2 raised hands against the Poet

con_leche

2 Hands from the Drogheda Poker Club, after a 300 monthly game, so some Dublin regulars are on the table, and the stacks are relatively big for a 1-2 NLHE game. [There is often 100-200 euro in the pot pre-flop, and the table is loose and aggressive.]

I have been playing very tight for about 2 hours and recently doubled up to about 600 by racing my QQ against a mid pair + FD.

Villain in both hands is Niall Murphy, who has been opening about 30-40% of pots pre-flop to 20, and betting about 100 irrespective of flop, firing a 2nd or 3rd bullet if necessary. He has normally talked a lot in hands, and has won many large raised pots post flop, from the pre-flop raiser.


H1
Blind straddle to 10, about 5 callers before me, I make it 45 in late position with QQ, and get 2 callers.

Flop: 8s 10s 10c [Pot 160]

Niall ‘the poet’ Murphy, first to act, thinks for about 3 seconds and then bets 100, saying nothing, effective stacks 600. 1 fold, and action to me. I dwell up and eventually call, comments?

Turn: 4h

Niall thinks for a while and bets 175. I think and fold face down, does anyone play it different?


H2
I am in early position, and limp Qd 10d, then call a raise of Niall [late position] of 15, with 4 others.

Flop: Ad Qc 4d [Pot 80] Effective stacks [620].

Flop is checked to Niall, who bets 50. I am the only caller.

Turn: 9h.
Niall bets 125. I just call.

I think he has a good ace here and is betting for value. Do I check raise flop, or bet into him on the flop, or just call again on turn, hoping to improve? As far as I see it, if he has AJ or better, he is happy to get it all in on the flop, and I am racing for 300 BB with middle pair + FD. Am I too passive?

semibluff

i would never show face up the QQ hand, re-raise the flop. your giving away so much information to a very intelligent player.
against an aggro player who Cbets any flop the only diff is that he doesnt talk - if this is your reasonable tell that he has a 10, ud want to be very strong on your read.

in hand two, you must rem that you showed your hand face up earlier. so niall knows that when he represents a value bet (as in hand one on the turn) he can get you off a hand. he loves putting the pressure on the opponent. you could well flat call turn and still be ahead. his lp raise doesnt mean he has a strong hand, or an ace - as he "opening 30-40% of hands", esp from late pos

LuckyLloyd

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BobSloane

I know nothing of the poet but from the description I'd be calling the turn bet in hand 1 for sure.

Hand 2 I might bet into him on the flop hoping he'd raise and then I'd shove. Pair and flush draw is a monster - just ask Jamie Gold.
As it stands you have a made hand and you can't keep folding made hands to lags


Also in hand one you didn't fold face up from what I can gather. I mean you say face down so...am I missing something?

Shortstack

Both hands calling Niall down is the best play, he will bet with or without it, most of the time you are way ahead. I have played with him a lot and letting him do the work is the best way to get money out of him.

LuckyLloyd

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pok3rplaya

Hand 1: Shove the turn or call him down. He's nowhere near good he's just an aggressive bluffer. Shortstacks advice is solid but I don't think we should be letting him see the river there's a ton of scare cards considering we have no clue wtf he has.

2: bet/3bet the flop to try and trap some dead money or at least check raise. You have the nuts.

You gotta get more aggressive man.

semibluff

sorry, folded face down - mis read

limp calling with marginal hands is pre the only way to play these guys unless you play a fearless deep stack game, with multiple re-buys.

by inflating the pot oop with Q10, he would def have got one if not two players calling in late pos, if not re-raising (and surprisingly he well could be ahead/ 40/60 pre. these strong hands need to be played to the end versus lag opponent)

in these cash games seeing flops for as little as possible pre is important - unless you have a strong hand in pos. normal abc poker "rules" seem to go out the window with these ultra aggro players

Gholimoli

Hand 1:
i hate the fold here.
he may very well have a T here but on avarage he will have alot of others hand that you have beat.

trying to figure out and being able to tell the times from when he has them and not is not the correct play.
give him a range and base your decision based on the avarage of that range and act accordingly.
on the turn though the pot gets very big which means you do need to protect it.
the value you miss from him bluffing the turn is made up by the value you gain from not letting him suck out.

Hand 2:
against this particular villain and with this deep i would lead the flop.
im almost certain he will raise you in which case you can then get it all in.

im happy to get it all in here on the flop here against him if im the person shoving it for at least another pot sized bet.

the problem with a check raise is that he can just call your check raise.
then on the turn he can fold if a flush hits.
but if you lead,he will raise and you can then shove.
this way you have represnted a huge hand and if he decides to call with a hand like TP you still have very good equity.

mrflash

Hand one is bad play imo. If you are against a super aggressive player like this, you have to show some strength, i do not know the player either, but no one is hitting every flop unless they are having a dream night. In this situation with qq against a player like this(from what you have said), i am reraising him on the flop and the turn. To be honest you're play seems very 'nitty'.

Hand two is very different, you have second pair and second nut flush draw, if you are calling the postflop bet, you have to call the turn bet, otherwise you have called the postflop bet with terrible odds. I would always be thinking about what i am going to do if i don't hit on the turn when i am deciding to call a postflop bet. I dont see any good reason to call this bet postflop other than flushing or a second q, and that means you are only 20% to hit on one street. I would be calling turn and river against this guy myself if the information you have given us about his play is correct.

semibluff

gholi i dont think he'd fold to the flush on the turn - esp if you've re-raised him, if you only flat called perhaps.
he loves putting people to the ultimate test pressure wise, but also loves a hero call. (not saying he makes these light)

against one pair - Ax your 50/50 on flop AFAIK, this correct?