***** Hand History for Game 2857180079 *****
0/0 Omaha Game Table (PL) - Tue Oct 18 21:08:52 EDT 2005
Table Table 64009 (Real Money) -- Seat 5 is the button
Total number of players : 10
Seat 1: josephrss ( $24.75)
Seat 2: MagicAbeIII ( $24.40)
Seat 3: briachek4 ( $28)
Seat 4: IainMBanks ( $61.35)
Seat 5: blinkhead ( $26.70)
Seat 6: ROYTHEBARBER ( $32.95)
Seat 7: hoegarden ( $23.65)
Seat 8: KyRice1 ( $19.80)
Seat 9: BillNTx ( $4.76)
Seat 10: Rondavu2 ( $25.85)
ROYTHEBARBER posts small blind (0.10)
hoegarden posts big blind (0.25)
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to briachek4 [ Qs, 7d, Td, Qh ]
KyRice1 folds.
BillNTx calls (0.25)
Rondavu2 calls (0.25)
josephrss calls (0.25)
BillNTx: hmmmm
briachek4 calls (0.25)
IainMBanks raises (0.50) to 0.50
blinkhead folds.
ROYTHEBARBER folds.
hoegarden calls (0.25)
BillNTx calls (0.25)
Rondavu2 calls (0.25)
josephrss calls (0.25)
briachek4 calls (0.25)
** Dealing Flop ** : [ Qc, 9h, 4c ]
hoegarden checks.
BillNTx checks.
Rondavu2 checks.
josephrss checks.
briachek4 ????

Only preflop raisor left to act. Villian is semi-solid and seems to be winning player. What do you do? Lead out or try for check raise?

I go for the check raise in that situation for the following:

1) If you bet into him and he just calls, then you might get others to follow with their J10 straight draws. I would want to get heads up or take down the pot.

2) If he is bad enough to raise you if you lead into him, then he is also bad enough to call the check raise.

3a) Deception. If he checks and then turn is seen for free, and pairs the board, noone will put you on QQ and might pay you off.

3b) Deception. If he checks and the turn is seen for free and completes the straight, you can call a small bet to see if the board pairs you might get paid off because noone will put you on QQ.

Tom

I like both approaches really and use them both. I think leading out is broadly more applicable though.

Ok, I lead into him because i wanted to make sure it wasn't checked around so I can put in a big bet on the turn if I wanted.

briachek4 bets (2.95)
IainMBanks calls (2.95)
hoegarden folds.
BillNTx folds.
Rondavu2 folds.
josephrss folds.
** Dealing Turn ** : [ Jh ]
briachek4 ????

Only you and the preflop raiser and possibly a bad card if he had a wrap like hand. What do you do? Bet out and if so, full pot of about $9 or less? Check/fold to pot bet? Check call whatever?

Dangerous board, but there's a lot of hands you're ahead of so I bet again. Might have to drop to a significant raise unfortunately. That's position for you!

I lead into him again. If he raises I fold, if he flat calls I check the river and re-evaluate, if he folds I do a celebratory kick of the neareast Brit.

Results:

briachek4 bets (8.55)
IainMBanks raises (34.20) to 34.20
briachek4 folds.

Tough one, but villain does score extra Monk bonus points for naming himself after my favourite author.