Defining Your Hand

7 MAR 06

The game is 10/20, but it’s a ½ kill, which is weird at my local casino because it goes to 15/25. The person one to my left is on the kill and has a forced bet of $15. I’m dealt pocket Kings, so I raise it to $30. The kill calls and there is one other caller.

The flop is Q 10 2 with two hearts.

I bet. The kill button raises. Early position folds.

What is your move here?

Fold: Unlikely. I suppose he could have flopped two pair, but his raise says either he flopped top pair or he has the flush or straight draw and is hoping to get a free card on the turn.

Call: Decent option, but only for the right reason. If you think you have the best hand (which you probably do given that he may have just been defending his kill button), you can call here hoping to check raise the turn.

Re-raise: I think this is the best option provided the kill isn’t a maniac (which he wasn’t).

I re-raised and the kill just called. I put him on a Queen with a decent kicker.

Turn 10. Now there is a pair of 10’s on the board. A player not in the hand says, “ooh – that’s a scary card.”

Is it? I don’t think so, but I need to find out.

I bet $25. Kill just calls. I now know I’ve won the hand unless I get an unlucky river.

River is a blank. Do you bet here?

If you think you’ve won the hand, you MUST bet here. I did. He called and didn’t show when I turned over my kings.

Trust your reads. Define your hands. Play good poker.

Final thought: I got this from an email titled, “Things I’ve Learned Since Kindergarten” - I've learned that you can keep puking long after you think you're finished.