Analysis
I missed. That was disappointing. Well, it comes once in every four times for a flush draw and it was my first draw tonight. I should not be too disappointed.
The opponent made a weird smallish bet. $15 into a $340 pot. What does he want to do here?
First, let’s see what he had observed. I raised him on the flop but checked in position on turn. It was typically the performance of a flush draw. Thus he knows his hand must be good now. It seems he wants to get some value out his winning hand.
Based on my analysis on turn, he must have at least a pair of As now. Thus I cannot call. What’s the point to call when you know you are beat? Save the $15 for the next fight. Or buy a beer.
Can I bluff him out of the point by a big raise? My check on the turn gave my hand away. The river raise will be weird and will be called. Not consistent.
One note here, it is sometimes a legitimate strategy to check a big hand in position when heads-up. However, usually I only deploy this when I play the opponents many times, so I can mix my play to throw them off once in a while. Out of context, I would not do that.
Back to the small bet, why it is so small? At poker table, weak means strong while strong means weak. I sensed that the BB really wanted me to pay him. A voice seems to scream: “Just give me a little something … as little as $15, you can see my cards”.
No, thanks.
Actual Situation
I thought for about 12 seconds. Threw my cards in the muck.
Then some reactions from the table.
An old Chinese guy. Probably from Hongkong. White hair, with Glasses. Friendly but pretty loose sometimes. He shouted, "What is going on here?!"
A solid small size guy on my left inquired: “Flush draw?”
Yes, it is too obvious to an experienced player. Since it is too obvious, I will admit it.
"Yes. I missed. I was thinking about a bluff. But I gave it up. "
The dealer just pushed the $340 pot to the BB. He heard the conversation. Still quietly, he showed two hole cards that are still in his hand towards me and the table:
AQ.
As if he was saying, "It is good that you did not bluff on the river."
That makes sense. He had a pretty good starting hand and he hit the best flop he could hope for … top two pairs. Well, a pair of Qs or a pair of As on the flop would be even better. But he would not get much actions.
His small bet on flop was to build pot. His last bet on river was to value bet.
I tapped the green felt. "Nice hand".
That was sincere. It was a nice hand indeed. I also appreciate that he showed me his cards to confirm my whole thinking process.
The nice hand comment is also to myself. I think I saved at least $60-$120 in the hand, by raising him on flop. I do not think any bluff attempt after that would push him off the hand.
On the other hand, by betting out on turn, the BB would have extracted at least another $100 from me.
Well, I still have some chips. Let’s shuffle and deal.
I missed. That was disappointing. Well, it comes once in every four times for a flush draw and it was my first draw tonight. I should not be too disappointed.
The opponent made a weird smallish bet. $15 into a $340 pot. What does he want to do here?
First, let’s see what he had observed. I raised him on the flop but checked in position on turn. It was typically the performance of a flush draw. Thus he knows his hand must be good now. It seems he wants to get some value out his winning hand.
Based on my analysis on turn, he must have at least a pair of As now. Thus I cannot call. What’s the point to call when you know you are beat? Save the $15 for the next fight. Or buy a beer.
Can I bluff him out of the point by a big raise? My check on the turn gave my hand away. The river raise will be weird and will be called. Not consistent.
One note here, it is sometimes a legitimate strategy to check a big hand in position when heads-up. However, usually I only deploy this when I play the opponents many times, so I can mix my play to throw them off once in a while. Out of context, I would not do that.
Back to the small bet, why it is so small? At poker table, weak means strong while strong means weak. I sensed that the BB really wanted me to pay him. A voice seems to scream: “Just give me a little something … as little as $15, you can see my cards”.
No, thanks.
Actual Situation
I thought for about 12 seconds. Threw my cards in the muck.
Then some reactions from the table.
An old Chinese guy. Probably from Hongkong. White hair, with Glasses. Friendly but pretty loose sometimes. He shouted, "What is going on here?!"
A solid small size guy on my left inquired: “Flush draw?”
Yes, it is too obvious to an experienced player. Since it is too obvious, I will admit it.
"Yes. I missed. I was thinking about a bluff. But I gave it up. "
The dealer just pushed the $340 pot to the BB. He heard the conversation. Still quietly, he showed two hole cards that are still in his hand towards me and the table:
AQ.
As if he was saying, "It is good that you did not bluff on the river."
That makes sense. He had a pretty good starting hand and he hit the best flop he could hope for … top two pairs. Well, a pair of Qs or a pair of As on the flop would be even better. But he would not get much actions.
His small bet on flop was to build pot. His last bet on river was to value bet.
I tapped the green felt. "Nice hand".
That was sincere. It was a nice hand indeed. I also appreciate that he showed me his cards to confirm my whole thinking process.
The nice hand comment is also to myself. I think I saved at least $60-$120 in the hand, by raising him on flop. I do not think any bluff attempt after that would push him off the hand.
On the other hand, by betting out on turn, the BB would have extracted at least another $100 from me.
Well, I still have some chips. Let’s shuffle and deal.