2/3 buyin final pot with a marginal hand ~ the anatomy of

[pokerzen]

Villain and a friend of his both had a good laugh at my expense after the hand … but the fact of the matter is that I won the $30, and I was about 80% certain calling the river that it was mine.

Villain has a chronic raising problem. I don’t know if he’s gotten help for this yet … but that’s his side of the street you know. PFR = 38% The guy raises every hand I play, plus about another 10% of all hands which I would throw away. Pretty wide range.

- pokerzen sitting in seat 1 with $64.49 [Dealer]
- DEEPBLUESEAA sitting in seat 2 with $31.51
- omarqure sitting in seat 4 with $89.37
- beeker179 sitting in seat 5 with $42.65
- millmaker sitting in seat 6 with $93.51

DEEPBLUESEAA posted the small blind - $0.25
omarqure posted the big blind - $0.50
** Dealing card to pokerzen:

My cards are weak here … but against villains raise I’m not that concerned … I know I don’t need much to call him down with. (He’s also a habitual c-bettor … on most streets)

beeker179 called - $0.50
millmaker folded
pokerzen called - $0.50
DEEPBLUESEAA raised - $1.75
omarqure folded
beeker179 called - $1.75
pokerzen called - $1.75

** Dealing the flop:
DEEPBLUESEAA bet - $2.87
beeker179 called - $2.87
pokerzen called - $2.87

Okay we’ve got top 2 pair here … a low straight and a flush draw are possible so I’m watching for both of those. I’m confident that villain has air, and that beeker179 (if that IS his real name) is on one of the 2 draws. This particular villain would have done better than a 1/3 pot bet if he’d caught anything worthwhile. I’m even ahead of aces if he has that. (Which he probably doesn’t)

** Dealing the turn:
DEEPBLUESEAA bet - $3.59
beeker179 called - $3.59
pokerzen called - $3.59

Okay … no straight draws completed … no flushes completed … opened up for a high straight draw as well but that’s not TOO concerning … and no-one’s exactly betting strong here. Beeker’s still calling and villain has nothing given his betting habits.

** Dealing the river:

Okay this is a tiny bit disconcerting. My 2 pair monster may lose to another 2 pair.

DEEPBLUESEAA bet - $3.30

C’mon … are you serious??? I’m almost tempted to raise him for shits and giggles, but I try not to play like too much of a moron. Do you want me to believe that you have JQ? ... a set? ... Kx paired? ... I don't believe any of it. If you had something you'd bet hard ... but really you're just hoping I was on a straight or flush draw, didn't complete it ... and now whatever your shitty holdings are will hold up. (Sure my holdings are shitty too ... but not AS shitty ... and that's kind of the key to this game isn't it?)

beeker179 folded
pokerzen called - $3.30
DEEPBLUESEAA shows:
pokerzen shows: 6 of Clubs, 5 of Hearts, 10 of Clubs, Ace of Clubs
pokerzen wins $30.18 from the main pot

This play is of course read-dependant on the villain … and also any number of cards would have killed me from the pot … however in the face of no real aggression … and knowing that I was correct in my reads, I really didn’t feel that uncomfortable at all staying this hand through to showdown.

This particular play is a pretty easy example, and also a fairly minor pot ... however I’m noticing that a very good chunk of the money made is on plays like this. Obviously I’m not condoning calling down bets with 2-pair as a practice, however recognizing what’ actually happening in the hand really shifts the odds.

Any thoughts on this?

[Pok 7's]

I would call here, I find I've been in some situations like this and it's often people betting something like a pair, air, whatever. What I see a fairl amount of where I'm playing is people will make these little smallish bets throughout the hand. Like your opponent did here, and then pot the river. Which I'm half tempted to call at times but usually don't have the balls to do with something like 2 pair.

What makes a play like this hard though is whay do you do if a spade falls on the river? Or a straightening card? Thats the one thing that often meks me a little reluctant to stay in pots on somewhat coordinated boards. For example I usually won't even bother drawing to a srt8 with a possible 4 flush on the flop, now I'm not exactly sure if that's the best idea but that's kinda how I roll at the mmoment.

Here the king is kinda scary because he could have something that gave him a better 2 pair here, when you have people that are playing a ton of hands I find it very difficult to put them on a hand and since they're playing any 4 hands like 2 pair are sketchy, especially since a lot of people will play any pair someone could even have a set of 4's here, especially since this isn't a HU pot. On the river I would tend to be a little more concerned about beeker179 here. I keep hearing Sklansky in my head saying "if someone is betting the irver and is called before the action gets to you, chances are 1 if not both if them probably has some type of hand" or something like that.... Maybe that dosen't apply to Omaha though.

[pokerzen]

[pokerzen]

[Pok 7's]

[pokerzen]

That's the fun of it !!

[Felonius_Monk]

[pokerzen]

[SCFanatiker]

[SCFanatiker]

Now i wrote a 30 minute rant and Monk did already wrote the essence of my post in 1 sentence
At least you Guys think the same way too about getting more aggressive,so i seem right with my opinion Im also a bit too much of a passive nutpeddler very often after running very good and getting payed off my monsters often and if im too tired!

Just try to stay aggressive and fearless and punish such donks like the 37% PFR
Best of Luck