The Tank

Drawing blanks

I was playing in a five-handed no-limit sit&go recently. The blinds were on the first level at 15/30 and the starting chip count was 1,500. In the first hand, the player under the gun limped, the small blind called and I checked on the big blind with 8♠9♠.

The flop was J♥-4♣-3♣. The small blind bet 60. I hadn’t hit the flop, but thought I could take at least one of them off the hand by re-raising to 120. The player under the gun called. I figured maybe he had middle pair and wasn’t that fussed. Annoyingly, the small blind also called.

The turn was A♥. Following my reraise, I attempted to represent the Ace with a medium kicker and bet the pot, which was now 450. UTG called again and the small blind folded.

The river was the 9♣, putting the flush out there. With the money in the pot, I thought my only move now was to push all-in. To my horror, the other player called, turning over A♣-7♣ for the nut flush. What did I do wrong?

Kelly, via email

It was fine to call on the big blind with a suited connector and your re-raise of 120 was also okay, but the big mistake was made on the turn. Getting a call of your re-raise by two players on a ragged flop like J♥-4♣-3♣ should have alerted you to the fact that at least one would have an Ace. What you should have done on the turn is check and fold to any bet. Your bet on the river was also a bad move and is the reason why you should be most frustrated with your play.

With three clubs on the table, your own play was not conducive to someone who might be chasing the flush – yet your opponent’s was. Throughout the hand, he was simply calling your bets and his slow reaction towards your turn bet screamed of someone who was trying to work out the pot odds. Perhaps if he only had a 10-high flush draw, he would have laid down, but once he hit the Ace on the turn, there was no way he was getting away from the hand. You tried to use brute force all the way through, which can be a successful approach if (a) you have a bigger stack than everybody else and (b) some sort of hand.

Continuing to fire blanks is a move that I see so many inexperienced players mistaking for aggression. This type of play is loose and long-term adherence to it can only result in you going broke. Truly aggressive play is sharp and incisive, but most of all it’s intelligent and quick to withdraw when faced with overwhelming force.

Feeling pumped!

I was playing in a ten-man no-limit sit&go the other week. There are seven players remaining from the initial ten and we are at the third blind level of 50/100. Starting chips are 1,500. I’m about third in chips with 2,500. Four players limp to me. I have been pretty aggressive up to this point and with K♦-J♦ decide to raise to 250. I consider this hand somewhat of a drawing hand and think this raise will thin the field.

It works – only the big blind and button call. The flop is A♦-10♦-3♠. The pot is now 800. I like to push hard with my draws, especially in early position and bet the pot. The big blind now goes all-in for 1,500. I figure he must have a weak Ace, but given my gutshot straight and nut flush draws, I’m happy enough to put in another 700 chips.

I fully expect the button to now fold, but he’s on the shortstack with 600 and he goes all-in as well. With all the money in the pot, I feel I just have to call, even though I’m almost definitely beaten. They both turn over weak Aces, I don’t improve and I’m left short-stacked. Should I have just checked on the flop?

Fred, via email

Considering your chip count there was no harm in raising with a hand like K-J suited. The flop wasn’t bad and you have all manner of draws, including a gutshot Royal Flush draw. Your bet of 800 is very aggressive, but also very risky. Even though you still have 1,450 in chips, you have basically committed yourself to calling an all-in. Going all-in on the flop would be better.

Your opponent’s weak Ace will look even weaker to him when he realises he has to call for all his chips and you may have a better chance to push him off. But is there any real sense in committing yourself solely on the strength of a draw? It’s not like it’s a cash game and you can just reload. Why not check and call a bet up to around 500? If the turn completes your draw, you’re laughing. Even if you miss, your opponent(s) may make it cheap enough for you to see another card or might even check, thinking you have a big Ace. Either way, you could draw out on the river.

ASK WILLIE!

If you’ve got any poker problems – strategy, etiquette, anything at all – Willie will be only too happy to answer your questions.

Just drop him an email at WillieTann@dennis. co.uk or post to:

Willie Tann,
Poker Clinic, InsidePoker,
Dennis Publishing,
30 Cleveland St,
London,
W1T 4JD.

Letters may be edited for length.