Tuesday, December 2, 2008

the checkraise - always a favorite.

Frustrating start to this tourney - no playable hands, etc. etc. My stats were like 8/4/0 when I got K A in the small blind. I was hoping to overshove a raise or a couple limpers, but everything folded to me. How can I make money on this hand?

Full Tilt Poker, $10 + $1 NL Hold'em Sit n' Go, 40/80 Blinds, 7 Players
LeggoPoker.com - Hand History Converter

Hero (SB): 1,125
BB: 1,770

Pre-Flop: (120) K A dealt to Hero (SB)
5 folds, Hero raises to 200, BB calls 120

A 2.5x raise, pretty standard for this level. I don't like to limp with good hands - every time I do, I seem to let 24o play and hit trips or two pair or something. Fortunately, I get a call, so a) he's got something not terrible, and/or b) puts me on a steal.

Flop:
(400) 3 A 8 (2 Players)
I hit my Ace. Only one draw. Ok, he's got something he likes, let's hope it's an ace and get a bet out of him with a check.

Hero checks
BB bets 240, Hero raises to 800,
I get my bet, and checkraise him.
BB raises to 1,360, He reraises. Oh crap. Watch he's got AA or he hit two pair. Well, I'm in too deep to fold now.

Hero calls 125 and is All-In

BB showed 5 A Nice - I guess he thought I was stealing and put his money in with a kicker problem. Now I just have to avoid a 5...

Turn: (2,250) 7 (2 Players - 1 is All-In) ... and a spade. Lord, no, not this way...
River: (2,250) 7 (2 Players - 1 is All-In) ... whew. For a second I thought the 7 would become some goofy chopped pot, but my K kicker plays of course.

Results: 2,250 Pot
Hero showed K A (two pair, Aces and Sevens) and WON 2,250 (+1,125 NET)
BB showed 5 A (two pair, Aces and Sevens) and LOST (-1,125 NET)

This hand brought me from last place to 3rd, which I was able to turn into a 2nd place finish when all was said and done. I never used to checkraise with top pair - always saved it for big hands like sets and such - but they work just as well with smaller hands as long as you think you're ahead.

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