Two cash game hands from last night

The_Chopper

Two semi tough decisions I faced in a live game last night. I'm not happy with the way I played either hand and just want other opinions:

Hand 1:
Blinds 1/3

5 limpers for 3, I have AdKd on the button and raise the pot to 25.
3 callers before villian (loose/crazy chinese gambler guy) makes it 155. He's not noted for playing big hands this way so I have him on AQ/AJ or a small/medium pocket pair. He had 500 at the start of the hand and I cover everyone at the table.
Do I call/raise/fold?

Couple of notes on the hand:
- 2 of the 3 callers are tight so I am confident that at least an A and/or a K are dead - I am also what suspicious that one of these players may even have a very big hand.
- I know villian is willing to stick the 500 in preflop - he's not one for leaving that much behind.
- I know if I call villian will shove any flop

Hand 2:
Blinds 1/3

I can't remember the exact preflop action but I am on the button with 88 and going to the flop there is 3 of us with 100 in the pot. We've all got about 400 at the start of this hand.
Villian 1 is a great well known internet player and is the preflop raiser. He can smell out big hands from miles away.
Villian 2 is a loose gambler. Likes to check raise all in with top pair no kicker and even middle pair.

Flop A88 rainbow.

Villian 2 checks
Villian 1 bets 75
Is flat calling the only option here? Does anyone like raising in this spot?

DeadParrot

Hand one: loose crazy makes me want to push...3 callers makes me want to flat call and re-evaluate on the flop. Meh, I'd problably push but I overvalue AKs and even os as Llyod knows

Hand 2:a bit of amatuer dramatics may be in order but I'm flat calling in the hope villian one gets frisky

Hectorjelly

Hand 1 Push
Hand 2 Call, I think its better to call quickly than dwell up. Hope for an ace on the turn


Just as an aside, i hate the practice of decreasing the value of AK (or any hand) because a few people called. The mathamatics or logic of it just makes no sense. If 5 people see a flop then they should have on average 1 ace and 1 king in their combined hands anyway.

ianmc38

1. Push
2. Call

The_Chopper

Sorry one very important thing I left out of hand 1. At this point in the game I've almost 3k in my stack. One of the flat callers for 25 has 2.5k. Everyone else has around 500 in this hand - is the push still automatic? Even if we get heads up we know we're been called, so is pushing with practically no fold value still correct?

cardshark202

1 just seen your new post so raise it up to about 450 os something
2 if you have been seen to bluff raise in this spot before then maybe its worth raising but in general a call is best

Hectorjelly

The_Chopper wrote:

Sorry one very important thing I left out of hand 1. At this point in the game I've almost 3k in my stack. One of the flat callers for 25 has 2.5k. Everyone else has around 500 in this hand - is the push still automatic? Even if we get heads up we know we're been called, so is pushing with practically no fold value still correct?

When I said push I thought it was for 500. Id make it 400 or so, obviously calling the chinese guys push but probably folding if the guy with 3k pushed.

con_leche

H1:

If you are comfortable 'gambling' for that much money, you just push. If you are a good player, the strength of your hand on the button raise is masked.

H2:
In that hand you had to smooth call, hoping to induce a bluff from behind from the craxy RAI guy. If the internet player [the initial raiser], had even a weak ace he may have had to call that bet.

At any rate, with 150 in the pot before you acted on the flop, there would have been action on further streets.

jbravado

I think raising may well be an option in hand two-Villian 1 as described seems pretty competent and is most likely shutting down if you flat call the flop no?Would he bet ak on the turn here for example?

If you raise I think hes a little bit more likely to feel a a real ace may be good

You basically have the deck crippled barring an absolute cooler or he fills up its hard to get paid.



Actually on reflection I think a call is normally best here(the off chance that loopdeloop goes bananas or they fill up ).Lol full circle in 2o seconds.

earthworms

Hectorjelly wrote:

When I said push I thought it was for 500. Id make it 400 or so, obviously calling the chinese guys push but probably folding if the guy with 3k pushed.

i agree with this in hand 1.

Hand 2 has to be a check even tho we'd all love to play it differently you just gotta flat call hope for more action

phantom_lord

make it 400. fold if the deepstack pushes.

call.

bops

hand 1: fold preflop and go home with nice profit! - if you are worried about big stack guy having a monster - i suppose a call is good - at least you have the button

hand 2: 100% call

LuckyLloyd

This post has been deleted.

Captain Tom

it always amazes me how so many otherwise knowledgable plalyers practise this transparent hollywood routine.

as already stated,hand 1 make it 450-500,fold to push from big stack,hand 2 call.

The_Chopper

Cheers guys,
In hand 1 I should have definately raised to isolate - with everything going through my head, I just called (really bad, I know). Other 3 limpers call, mad chinese guy floped a set and won the pot.

Hand 2 - I thought was a bit more tricky, but everyone here agrees I should just call. I thought if I called there was a chance that villian 2 might go over the top with an A but I would definately loose villian 1. I felt if I raised this flop I would definately loose villian 2 but might get villian 1 in, especially considering he had a nice part of his stack already in. Anyway I dwelt up and bet 200, both folded. After the hand villian 2 told me if I called he was moving in as he had AQ, ah well - live and learn.

The_Chopper

cardshark202 wrote:

2 if you have been seen to bluff raise in this spot before then maybe its worth raising but in general a call is best

Yep I've been known to bet into a paired board once or twice

valor

In hand #2 given read on player #2 its a really clearcall