How would YOU play it?

[pokerplaya]

Poker question.....this was a hand from a home game that I play in.

Some pertinent info: 6 handed No Limit Texas Hold Em, .25/.50 blinds. I'm UTG, and I look at pocket 22's. I decide to limp, hope it doesn't get raised, and hope to flop a set. UTG + 1 calls, folds around to the BB.

Flop comes A-5-2. All off suit. BB checks, I fire out a buck into the pot of 1.75. UTG + 1 reraises to 4 bucks. BB folds, I decide to make the call. Turn comes 6 spades, now putting 2 spades on the board. I bet out around 7 bucks, and I'm immediately put all in. I've got him covered, but it's bout another 42 bucks for me to make the call.

Somethings to know - this is a fairly agressive player, and after playing with me for years, he knows that I'm tight, and that he's going to lose me with a huge bet unless I have the nuts or close to it. So, from that perspective I thought he could be weak.

He did overbet the pot pretty ridiculously, betting all of his 42 dollars in chips to call with only 20 in the pot prior. What would you do? Make the call with your set of 2's, or throw them into the muck?

Let me know if you need any more information as I wrote this up pretty quickly - I'll post whether I called or folded later in the thread.

[luckygehrig]

I'd probably muck because I tend to play fairly tight when playing for real money. That's a tough one though. I've got a buddy in my poker games who tends to bet big and bluff a lot, so with a set, I could definitely see myself calling him on it.

[giants!]

If i knew that he was agressive and would continue to play that way even with little money, i would call. However, without knowing that I would fold

[warrick95]

Well, with the info you gave, you had to call.
1. he's loose.
2. he bet almost double the pot...that's usually a dead giveaway for a bluff. usually when you have a hand, you'll throw in a value bet to try to get a call.

I guess the flop is sort of dangerous, which is what makes it such a pain to play low pairs. I'm guessing he either had two spades or a 3/4 based on what you said. Personally, I limp in with low connectors quite often because if anything is caught, you're usually the only one who'll hit.

I'm guessing you and I would've both made the wrong read, though.

[gostanford07]

Woo hoo, a poker question... But anyway, knowing absolutely nothing about your home game (skill level, etc.) its a tough call, but based on what you said I think you have to call.

If it were me in the situation, I might have re-raised his flop bet, but could have just as easily called as you did. Knowing nothing about this guy, I would probably put him on A-5 or something of that nature. I doubt he would have re-raised with the nuts on a rainbow flop, but like I said, I know nothing about him. If he is agressive as you say, he probably would have raised preflop with A10-AK, so I could see him having A5 for two pair or possibly A9, but that would be a bad all-in with A9. Another possibility I guess is that he was trying to get cute with rockets by limping preflop. But then again, the huge turn be doesn't make sense with top set.

All in all (no pun intended) I would probably have to call this. However, if you have the $42 covered, you are probably the chip leader or near the top. Losing this pot wouldn't kill you since you've only invested around $15. If you feel confident that you can find a better spot later down the road I might consider folding but based on the info you gave I'd call.

So what happened?

[Art Vandelay]

Well, with the info you gave, you had to call.
1. he's loose.
2. he bet almost double the pot...that's usually a dead giveaway for a bluff. usually when you have a hand, you'll throw in a value bet to try to get a call.

My thoughts exactly.

[Madison]

More information is needed. You said rainbow flop, but if he was holding a/5 suited spades, and the duece on the flop was a spade, the turn gave him top pair plus mid pair plus the nut flush draw.


My official guess as to what happened is that he had pocket 5's and flopped an overset to your underset.

You have to make the call though, because the odds of that happening are very remote.

If he played 3/4 from UTG+1, then I want to start playing in your home games.

[TheRock]

I think he hit with A5 or A2 on the flop and had you on a straight or flush draw. Worst case he had AA, 55, or 34. Seems unlikely, so I guess I'd call.

How did you play it?

[Dan Lambskin]

i think you have to make the call...what happened. i really hope he didnt bet all that on a flush draw and hit it

[chadlincoln]

Make the call.