These hands were all against StorkDelaMork. He’s a regular in the mid- to high stakes on FTP, pretty tight but also smart and capable of tricky play.
I Don’t Fold Sets
Full Tilt Poker, $10/$20 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker Hand History Converter
Hero (BB): $3,374.50
UTG: $3,160.50
MP: $1,970
CO: $3,178
BTN: $3,005
SB: $2,398
Pre-Flop: 5
5
dealt to Hero (BB)
UTG raises to $70, 2 folds, BTN calls $70, SB calls $60, Hero calls $50
Flop: ($280) 6 3
2 (4 Players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG checks, BTN checks
Turn: ($280) 5
(4 Players)
SB bets $200, Hero calls $200, 2 folds
River: ($680) 8 (2 Players)
SB bets $440, Hero calls $440
Results: $1,560 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero mucked 5 5 (three of a kind, Fives) and LOST (-$710 NET)
SB showed 4 6 (a straight, Six high) and WON $1,557 (+$847 NET)
I seriously considered folding this river. Even on the turn, I was having trouble putting Stork on anything but a straight when he leads into three people on the turn. I told myself maybe he could have a worse set, and there aren’t a lot of 4’s in his pre-flop range, but I still think the river is very close.
Thinnish Value Bet
Full Tilt Poker, $10/$20 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker Hand History Converter
Hero (UTG): $2,654.50
MP: $2,300.50
CO: $2,000
BTN: $3,915
SB: $3,122
BB: $3,325
Pre-Flop: K A dealt to Hero (UTG)
Hero raises to $70, 4 folds, BB calls $50
Flop: ($150) 3 6 K (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $124, BB calls $124
Turn: ($398) Q (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $310, BB calls $310
River: ($1,018) 8 (2 Players)
BB checks, Hero bets $850, BB folds
Results: $1,018 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero mucked K A and WON $1,015 (+$511 NET)
The Qs is a great card to double barrel if I have nothing, so I’m thinking Stork is capable of calling the turn light. I was hoping my river bet would represent nuts or air and get a loose call, but maybe I should have bet a little less. Significantly, I think Stork is definitely sometimes playing better hands than mine like this, including maybe KQ.
The River Sexy
Full Tilt Poker, $10/$20 NL Hold’em Cash Game, 6 Players
LeggoPoker Hand History Converter
Hero (SB): $3,648.50
BB: $2,000
UTG: $2,245.50
MP: $3,979
CO: $3,431.50
BTN: $2,689.50
Pre-Flop: J Q dealt to Hero (SB)
3 folds, BTN raises to $70, Hero calls $60, BB folds
Flop: ($160) 6 J A (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $120, Hero calls $120
Turn: ($400) 9 (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN checks
River: ($400) 4 (2 Players)
Hero checks, BTN bets $300, Hero raises to $1,058, BTN folds
Results: $1,000 Pot ($3 Rake)
Hero mucked J Q and WON $997 (+$507 NET)
Even though this worked, I don’t like it much in retrospect. The only hand that really makes sense for me to have is a set of 6’s, and any time you are representing something so specific, you are usually going to get looked up. Stork isn’t going to have more than one pair here often once he checks the turn, but I have seen him do some tricky stuff before, so it isn’t impossible. Even pre-flop isn’t very good against a smart opponent. But it did work, so I might as well brag, right?