Sooky la la

Whoever posted that dont be a baby post, was
quite right, anyway enough sooky la la ,
back to poker.

2 big hands from last night on the $2-4 NL table.
I get Q-10 diamonds. Try to limp in with a
$2 bet, but someone raises it to $6, so i pay
and we see the flop 3 handed.

Flop comes Ad-10-5d. I check, middle guy
checks, last guy bets $15. Thats a resonable
bet, and he definately trying to weed
out flush drawers. Which is me ! Anyway
lets put him on A-K/Q/J - i dont think
hes got A-10, so hes got top pair and
a high kicker. What does that give me ?
Ive got middle pair, and a flush draw,
so if my hand analysis of him is right,
I have 14 outs(ways to improve my hand) over
his top pair. 14 outs = 9 diamonds + 3qs
+ 2 10s. As they will give me two pair,
(lets hope hes not playing A-Q). The
chance of hitting a 14 outer over the
turn and the river, is just a bit better than
50%. Alright so odds are in my favour of
me beating him. Now if i wanted i could re-raise
him, but I decide Ill just call. The other
guy also calls the bet, and i figure he
prolly has one of the A-x hands, so im
getting even better value for money. The
turn comes a small blank. We both check
and he bets another $15. Now this bet is
too small for the $65 or so pot. I know
there is around 1 in 3 chance of me
improving so paying $15 to see the last
card makes sense, also i figure the other
guy will call. Now the pot has over $100,
and the river comes another small blank :(
I check , the other guy checks, last guy
bets $70 all in. I fold, and the middle guy
calls. The bettor shows A-K , the callers,
shows A-9, bettor out kicks the other guy
and wins a big pot. The bettor took a risk
not betting more on the turn, and the caller
was an idiot not to put the bettor on a higher
kicker. I put in the minimum amount of money
to win a big pot, but got a little unlucky.

Hand 2 - I have Jd-10d - in middle position.
Pay $4 to see a flop, with 2 other callers.

Flop comes 9h-Qd-6h. First position and I
check, the last person bets $5. This is
a smallish bet, which means he has a draw, or
he is just trying to weed us out now,
with a small bet, hoping none of us have
hit anything. First position calls,
im not sure what he has, and I decide to
call my open ended straight draw. Usually
i dont like calling a str8t draw, with
a possible flush draw out there, coz
even if u hit ur str8t if someone hits
their flush u end up 2nd best. But i
sorta believe no one is drawing to the
flush. The turn comes a King of diamond.
= 9h-Qd-6h-Kd. One thing about online
poker is, if you hit a big hand like this,
its hard to give away a tell, as long
as you hit the check no one knows that your
running around in your underwear in your bedroom.
Ive hit the K high straight, which is the best
hand, and the ive also got an open ended
royal flush draw happening.
First guy checks, i check (slow play!) and
as predicted the last guy bets. However he
bets $15. So this seems to me like he might
have a hand. Perhaps he is betting K-Q,
or he had trips and he is betting them
harder or that flush draw. Now the first
guy calls the $15 bet. I decide ok, i can
smooth call this bet, but if the board pairs
or that flush comes, i could easily be behind.
Since im ahead now, im going to make a big raise
and win the pot here, or at least make them pay.
I raise to $50. The bettor after a while calls,
and the first position guy folds. I then
put the first position guy on a medium pair,
or a flush draw, and the previous bettor
on trips or 2 pair, coz hes drawing to a full house.
The last card comes a small heart. Grayte, if
hes drawing to a flush, im behind, but ive
put him on 2 pair or trips, coz its pretty risky
making the call on the turn with just a draw.
I decide to bet $4, and see what he does,
if he just calls, im pretty sure my hands is best.
He raises to $50. At this point i reckon he thinks
i was betting a draw, and believes his trips or
something is best, i could have re-raised, but
i thought may be ill just call. I call, he
had 2 pair ks and 9s, i have the straight,
hooray. $230 pot, i finish up a $100,
and call it a night.

Drawing to a straight can be very profitable,
especially with no flushes out. Often you
will find that ppl dont put you on the str8t,
and can collect a big pot off someone with
2 pair. One hand had over $320 in the pot,
which was the classic str8t v 2 pair.