Posted by Junelli 9:52 AM
In Vegas this past weekend, I primarily played in the big $5-$10 NL game at the Wynn. The buy-in is $600 minimum with no max. Most people buy-in for $2,000-$5,000. Nearly everyone at the table were professionals who played daily and knew each other on a first name basis.

The first night I didn’t get many good hands, and when I did, I kept running into bigger hands, or getting sucked out on. I had KK against AA for a big pot, and another time I turned the nut straight and got it all-in against a guy who caught a flush on the river.

The most interesting hand from the first night was as follows: I have $1,080 in front of me, and am dealt QQ under the gun. I raise to $50, and get one caller in middle position. The Button (a very aggressive young Asian gentlemen, and also a professional), re-raised it to $350 straight. The Small Blind folds and the Big Blind moves all-in for less ($315).

There is some argument about whether or not I am allowed to re-raise. I don’t even understand what the problem is, since I had been raised by the button. However, the dealer isn’t sure because of some obscure rule regarding all-ins for less. I politely explain that the all-in hand doesn’t even matter because I have been raised by the button. I am shocked that they would even think I don’t have the right to raise. “How can I be prevented from re-raising a raise, just because the button calls for less?” However, more importantly, I am vocally expressing my desire to raise so that I can (1) get the button to fold and/or (2) get a reaction/tell out of him. It didn’t look like he wanted me to raise.

I read the hands perfectly. I put the button on an underpair (probably JJ or TT). After playing with him for 5 hours, I know that he would not reraise to $350 with KK or AA because he would want to get some value out of his hand. Given the rhythm of the game, his $350 re-raise was an overbet which usually signals weakness or an attempt to protect a vulnerable smaller pocket pair by taking down the pot. It’s a perfect raise for JJ or TT.

The all-in is a different story. It’s likely that he has me beat with AA or KK. However, because he was so short-stacked (only $315), he could be making a move with anything. He had taken some brutal beats recently, and may be on tilt and ready to go home.

It’s clear, given the situation, that I should not lay this hand down. I am very likely a 4:1 favorite over the button (who has me covered). Even if I lose to the BB, I still stand to make ~$450 on the side pot if I beat the button. If the button folds, I am very happy to play the hand out for a maximum of $315.

I reraise all-in making it $1,080 straight. Of course, the middle position player folds, and the button goes into the tank. Now I know I have him beat, because he would’ve instantly called with AA or KK. He counts up the pot which is $1,800, thinks for a minute or so, and then calls.

The hands are:
Button: JJ (called my $1,080)
Big Blind: KK (only in for $315)
Me: QQ (all-in for $1,080)

I am very happy with this situation, because I stand a good chance to make money. That is, until the flop spikes a Jack. The Button scoops the $2,530 pot with a set of Jacks.

I still believe I played the hand properly. Smooth calling the $300 raise was not really an option. If the flop comes Jxx, I still have no choice but to push it in, or even call an all-in bet.

That hand was indicative of my night. I just couldn’t win, and kept running into big hands or getting drawn out on. However, I felt very good about my decisions, and knew in my heart that I had the ability to hang with these guys. I also knew that once my cards turned around, I was going to kill the table.

The next day was unquestionably the wildest poker games of my life. Twice I found myself heads up in a $12,000 pot. I’ll write that story shortly…

4 Comment(s):

Posted by  Johnnymac, at 10:19 AM, October 11, 2005  

I am impressed with your read of the table and I agree that you played it right. Nice hand, even though you lost.

Maybe the confusion/argument was about how much you could re-raise rather than whether you could re-raise at all. I never can figure that out when I am playing in a casino... something about half a bet, etc etc.

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Posted by  Tenacious, at 10:37 AM, October 11, 2005  

heads up in two $12,000 pots? what a lightweight...

Anxiously awaiting your next post. If you disclose the fact that you won over $10K in Vegas this past weekend, it might be time for your to accept your new job as a professional poker player.

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Posted by  LAYGO, at 3:52 PM, October 11, 2005  

As I understand the re-raise rule, it is just that: if someone goes all-in, for less than half of a legitamate raise, betting is not reopened.

(Just read the rules as posted on LasVegasVegas.Com:

3. All raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise on that betting round, except for an all-in wager. A player who has already checked or called may not subsequently raise an all-in bet that is less than the full size of the last bet or raise. (The half-the-size rule for reopening the betting is for limit poker only.)

So, it has to be a FULL RAISE in order to reopen betting. Good to know.

This probably applies to you:

5. Multiple all-in wagers, each of an amount too small to qualify as a raise, still act as a raise and reopen the betting if the resulting wager size to a player qualifies as a raise.

Example: Player A bets $100 and Player B raises $100 more, making the total bet $200. If Player C goes all in for less than $300 total (not a full $100 raise), and Player A calls, then Player B has no option to raise again, because he wasn't fully raised. (Player A could have raised, because Player B raised.)

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Posted by  Junelli, at 4:16 PM, October 11, 2005  

I knew that rule and kept explaining it to them. The dealer just didn't know what he was doing. The floorman came over and allowed me to raise.

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