Poker Hand of the Week: 8/12/16You Decide What's The Best Play |
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Give us your opinion in the comments section below for your chance at winning a six-month Card Player magazine digital subscription.
Ask any group of poker players how you played your hand and they’ll come up with dozens of different opinions. That’s just the nature of the game.
Each week, Card Player will select a hand from the high-stakes, big buy-in poker world, break it down and show that there’s more than one way to get the job done.
The Scenario
There are 20 players remaining in a big buy-in regional main event. Only 19 will make the money, earning a minimum payout of $16,280. The blinds are 2,500-5,000 with a 500 ante, meaning your stack of 173,500 is worth nearly 35 big blinds. There are currently three short stacks with ten big blinds or less.
An aggressive opponent who started the hand with 200,500 raises to 11,000 from middle position. It folds to you in the big blind and you decide to defend with Q
10
.
The flop comes down K
82 and you check. Your opponent bets 12,000. Thinking your opponent could be making a continuation bet with a very wide range, you opt to check-raise to 25,000.
Your opponent quickly calls, so you check the 6
on the turn. Much to your surprise, your opponent checks behind. The river is the Q, giving you second pair.
The Questions
Do you check or bet? If betting, how much? Are you betting for value or as a bluff? Is it a blocker bet? If checking, will you call or fold a bet from your opponent? Would you call a pot-sized bet? A half-pot sized bet? What does your opponent’s line, and quick flop call say about his range? What does your line say about your range? Do you regret checking the turn?
What Actually Happened
At the 2016 World Series of Poker Circuit Global Casino Championship, Cody Pack opted to check his Q10 on a board reading K826Q.
His opponent, David Slaughter, checked behind. Pack turned over his cards, and Slaughter revealed A8 for the best hand until the river.
Slaughter went on to finish in 14th place, earning $19,259. Pack made the final table, busting in sixth place for $60,427. The eventual winner was Said El-Yousef, who picked up the $343,256 first-place prize.
What would you have done and why? Let us know in the comments section below and try not to be results oriented. The best answer will receive a six-month Card Player magazine digital subscription.
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