"Why Did You Choose to Get Agressive There?"

Last night I played the 2-5 NL game at the Venetian. It was one of those nights where I couldn't hit a flop if it was the broad side of a barn. After playing for three hours, I was just above even, due only to the fact that I had pulled off three huge bluffs. Only once had I actually flopped a pair in three hours, and that hand ended up losing when a flush came on the river. None-the-less, I felt like I was playing well, and was happy to be ahead when I hadn't been catching any cards.

Finally, I ended up catching a flop. I was dealt A 5 off in the big blind and we had two limpers come in. The button raised to $20. Usually, I don't like playing Ace rag in a raised pot, especially out of position, but this guy was very loose, raising a lot of hands pre-flop and the table had been playing very agressively, so I thought that there was a pretty good chance that any of the three limpers would have raised an ace coming into the pot. I made the decision to call the extra $15 and the rest of the limpers followed suit.

The flop came down 5 - 5- 4 rainbow. I was first to act and I checked. The table checked around. The turn came an 8 of clubs putting two clubs on the board. I checked again, but this time, with the intention of check raising. This table was far too agressive for it to be checked around again. Villian bet out from middle position for $30. The button folded. I felt I needed to raise here for two reasons. First, to get the person out between myself and Villian in case he had a flush or straight draw. And second, to get a little more information as to what Villian could be holding. I raised and made it $80 to go. The player in between us folded, Villian called, and we saw the river heads up.

The river brought a 3 of hearts, which was essentially a blank. At this point the list of hands that Villian could hold is quite varied. He could have a five with a weaker kicker, an eight with some kind of re-draw, a busted flush draw, a straight, or a full house. I decide that this player is strong enough that if I check he will bet out with any of the above, either for value or to steal the pot. If he does so, he will most likely bet the size of the pot, which as it stands, is $240. I decided to make a blocker bet in order to pay less for the same information, so on the river I bet $100. I felt that he would not be able to raise me if he had anything less than a full house. If he did have a full house and raised, I would muck. He flat called the $100 and then said, "Do you have the full house?" I immediately knew that he must have turned the straight. He won the pot, but as he was dragging it he felt obligated to critique my play. "I can't believe you raised me with just a five," he said. "And then you picked a weird time to get aggressive on the river." Interesting that he saw it that way. I guess he didn't understand that I wasn't betting $100 on the river because I was convinced I had the best hand, I was betting it because I was worried that I didn't have the best hand.

Sometimes the largest victory you can claim on any given hand is not to win the most money, but to lose the least. Until next time...remember...a chip saved is a chip earned.