1/29/2006 So here's a hand Schneider played last night.

So here's a hand Schneider played last night. Schneider is a very good online short-handed player. Most of the people that play in the 150-300 pound game (approx. 270-540 in usd) are very good, so what separates the winner from the break even or losing players is often the ability to process and analyze a lot of information and come to quick decisions. Schneider felt like he botched this one, and I agree. A lot of decisions are debatable. I am not familiar with Helsto, but PeteZah is a well-known internet player. I am not sure if this particular handle has become common knowledge, so I do not feel at liberty to reveal his name, as I was once sworn to secrecy a long time ago. In any case, here is the hand:

Ni_Han: posts small blind $75
Helsto: posts big blind $150
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to d0000d [9h Kh]
d0000d: raises $300pc1000: folds
PurplHaze: folds
PeteZah: raises $450
Ni_Han: folds
Helsto: raises $450
d0000d: calls $300
PeteZah: calls $150
----- FLOP ----- [5d Qh Th]
Helsto: bets $150
d0000d: raises $300
PeteZah: calls $300
Helsto: raises $300
d0000d: raises $300
PeteZah: calls $300
Helsto: calls $150
----- TURN ----- [5d Qh Th][8s]
Helsto: bets $300
d0000d: calls $300
PeteZah: calls $300
----- RIVER ----- [5d Qh Th 8s][Kd]
Helsto: bets $300
d0000d: calls $300
PeteZah: calls $300
----- SHOW DOWN -----
Helsto: shows [Qd As] (A Pair of Queens, Ace high)
d0000d: mucks hand [9h Kh]
PeteZah: shows [Jc Kc] (A Pair of Kings, Queen high)
PeteZah collects $5472 from Main pot

So Schneider raised utg with Kh9h. I am not a fan of this. This is a time and a place kind of raise, and the fact that PeteZah 3 bet him with KcJc demonstrates that his image was not exactly right to make this raise. 3 betting KcJc is usually reserved for later position open-raises who have a wide opening raise. I fold here, as I would expect to rarely take the blinds, to rarely see it fold to the blinds, and to often experience heavy action behind me (maybe even have to face a cap :P) One can make a case for folding preflop when it comes back for 2 more bets, but calling is not bad, especially when you play well postflop like Schneids.The flop play is pretty standard imo. Four people saw the flop and he has a huge draw. He wants money in there and he got it. It would be interesting if Helsto checked. I think Schneids is checking here too after bricking. There is no way he is winning the pot on the turn, and he may even get PeteZah to check behind, who just called 2 cold twice on the flop. PeteZah's hand is most likely a draw, and he, like Schneids would think there is no way a bet would take down the pot; rather, he might think that Helsto is expecting a bet from Schneids, who might then be able to check-raise both Scheids and PeteZah. Since Helsto is probably aware that at least PeteZah and maybe schneids is on a draw, he just bet out, knowing that his preflop aggression and flop 3 bet into a four way capped preflop pot means he has a hand, Schneids and Zah would likely check behind.The river is the most interesting street. The king gives Schneids top pair with a weak kicker, and Helsto bets out. The most important factor now is hand reading. The pot is 4500 pounds or 15 big bets. It is difficult to comment on hand reading in other people's hands since you do not fully understand the history one player might have with another. (i.e. my utg raises rarely get 3 bet by KcJc against player who know my typical utg raising range. They don't call because they fear some form of total domination - being against AJ, KQ, AK, etc.) . . . .Bah! I was looking at my aim conversation and Schneider said PeteZah was on tilt and Helsto is a super donk. We'll briefly discuss what that changes. It means that I would be even less likely to raise utg vs a guy who is tilting and even less chance of taking the blinds. As for Helsto it doesn't seem to change much. He has the best hand obviously, but it makes a river that much better of an option. Schneider basically had a moment where he made what would be considered an easy call in a big pot vs. Helsto. He made top on the river, and the pot is 4800 - easy call. But did he consider what PeteZah might have? Clearly PeteZah's most likely drawing hand here is KJ, and the fact that Schneider said he was tilting makes it that much more likely, since he 3 bet preflop but shut down postflop. (from what I know of PeteZah from playing with him, he is not the type to continue donking off chips postflop in multiway pots even if he were on tilt.) Ultimately, in a pot that large, the best play was to raise, since PeteZah would have an EXTREMELY difficult time thinking KJ beat both of these guys. This kind of raise is correct even if you think that Helsto has a better hand MOST of the time. It doesn't have to work very often to show a profit. Anyways, we all make mistakes. Next time Schneids!
(I just ran spell check and the first suggestion it came to for PeteZah was "fetishes". . . hmmmm. . . . )