Can you think like a pro? Take a look at this hand and email pokerplayer@plyp.co.uk with your thoughts on what Karl Mahrenholz did and why…
Karl gets himself into a river pickle
Event: GUKPT London £1,070 Main Event
Stack: 30,000
Blinds: 75/150
Karl’s hand: K♠-J♥
Board: A♦-K♦-K♣-8♦-3♦
Situation: This tournament had around 400 players over two starting days. Each player was allowed to re-enter up to three times. I was playing Day 1A – everyone started with 20,000 chips and the levels were 60 minutes long.
This hand took place in only the third level of the tournament. Despite starting the day on a seemingly soft table I was moved quite early on to a table with people who had entered late. As such this new table was much tougher with several well-established pros, and everyone seemingly competent. I’d been at this table for around two hours when this hand came up. My image had been fairly good and I had chipped up to 30k.
I opened K-J offsuit from mid-position to 350 and got called by the cut-off and both blinds. The flop was A-K-K with a diamond flush draw. I bet 200 into 1,400 and only the cut-off called. This opponent was someone I had played with quite a bit before but not for a while. He is mainly a recreational player who I perceive to have an opinion of me that I’m a lot looser than I generally am. That image is probably not helped by a couple of button versus big blind hands we’d played already where I won with weak holdings.
The turn was the 8♦ bringing the flush. I bet 500 into 1,800 and he called. The river was the 3♦ bringing a four-flush. I checked and he bet 1,500 quite quickly without looking at his hand. What is my best play?
Email your answer to: pokerplayer@plyp.co.uk
Last Month
A strong opponent presents a tricky river decision
Event: Genting Poker Series £440 Main Event
Stack: 100,000
Blinds: 400/800/100
Karl’s hand: Ah-8c
Board: Q♣-9♥-3♠-A♦-Q♥
Situation: I had been on the same table since the start of play and several of the original players were still present. My opponents were mainly passive or solid. I had built my stack from 25,000 up to 100,000 and hadn’t shown down any bad hands or been overly aggressive. I opened A-8 offsuit from mid-position to 1,800.
Everyone folded to the BB who called. He was a strong player – I knew he wouldn’t be calling with too wide a range. He started the hand with 50k. On the flop he check-called my bet of 2,400. He checked the turn and I bet 3,000. He check-raised to 7,200. I called. The river paired the Queen. He bet 11,100. What is my best play and why?
Solution
The flop play seems standard. The turn is interesting because my standard line might be a pot control one of checking back but I figured he would think I would represent the Ace a fair amount. By betting weak I was trying to induce a raise from his weaker hands.
When he check-raised I thought these vulnerable hands were most likely. 3-3, Q-9, A-9 or A-3 were value hands he could also have. When he bets big on the river I could only see 3-3 or Q-9 as value hands. Why would any other Queen raise the turn when the obvious play would be to call? I decided missed straight draws and weak pair hands that he was turning into a bluff were most likely. I called and he had Q-J. I was very confused by his play here as I don’t think many players are ever turning a hand that strong into a bluff on the turn.
