it comes to that. Decide now what’s happening on that final bet THIS round (meaning if you get raised).

If you’re already going to fold to a huge bet, so be it.
If you’re going to play for it all, so be it. But you’re gambling.

You figure to lose the hand, if you don’t hit, and you may have to hit it hard to win it.

The flush might get you there, and might not.
The straight gets you there.
The 6 might get you there, and might not.
The 3 is even less, a smaller pair.
Pairing the board won’t get you there.
Playing the board (nobody paired nothin’) won’t get you there, you have a six high.

My inclination, but the choice wasn’t available, is ‘lead-fold’.
A pot sized bet might generate a fold, might generate a call, might generate a modest raise, or might generate a huge raise. If that last one comes, i’m done with the hand.

I want to buy this card cheaply. I won’t buy the card if it’s too expensive, because I figure to lose. I’ve got darn few outs to the best hand, and I’ve got a few more outs to an easily-predicted second best hand.

I can’t for the life of me figure out how my bet is going to tell this guy ‘I’m not praying for the flush’, and he might be, as well. Why is he in this hand? IF he loves the Ace, I’m dead. If he’s holding the Ad, I’m dead, he’s not going anywhere.

I don’t like the hand. I’d like to play it cheaply, and Villian might want to play it cheaply also. Why is he in the hand?
A check might get me a card. A 3/4 to pot sized bet leaves me some cash if he comes over me, ’cause I’m gone. But it might make him fold, if he hasn’t the A, nor paint of diamonds, but if he does he’s at least staying. I like pot sized bet, exactly, better than 3/4 sized. Tells him I might be up to something, tells him I might already have something, doesn’t look like I’m trying to save money.

But I’m not donking the stack with six high.

So figure out whether you want your lottery ticket, and what price you’ll pay for it, and what price is too high. Because there’s still the river to go, if you get this card/lottery ticket.

I couldn’t pick bet-fold, so I picked check-fold. I want a cheap card, or I want outta here. I have six high. I’ll go broke later: I don’t have to do it on this hand, with my six high and four outs to a winning straight. Anything he’ll call with beats me. Unless the lottery ticket hits hard, rather than hitting soft, or missing.

[Reply]

_CityBorn_

Based on what happened, in this quiz, I actually feel bad for the villain. How horrible is that, you keep denying your opponent odds to call, they keep calling anyway, and catch their outs on the river. Arghh….

Anyhoo…assuming i HAVE to stand in for our stationy “hero”, I continue to check call here. I think if youre ALWAYS check calling, then in a sense, that itself disguises that youre on a draw, or what type of draw it is at least. you could be playing your stationy image with a set for all he knows. Of course, the problem is hes bound to fire out a large bet (based on previous hands) to deny us odds to call with a draw, but hell…were gonna call anyway and hit so that just more money in the pot for us! =)

[Reply]

matt tag

I agree w/ philes – I like the lead/fold. We have a decent draw but not a great one, and if he wants to show strength right now, he can have this pot.

[Reply]

JamesBong

I agree with CityBorn exactly.

I like the check/call since all other options mean putting more then 6k in, or just putting money in and folding.

[Reply]

Harry

I voted lead/re-raise but I’m starting to learn towards check/ raise. I agree that this is a great hand to take advantage of our image. But I think I’d prefer the check raise because it allows us to represent a strong hand without having to play for stacks.

[Reply]

Gary

I find that leading in this situation screams that you’re drawing (i.e., please don’t raise me). Your opponent likely knows that if you had a big ace, or even a bigger hand like a set or a straight, you would probably not bet out, but would wait for the preflop raiser to bet the turn and then check raise him.

Check raising in this situation signifies more strength (i.e., I am willing to play for all of my chips) then betting out. I think your odds of getting your opponent to fold before the river may increase by checkraising rather than the weak lead.

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