The following is a big hand I lost in HU SnG a few nights ago. The hand was pretty strange on many levels IMO, mostly as a result of my play.
The match only lasted 16 hands total, and the hand played was the 9th. I’m pretty happy with how I played it against Villain (no history) although I will not very often play this hand like that. I started the first few hands fairly passively & tight, and after a few hands was more aggressive, & started to apply pressure.
Hand# 619576528
I played this hand fairly unorthodox & goofy. Something I’ll do more & possibly too often against specific players. Villain was willing to “call my bluff” many times, even pushing back a few times & bluffing my “bluff”. Think I’m probably trying to Hellmuth his grass & felt him.
I’m OP & raise As7s Villains limp 2.5x to 75. My raise is a little weak & 3x would probably be better but I don’t mind playing out of position against this player.
Flop: is good 2s8cTs and I elect not to Cbet and nut flush draw for free & gamble. V puts out a min 30 bet into 150 pot which is weak. I check raise to 100, which is also probably a lil small but effective enough IMO for the purpose of taking control of pot, & I expect folding out bluffs.
V quickly calls & I put them on air & simply trying to call my bluff.
Turn: is 7d giving me a pair & much more showdown value. Again I elect to check. I still put V on air although its deff possible they have something, however Im just not buying it after what I’ve seen. V half pots 175 into 350. Im still not a believer & quickly shove all into 525 pot asking V to call remaining 1030.
I’m basically bluffing & the way I played the hand probably looks bluffy too. That said I’m still expecting some folds sometimes, & even if I’m called I doubt very much I’m up against a set & have a lot of suck outs too. I never really considered the possibility V could have J9 whilst I was playing but it would be a hand that actually made sense.
V calls me & catches lightning in a bottle with 56o dodging spades and hitting 6 outer 4d on the river.
What went wrong? V min bet the flop with complete air & then called my check raise with air. I’m thinking that V got confused by my flop check raise & decided to call my bluff with air. Strange! I do like the flop check but was it the biggest reason Villain switched to Hero?
Its rare I can happily gamble & all in donk bet my chips with so much confidence that V will call as such a dog so often. It was pretty loosey-goosey. I would guess this donk bet would be better reserved for ring play? I’m obviously happy to get it in good, but only 9 hands in even against a POW should I wait for a better spot? Was there enough chips in pot on the turn to check shove?
How would you play the hand differently, better? Would you ever check the flop? Proceed how?
Thoughts & Suggestions?