Giving the Free Card

Here was a situation that came up last night and I thought it would be an intriguing lesson for the “green” NL players out there. For people who have been playing serious at Casinoslots, this mistake is a cardinal sin.

Playing 4 tables on mansion last night and this table in particular was a 100NL. Opponent in the hand seemed solid enough for this limit, didn’t get out of line and always seemed to show down good hands when he won. Didn’t float at all with weak holdings and seemed to play relatively tight for the circumstances. That being said, he played rather well.

The game is 7 handed and I’m sitting on a stack of 95. (I cover the table) and opponent (with $60.00) is on my left in the CO. 1 EP limper and I raise the pot to $4.50 with 88, opponent smooth calls the raise rest of the table folds including the limper and we take a flop.

Flop: Ks 2h 2s
I lead out for a bet of $8.00 into a pot of $11.50 and my opponent quickly calls. (Well, I really don’t like this call one bit. I’ve bet to represent AK and he is coming along. So, either I’m thinking he has a good King (not AK) and doesn’t believe I have AK (which he’s right) or he has a draw to a flush here. He doesn’t have a two and he doesn’t float weak hands waiting to try and take me off my hand. He may very well also have a pocket pair below Kings but not necessarily above eights. In my eyes, I’m really not sure where he’s at when he smooth calls, it could literally be 10 hands or more as I have been firing continuation bets left and right so my continuation bets don’t necessarily mean much but this time when I got called it puts me in a situation that is difficult at best. Now its time to go into pot control mode.

Turn 7s
Okay, the flush just got there and if I wasn’t beat already, I may very well surely be beat now. Seems like a check would be prudent as betting and folding to a raise just seems silly, and maybe, just maybe he’ll check behind.

I check, he checks behind. (whew). The stack you save may be your own 🙂