I recently received an e-mail from one of my faithful readers, who had this to say: "Dear Tom, I am a big fan of your column and have been reading it for at least 10 years. It is only recently that I have started to play hold'em, because I really prefer other forms of poker. However, since hold'em, especially no-limit style, is so popular these days, I thought I would give it a try. Besides, it is the only game you can find around here (Detroit area). Also, there are so many players who shouldn't be playing for money that the pickings are fairly easy.
"My play of the following hand has been bothering me for some time now, and I would like your opinion. In fact, I haven't played since I lost this hand. (OK, I was off on holiday ... lol.) I was playing at the Motorcity Casino in Detroit, which runs turbo tournaments every day as sit-and-gos. The buy-in is usually either $100 or $200. This was the casino's first effort at a $400 tournament. I guess I have the dubious honor of being the first person ever to get knocked out of that tournament."
"The table was playing tight, but there were no players whom I couldn't beat. We were in the second level and the blinds were $50-$100. I was in the big blind and picked up the 7
6
. This is a hand I like to play, and have been known to raise with it on occasion. I know that I need to be careful and not lose a lot of money with it, but it can make me a bundle if it hits or if I can read my opponents after the flop. I was debating if I wanted to raise with it when the under-the-gun player made it $300 to go. He got four callers, including the small blind and me, making it a five-way pot. There was now $1,500 in chips in the pot."
"The flop came A-7-6 rainbow. The small blind checked, I bet $500, the original raiser folded, and the next player went all in for $1,750. I know this player, and he is aggressive. I could put him on a big ace, likely A-Q or A-J. In fact, he had A-Q. The next player folded, and the small blind sat in agony. He hemmed and hawed, burped, and then contemplated some more. At this point, I didn't know if I wanted him to call or fold. I didn't know him, so I really couldn't draw anything but the obvious reference: He must have a weak ace and can't let it go. In fact, he had A-8. In the end, he called, and so did I.
"It is the tradition here to show your cards when everyone is all in. The player with A-Q stood up to leave. The player with A-8 remained seated and expected to spike an 8 to win. He hit his 8 on the river and that was the end for me.
"I am wondering about my last call. Was I just unlucky or should I have folded once the small blind called? Playing bottom two pair is dangerous. Should I have let it go? Did I misplay the hand earlier?"
My answer is as follows: Calling a modest raise from the big blind with several other callers in the pot is marginally acceptable. Don't forget that you will be out of position the rest of the hand. Thinking about raising from the blind with several callers is usually a mistake. Why not take a cheap flop and see what develops? I do think you made a mistake with your $500 bet on the flop. Bottom two pair needs to be protected. In case someone has a straight draw, you want to make them pay to hit it. Also, if you put your opponents on an ace, you have the best hand right now and want to put them to the test. The A-Q obviously thought he had the best hand when you made a rather weak bet, so he moved in. The small blind with the A-8 was totally out of line and lost in the hand. There is no possible way he could have had the best hand at that point. He clearly should have folded, and his call of a raise preflop was marginal, at best. As for your calling the aggressive player who moved in on the flop, following a reluctant call by the small blind, you simply have to follow your read. If you think you still have the best hand, call. In this situation, your read was accurate and a call was in order. Your opponents had several outs with which to make a higher two pair, including a running pair on fourth and fifth streets, as well as hitting their kicker. However, you were still the favorite and the pot odds justified a call. You just got unlucky.
If our bottom two pair hold up in the future, perhaps we can meet in the winner's circle soon.
Tom McEvoy is a representative of PokerStars.com. He also is the voice of ProPlay, a new and innovative way to learn winning poker strategy. Find out more at ProPlayLive.com/tommcevoys.
