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Ask any group of poker players how you played your hand and they’ll come up with dozens of different opinions. That’s just the nature of the game.
Each week, Card Player will select a hand from the high-stakes, big buy-in poker world, break it down and show that there’s more than one way to get the job done.
The Scenario
You are playing in a high roller event in Europe with 77 entrants. There are 41 players remaining and only 11 will make the money. You, a top ranked no-limit hold’em tournament player, have 250,000 in chips, which is below average. The blinds are currently 5,000-10,000 with a 1,000 ante, giving you 25 big blinds to work with.
The action folds around to you on the button and you look down at A
J
. You min-raise to 20,000 and the big blind, an accomplished high roller player who started the hand with just 122,000, makes the call.
The flop comes down K
JJ
, giving you trips. Your opponent checks and you decide to make a small bet of 14,000. Your opponent calls and the turn is the 5.
Your opponent checks. He has 87,000 remaining in his stack.
The Questions
Do you bet or check behind? Does the third diamond on the turn concern you? Your opponent flat called a raise out of position with just 12 big blinds in his stack. What does that say about his hand strength? What range of hands can your opponent be holding after check calling the flop? If betting, how much? Are you betting to extract value or to price out your opponent from hitting a flush?
What Actually Happened
At the EPT Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller, Tony Gregg opted to check behind holding AJ on a board of KJJ5.
The river was the 5 and his opponent, Timothy Adams, moved all in for 87,000. Greg called immediately and turned over his full house. Adams showed J7 and both players chopped the pot.
Adams was later eliminated short of the money and Gregg was eliminated on the money bubble.
What would you have done and why? Let us know in the comments section below and try not to be results oriented. The best answer will receive a six-month Card Player magazine digital subscription.
