What would you do?

Playing 3 handed in a .5/1 holdem cash game on fulltilt poker, I have about 164, villain has about 158:

 

button raises to 3.5, sb folds, i have kd kc and make it 14 to go, button calls.

 

flop: Qc 9s 4s, i check, button bets 20, i raise it to 70, he pushes all in for 74 more

 

What now? Ill be back with what i did and my analysis later.

My first assumption here would be trip queens based on the call of your reraise preflop (if he had AA I think he would have reraised you) and his all-in after your check raised on the flop.  Depending on how aggressive the table has been he could have a lesser hand but your check raise shows a lot of strength and he does not seem concerned about that.  I would not be surprised if he had AA, AQ or trip nines but with the info you have given and the way he played the hand I think he has you beat, although with online players you never know.

I read as many of these hand analysis that I can and would be interested in what others think he might have had.  I hoped it turned out in your favor.

I'll assume the villan had top pair (Qs) with a straight draw if he pushes all in. That is a monster hand in a short handed game. If he had flop any type of set, a slow play would be in order, not an all in move by the villain. I would call the all in here with an over pair of Ks regarless of what the villian has.

call

I would call. I don't think in a three handed game his all-in raise screams set. Without knowing how aggressively anyone is playing and what they have shown down it's hard to say. But his range of hands here is pretty damn broad. He could have AA, KK, AQ, AK spades, 99 and if he was reckless it could be 44, even KQ spades it could be Q9 or something. I'm putting him on AQ spades here and I'm making this call.

I would call as well.  He just calls your re-raise so you can't put him on aces.  Other scary options are a set of something.  Your check of the flop was actually a nice play IMO.....if you bet it out, he has to assume a likely overpair.....and if he whacks you, you probably have to give him credit for a hand that can beat you (depending on how he has played at your table).  By checking the flop, you give him an opportunity to bet something like A-Q, represent a Q (if he had A-something or even a smaller pair then Q's), or semi-bluff a flush draw.  (if you had something like J-J which is certainly a candidate for a re-raise before the flop 3 handed, you might have to fold to a bet on the flop...once again, depending on how the play was going).

 

His bet on the flop is what probably would convince me that he didn't have a set.  If I had a set, I'd probably check behind you and hope you bet or bluffed the turn.  With your re-raise pre-flop, you likely have a pair or MAYBE A-really high.  He wouldn't put you on a Q cuz you didn't bet.   He'd have to be really unlucky for you to have a flush draw with the play to that point.

 

I personally feel like he might have had A-Q and didn't put you on an over-pair because you checked the flop.  Other guess would be nut flush draw.   

 

That's my quick $.02, but I'm on the phone working so I hope I didn't miss anything. 

BTW, I typed in my answer before reading what others wrote.  I'll be anxious to see how this turned out.  Great way to learn IMO. 

 

And it helps when the person explaining the hand gives complete information so it doesn't end up looking like quad K's got beat with quad 9's. 

 

'cept for what Colonel wrote.  I couldn't help but see his one word answer when I was scrolling down.  That's why I said, "as well." 

 

when things so are simple that people notice them.

 

 

Hard to say because we don't have a read on the player's image. Everyone else has covered most of this. There could be a wide range here QQ is obvious, 99 44 AQs AKs even. He could even have something like JTs and be pushing on the draw. You're getting good pot odds on the call of 74 so I would imagine you call. Hutch mentions that the bet would indicate no set, he could, however be afraid of the flush draw- I've seen plenty of people play hands like this. The whole play is dependant on his style. If he's a rock who has never gone all in then it would indicate QQ or 99. If he's loose then the range is wider. As always in no limit it's all about the player.

Thanks guys, I enjoy reading all of your responses. Fadeville hit the strongest point, it was the pot odds that got me to call and also something that no one hit, the fact that it was online. Does anyone ever feel you have to loosen up your play to deal with some of the unthinkable things you see online? Well i do, i know for sure that in a live game, i woulda been out of there against most opponents, I know my strengths and I dont tilt and i feel that i am a strong enough player that i feel on a level playing feild, i can easily come back. But i dont consider online that, idk what it is but i feel the amplifications of the streaks online are way to big and it doesnt have the randomness of actually shuffling a deck. For example, i know when i run bad on fulltilt, i run BAD, im not gonna bore you all with bad beat stories, but also because you play more hands it probably has a stronger effect.

