Knock 'em (dead)

[peterbirks]

Sometimes you just get it right. It isn't just a matter of nice cards falling. You know that you are playing your top game and you squeeze every additional bet that you can out of your good hands. I just pummelled them for $122 in just over an hour, and I don't think that I missed a trick. These included an inspired fold with QQ pre-flop IN THE BLIND (the eventual winner, who had reraised pre-flop, had KK) and a check-raise with four sixes both on the turn and on the river, when I had a hunch that my foe had filled his flush on the river (and he had). On top of that I won two hands with calls on the river with nothing more than Ace high, because I was pretty sure that my opponent was on a draw and had missed. And, yes, right both times. Sometimes it's sweet.

Here's another one that went right and where I probably did as well as I could.

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Started at 14/Apr/05 17:09:09

west tex is at seat 0 with $308.50.
TDCOLTS is at seat 2 with $62.25.
cupcake1980 is at seat 3 with $265.75.
Love64 is at seat 4 with $81.25.
Birks is at seat 5 with $304.25.
ernsta is at seat 6 with $197.
bms1ajd is at seat 7 with $115.25.
capmatt is at seat 8 with $249.25.
swtwtr25 is at seat 9 with $54.25.
The button is at seat 7.

capmatt posts the small blind of $1.
swtwtr25 posts the big blind of $2.

Birks: 6h 5h
ernsta: -- --
bms1ajd: -- --
capmatt: -- --
swtwtr25: -- --

Pre-flop: Love64 calls. Birks calls.
bms1ajd calls. capmatt calls. swtwtr25 checks.

Flop Jc Qh 4h

Not a great hand for me, but playable. Depends on who bets whether I raise or not.

capmatt checks. swtwtr25 checks. Love64 bets $2.
Birks calls. bms1ajd calls. capmatt folds.
swtwtr25 folds.

With the bet from the player immediately on my right, I prefer a call here.

Turn Jc Qh 4h Kh

So there's the flush. But (and this is why it's not the greatest hand on earth) I might be losing to another flush, and other players might have a draw. I am also now out of position.

Love64 checks. Birks checks. bms1ajd checks.

River Jc Qh 4h Kh 8s

Love64 bets $4. Birks calls. bms1ajd calls.

One of the plusses of the check on the turn is that I might elicit a bet from a hand that's behind, which could have folded the turn. This is what happened. My call (rather than raise) is automatic. Firstly, I'm just as likely to get a call from the player behind me as from the initial bettor (who might be bluffing), and secondly, a raise leaves me open to a reraise if the initial bettor is slow-playing a better flush.


Showdown:

Love64 shows Td Kc.
Love64 has a pair of kings.
Birks shows 6h 5h.
Birks has a flush, king high.
bms1ajd has Ks Js (two pairs, Kings and Jacks)

Birks wins $26.75 with flush, king high.

I'm surprised that the player with KJ did not bet the turn, although Sklansky does advise a check at this point (on the grounds that with 2 pair you have to call a raise, even though you might have only 4 outs).