Pocket queens facing post-flop all-in raise

[Chipless Wonder]

Last night in George's game, blinds were 100/200 when the following hand came up.

John (UTG with 8,000 chips) - was playing very aggressively, betting and raising a lot and not having to show much down - raised to 600. It was folded around to me and I decided not to re-raise with:



I felt if I re-raised pre-flop and then an ace came, I could be in a lot of trouble. If an ace didn't come I could then work with John to make the pot as big as I wanted.

There were 1,300 chips in the pot when the flop came:



I led right out with a bet of 1,200 thinking John would certainly call me, and might raise me if I was lucky. He did more than I expected and raised all-in. If I called and lost I would be left with only ~ 1,800 chips. But I could only realistically think of four hands that beat me here (pocket aces, pocket kings, pocket jacks and pocket tens).

What do you put John on in this spot and would you make the call?

[otbdave]

You are getting him to make exactly the play you wanted, so you call.

I guess you wanted to see a raise besides all in, but I feel there is just too great of a range you are beating. I mean I seriously doubt he is pushing TTT...

[D-Nut]

Scott, I'm gonna get a little off subject here....but I've noticed you are doing a lot of flatting of preflop raises with big hands. I think there is a time and a place for this, but this was a big leak of mine for a long time....I ALWAYS wanted to play big pots. And I was trying to crack people on every single hand.

I really do not think this is optimal tournament play, or any play for that matter, unless you CLEARLY know what your opponant will do and which flops you can make moves. So to detour off on this hand in particular.....you have to call, because like OTB said, you were playing this to trap......and you got your opponant to put all his money in with what you viewed at the time of your flat call, an inferior hand.

I just really think that trying to stack someone with one pair, post flop, is a dangerous way to live. In my opinion, you are better off, playing these hands as they lie....and that is, if you think you have the best hand, reraise. I know that sounds boring, or whatever.....but I used to get, and still get "fancy play syndrome". But it isnt good. Like I said....there is a time and a place for these moves, but I'm not so sure I see it here....and the fact that you tanked an all-in here says that you werent sure about your move as well.

Just my opinions!!

[otbdave]

Good conclusion of what I was too lazy to type Dave, I agree with most everything said here, and I too fall trap to "fancy play syndrome" sometime.

The bottom line is, by concealing your hand strength here, you must go home with it now.

However, there certainly is argument that this may not have been the best line to take instead of playing your hand ABC.

[VTX rider]

Scott,

I think you have your facts a little off. You were SB and the BB was not in the hand. I was first to act and bet out with the 600. you called from the small blind. That was the third or fourth time in a row where you called when you were already in the blind. After the flop, you bet out 3100. My first instinct was that you were trying to push me off my hand. I thought you had 88 or 99 and didn't want me in the hand. Your bet represented a little less than half my remaining stack. I hoped my instant all in would make you think I had trip 10's or Jacks. My all in was for another 3800.

I misread the hand completly. I should have bet 900 or 1000 pre-flop from first position. Any callers would have to have a good pair and I could have got out of the hand after the flop. If you had bet only 1200 after the flop, I think I would have folded. Your bet was too high for a pot that had only 1400 in it to begin with and that made me suspicious. Oh well, I still had time for a good motorcycle ride afterwards so it wasn't a total loss.

[Chipless Wonder]

Sorry if I've got some of the numbers wrong John. I'm definitely remembering them differently than you are.

Anyways, I called and John showed pocket twos.

[VTX rider]

I knew I was sunk when you started talking about the hands you could beat. I realized I misread wht you had and I knew you were going to call. Like I said, I should have bet more pre-flop.

[JBabel]

John, I think you comment on wanting to raise more preflop is based on the outcome of the hand. UTG if you are willing to raise to 4-5x the BB with a baby pair then just call and call a decent raise to try and hit a set. I think raising more with a marginal hand is just wishful thinking b/c in the times that a real hand wakes up behind you, you will be wasting mroe chips b/c bigger raises discourage the smooth call the you got on this hand.

BTW I agree with Dave's reply of Scott's FPS with the QQ, especially out of position and with knowing that Scott is a blind defender, so John is pushing on a coordinated flop knowing that Scott could have any little piece of that that could beat an overpair. Just my 2cents.

Jarrod