    When i was thinking about my call, by no means was it an instant call by me. At first, my natural instinct was CALL, but then i sat there and thought, what can i beat? I had been at the table for about 15 minutes or so, and i really hadnt been watching this guy, so he was essentially an unknown to me. For this reason i had to go to the very basics. I used my gut and put him on 2 hands, aq or 44, i feel that he wouldnt have bet out with a pure flush draw, especially the nuts, what would be the point? It also would disguise his hand if he checks because checking is a neutral play in poker, i never see a check as a weak play, against some players, because it gives away no information. It is the best play in poker at times, think about it, how many of you would have expected me to have kings after i checked that flop after the reraise, perhaps some but i bet most would not say they would check behind me. That would just be a bad play, many players get attacked to their big ace and it is definitly worth it to bet against those type of players when you hit a flop after a reraise pre. So once i had narrowed it down to a hand range, i had to go to pot odds because i really thought he could have had either of those two hands. At this point in the hand, the pot had reached about 240 something and i only had to call 74 more, thats something like 3.5-1 pot odds and i had an overpair to the board, and the guy had no read on me, im sure he was just playing his hand.

   Also something that has been bothering me, with q94 board, he couldnt have possibly had a pair and a straight draw, unless you mean backdoor, sorry texascapper.

  One more thing, the reason that i so strongly felt he either had aq or 44 is because in my opinion, youd have to think more about a hand like 99 or qq. There would be more of a pause so that you could think, am i ahead? Do i want to reraise now? Is it worth the call? However with 44 or aq, facing a reraise you can pretty mindlessly call and fold if you miss, bet/raise if you hit.

  So now the big moment, well, it looks like we all got outplayed because he had AA. Honestly, i was shocked, it was the last hand i put him on. After playing at the table for another hour or so, yes i stayed there with my like $6, and even built it up to about 66, it did turn out the guy i was in the hand with is a tight solid player. I remember very few hands he played, and very few hands that he lost after taht big hand between him and I. 

 

also, colonel kurtz, is your handle on tilt col kurtz?

 

what do you mean?

 

 how many of you would have expected me to have kings after i checked that flop after the reraise, perhaps some but i bet most would not say they would check behind me.

 

I sometimes use this play when I'm heads-up and the flop is safe looking.  I remember once reraising with aces preflop and I check raised 500 on the flop.  I ended up busting the guy.  But with KK vs AA sort-handed, I would have to go broke rather than letting my opponent think they can run over me in this situation.   

ya i agree, i really like that play, just doesnt look like it worked to well here.

 

i mean, is that the account name you have set up on that site?

that site meaning full tilt

I don't play on full tilt.  Actually, I don't play online anymore.

Hah, aright, i agree online is a waste but i cant help but play, its getting pretty rough finding a live game, i cant go to a casino, and i figure the more experiance and situations that i can see, the better i will become. I was just asking because i saw a guy on there the other day and thought it might have been you.

 

 Is there any significance to that name?

Don't know other that that he may be fan of Apocalypse Now like me.  Spoon, where do you live?  Why can't you go to casinos?

I for one believe if you win online playing poker...you can win alot more in a cash game. Esp. the local cash game if you can find any....there are plenty of players who will call you on anything to buy a flush or a straight breaking their bankroll.

 

 

 

I for one believe if you win online playing poker...you can win alot more in a cash game. Esp. the local cash game if you can find any....there are plenty of players who will call you on anything to buy a flush or a straight breaking their bankroll.

 

 

 your right cuz if you can beat the nl cash games online you will most certainly beat the casino players at the brick and mortar joints for sure.  

colonel- live in texas, but underage

you underage?  I thought you were around 25 or 26 the whole time we were talking.

hah, sorry for the deception, im mature i suppose, but by the time i do turn 25-26, watch out