EMHD 4: An Interesting Hand / Aggression in Position

This weekend’s EMHD probably had more than it’s fair share of interesting hands, but by the time I saw the full field the blinds were high and the short stacks were shoving, so a good bit of the play was pre-flop and while dramatic, not so interesting. I did however find a hand on the first table

that I enjoyed watching. It was a large pot for this stage in the tournament, and while the hand didn’t make it to showdown proper, all three participants revealed at the end.

At the midway point(15 minutes) of the second blind level (50/100), Texas Crint held the button, NCBoomer posted the small blind, and Alan Sooted posted the big blind. Jim1 called the 100, The Dog Wagger-er folded, Jim3 limped, El Pinata folded, MH62 limped, Hulk(me) folded, and Dan raised it to 300. Texas Crint folded, but all the original limpers added their extra 200 to the pot.

FLOP:

It’s a fun flop, but it’s checked around to Dan who promptly bets out 600 into the 1050 pot. NCBoomer called, the three Jims folded (Dog Wagger-er is another James) and MH62 calls as well, we’re gonna have 3 to a turn. At this point I’m thinking that Dan’s holding Ace Queen, and the Drawing Duo of MH62 and NCBoomer have straight draws, at least one of them open ended.

Turn:

A pretty card for Dan as I see it. I’d expect the betting to go check, check, Bet, Fold, Fold. But as so often is the case I’m wrong. I get the check, check, Bet. 1500 into 2850 pot, however what follows is Call from NCBoomer, and a labored call from MH62. I’m still pretty sure that NCBoomer’s got the straight draw, and his quick call means he’s open ended. MH62 consternifies (if I may borrow some of his lexicon) me. I still think he’s got a straight draw … don’t think he’d play an over pair this way, but maybe he’s trying to milk the pot with Kings or Aces for a big win, and it’s just blown up on him. He wrestles with the decision for a bit, but makes the call.

I guess it’s these calls that make this hand interesting to me. Let’s say for argument’s sake that somebody’s holding K J. There’s a decent chance your Ace outs are gone, as there’s a good chance they give Dan a Full House. The 9 might not be good either, I don’t think it’s beyond Dan to raise in position with a suited Q 9 less likely, but possible. And if you’ve ever played with NCBoomer, he could easily be holding J 9, as he could 9 10 and be waiting to bluff on the river.

The River:

This should do it. The action I expected on the Turn came here: check check, bet 1500, fold, fold.
Dan pulls the pot of 9350 towards him. MH62 is frustrated, and shows:

MH62 Shows:

Now the tough decision makes sense to me. Open ended and the flush redraw.

Dan Shows:


Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle ! (Who’s gotta scar?) All that aggression with a pair of tens. I’d have laid cash money that he had a Queen and made his boat on the river. I gotta guess he put the other two on draws and bet it well.

NCBoomer Shows:

And drops his jaw … but picks it back up to make sure the Coors Light finds it’s way home.

Hindsight:
I guess I shouldn’t be shocked to see those cards from NCBoomer or MH62. Dan played aggressively in position and knew that MH62’s call on the turn meant that NCBoomer couldn’t call if a scare card hit the river, even if he believed that he had Dan beat … he said so when all the cards got shown. I guess it’s my over thinking the turn call that made this hand interesting to me, but I’m sure you’ll let me know in the comments.