Submit responses no later than Feb 29, 2012

This hand is from a $2/5 NL game at Nautica in the flats of Cleveland, Ohio. I’m in mid-position with pocket Kings, Kc/Kd. There’s one limper, 2 fold and it’s on me and I make it $30 (pretty standard raise for this game). I get 2 callers behind me and the limper in front of me calls. There’s $127 in the pot.

The flop is 5h/2d/Qd. Limper checks, I bet out $100 and get called by both players behind me. Limper folds. The turn is 3h. Still decent for me. I have about $450 in front of me. Now I need to decide what would be the best way to maximize this hand. Do I check and let one of the others make a move at this pot, or do I make an average bet or go all in and possibly end the hand here? WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

Please comment below or email your answer to Robin@joeaveragepoker.com.

Winning responses will receive a ClubWPT T-shirt. Winners from NE Ohio will also receive a 60 minute Massage from Stow Massage. All entries will be entered into grand prize drawing done prior to 2012 WSOP.

Submit responses no later than Jan 31, 2012

This hand is from a recent $2/5 NL cash game. The game had just got off and I had close to $400 in front of me. I’m UTG and look down at 2 red nines. I raise it to $25 to go, pretty average bet for this game. I end up with 5 callers, which include both SB, BB, button and 2 random mid position callers.

The flop is 9c/2h/3d. SAFE!!!! Both blinds check and I decide to slow-play this one and check. The next 3 players also check…which wasn’t suppose to happen. Thought someone would go after this one.

Turn is a 7/c Board is beginning to gel. Both blinds check and I bet out $120 into a $150 pot. Next 2 players fold, button wakes up and goes ALL-IN for $200. Both blinds fold. I’ve got the nuts and my decision now is to just smoothe call and possibly bring in the remaining player or come over the top for a total of $375 and push the remaining player out to limit the potential draws against me. WHAT WOULD YOU DO????????

Please comment below or email your answer to Robin@joeaveragepoker.com.

Winning responses will receive a ClubWPT T-shirt. Winners from NE Ohio will also receive a 60 minute Massage from Stow Massage. All entries will be entered into grand prize drawing done prior to 2012 WSOP.

Winning Response

This weeks winner is Jordan from Nashville, Tennessee. Jordan said, at this point I would come over the top. You probably won’t push the other player out, but you will earn a bigger payday…as long as they don’t hit their draw.
Hope you took the pot down!!

Jordan, I did just that and the other player did call. The river was an 8h…no flush, but both players were on a 5/6…one of them clubs. Oh well they both chopped up my $$$$…UGH!!!

Thanks to Everyone who responded and Jordan wins the WPT Shirt.

Submit responses no later than Dec 31, 2011

This hand is from a WPT main event I played in at the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City, NJ this past September. This was a 5 day event, with a 3 million $$ guarantee. The levels were long and this was a deep stack event.  If I remember correctly we started with 30,000 in chips with 75 minute levels or close to that anyway.

There was a lot of time to play and I was at a fairly well balanced table. There were a couple of pros with one of them next to me on my right. Good place for this uber, aggressive player. This player was friendly and did talk a little strategy during the 10-12 hours at our table.

Okay, I’m rambling. We’ve played all day and are about 15 minutes from breaking for day and bagging up chips. I had about 38,000, which was under average after playing almost 12 hours.

I look down and see pocket 10′s, 10s/10d in the Big Blind. Not bad. I believe the blinds are now 200/400 with 50 ante. There are 5 limpers including the Small Blind and I raise it up and make it 2,400 to go. All fold around to SB (Pro) who calls. The flop is 6c/8s/Qs…not horrible for my 10′s.

There is approx 6,800 in the pot. SB checks and I bet out 5,000. SB now comes alive and shoves all in and has me barely covered.  Now I sit and think for probably 5 minutes going over the probable pre-flop hands that he would have played this way and why would he shove, etc, etc.  This is my tournament life on the line now.  I can fold and go into day 2 with under 30,000 or call and potentially finish the day with over 80,000. OMG…..WHAT WOULD YOU DO?????????????

Please comment below or email your answer to Robin@joeaveragepoker.com.

Winning responses will receive a ClubWPT T-shirt. Winners from NE Ohio will also receive a 60 minute Massage from Stow Massage. All entries will be entered into grand prize drawing done prior to 2012 WSOP.

Winning Response

The response selected this week is from Vincent in Newark, N.J. All respondents did seem conflicted but Vincent said it best. He said, I hate to finish the day just hanging on. I play to win and I just don’t buy the story your pro is telling. I do believe he is on a draw and you are in the lead. I would call. Take care, Robin…hope you won!

Well Vincent, I felt the same way and as it turns out I was slightly ahead. He did have an inside straight and flush draw. I call and the turn and river are both spades (overkill), and I took the walk of shame right over to the blackjack tables!!!

Thanks for all your comments.