I thought this was an interesting hand.

[frob23]

I'm letting you know the results up front. This was a "nothing" hand for the most part but I found it very interesting on the table. I think you'll find, from the hands I post, that I enjoy the marginal middle hands more than the big hands running into other big hands. This is perfectly within the range of hands I find interesting.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (8 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

saw flop|saw showdown

SB ($2.66)
BB ($4.53)
UTG ($1.74)
UTG+1 ($1.42)
MP1 ($4.29)
Hero ($4.26)
CO ($3.64)
Button ($1.44)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
CO has ,
3 folds, Hero calls $0.02, CO calls $0.02, Button calls $0.02, SB completes, BB checks.

I am limping here in hopes of hitting my set on the flop. Obviously, that's impossible but I don't know that. This table has been fairly passive so I expected my limp to set off a chain reaction of limping... which it did.

Flop: ($0.10) , , (5 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.06, CO calls $0.06, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds.

Now, this is a great flop for me short of hitting my set. There's only one over-card and it's a 7 which is unlikely to have hit anyone. But it's possible. I lead out with a bet a little over half the pot.

Now, the call from the CO is what I find most interesting. I have been fairly conservative at this table. I am certain he thinks his pair of 6s is good here. If I had an over-pair to this board, I probably would have raised pre-flop. So I think he's putting me on two unpaired high cards. That is not an unreasonable assumption on his part. The only thing out of the normal is that I haven't shown a tendency towards probe or continuation bets on flops I miss when I didn't raise pre-flop.

I really like his call here. I think I would have liked a raise from him more. Not for my sake but just as a matter of course. I think a raise would have been stronger and given him a better idea of where he was. He needs to know if I have 7-7 or 8-8 here and this is a cheap spot to find out. But his call shows that he's been paying attention to my play. He's a tight player and has shown an ability to fold often. It's hard to imagine that this is the only time he's had anything at all.

Turn: ($0.22) (2 players)
Hero bets $0.12, CO calls $0.12.

This is a safe turn for me. I do not see this helping most hands. I don't see him calling with A-4 on the flop. He's not shown a habit of chasing. I again bet out a little bit over half the pot. I am trying to not get too involved in case he's sitting on A-7 -- even as unlikely as I find that. At this point, I think he has two over-cards, one likely an Ace, and thinks I am just firing another shot at this board which I have obviously missed.

Again, he calls... unshaken by my betting. He's certain that this board can't hit me strongly. I think he also knows that I am observant enough to know it wasn't likely to hit him either. He's playing less than 20% of the hands he's dealt... so he's not splashing around with cards that hit these flops either.

Basically, we both know the other person has no business in this hand... and think our pair of 6s might very well be the best hand. He's willing to let me keep firing.

River: ($0.46) (2 players)
Hero bets $0.2, CO calls $0.20.

I do not like the 10. I think there is a chance that it killed my hand. But I also know it could be a scare card for him if he's sitting on KQ or AJ or some other hand like that and thinks I was betting with 2 overs the entire way. If he doesn't have the 10 he might assume I have it. Still, I don't want to invest a lot here. I also don't want to check this into him because he might make a play and make a bet I can't call. I decide a blocking bet of just a little less than half the pot feels right. If he comes over the top, I might just have to let this go. But I don't think he can come over the top without the 10 or a hand that beats my 6s at least. I think he might call with any pair and could fold if he missed with 2 high cards.

Again, he calls it down. It might be a crying call, thinking I got lucky on the end but he has odds if I am just firing a 3rd bullet.

Final Pot: $0.86

Results below:
Hero has 6c 6d (one pair, sixes).
CO has 6s 6h (one pair, sixes).
Outcome: Hero wins $0.43. CO wins $0.43.


I thought this was a great hand. I do not know if I would have been able to hang around till the end if I was in his seat. But, at the same time, from his point of view... his hand could have been best.

[Latrocinium]

I like this hand.

You both have decent hands for late. To bad you have each others outs. lol.

I think if he was an observant player. Then he might of had a read, but I think he was hanging out for the gutshot on the turn. His calling was chasing.

I think you could have chunked it for a pot size bet though, and maybe have taken it down. Not sure if that would have been better on the flop or the turn. Game, time, decision, etc? I'm sure you know what I mean.

I've had a few hands like this. Some where I've done the right thing, and won the pot. But some where I folded the same hand and cost myself half or possibly a whole pot.

[Fictive]

I really don't like the way CO played the hand. Just calling each street is bad poker, he had absolutely no idea where he stands, he just kept calling. A hefty raise on the flop, or turn at the latest would've given him a lot better idea where he stands, not to mention he probably would've been able to check the river if he wanted to. Would've been really difficult for you to call him as well, if he for example called your bet on the flop, the raised you the pot on the turn.

[frob23]

Originally Posted by Fictive I really don't like the way CO played the hand. Just calling each street is bad poker, he had absolutely no idea where he stands, he just kept calling. A hefty raise on the flop, or turn at the latest would've given him a lot better idea where he stands, not to mention he probably would've been able to check the river if he wanted to. Would've been really difficult for you to call him as well, if he for example called your bet on the flop, the raised you the pot on the turn.

I agree with you in a lot of ways. When two players have identical hands, the player with position usually has the upper hand. I was forced to play this entire hand out of position and he could have taken the pot from me on the flop or turn with an aggressive raise. Had I been in his seat, I would have most likely raised the flop bet and then bet 2/3rd-3/3rds the size of the pot on the turn if he called then checked to me. I am a bigger fan of raising right on the flop and not waiting for the turn because so many cards are scare cards here and could hit his range. I don't want to call his flop bet then see an Ace come on the turn and face another bet. So, if I was in his seat... I'm raising the flop. I'm not sure but I think I mentioned that in the original post also.

[mollila]

I'll have to agree to what has already been said. Cutoff played the hand passively, and I would have raised you on the flop to see where I stand.

I liked your river bet of slightly under half pot. He might have bet more than that, if you had checked to him.

[irishpkr]

Semi-disgusting limp preflop in my book. I like betting the flop and turn, and I'm check calling the river. I don't mind letting him try a bluff on the river, and its also unlikely that any hand that calls 3 bets isn't beating your sixes. Check/call river

[TheyNeverLearn]

wow I'm amazed neither of you folded haha that is kinda funny right there