Hand with John Juanda and Gavin Smith
Below is the actual hand history along with my analysis for each part. Feel free to ask me questions in the Comments section.
Full Tilt Poker Game #814717956: Table Coral Isle (6 max) - $25/$50 - No Limit Hold’em - 3:23:11 ET - 2006/07/20
Seat 1: dsindy ($4,800)
Seat 2: John Juanda ($5,848)
Seat 3: iRockhoes ($18,702.25)
Seat 4: Gavin Smith ($5,198)
Seat 5: lollylu ($6,047)
Seat 6: tryharderfsh ($7,748)
iRockhoes posts the small blind of $25
Gavin Smith posts the big blind of $50
The button is in seat #2
Fairly standard table at Full Tilt. I was sitting on a larger stack of about $19,000 after some fortunate hands. I was playing well and coming to the close of my session. I was playing rather passively, as I had Gavin (who likes to play a lot of pots) on my left, and John (who also likes to play a lot of pots) to my right, so I was really waiting on good cards handcuffed in this position. Even though the outcome is unfortunate, this was my favorite hand of the session so I thought I’d analyze this one.
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to iRockhoes [3h 4h]
lollylu folds
tryharderfsh folds
dsindy folds
John Juanda raises to $150
iRockhoes calls $125
Gavin Smith calls $100
The call here is a little loose in the Small Blind, and a losing play against tighter opponents in the long run, but John and Gavin are very aggressive, especially when it looks like you are weak.
*** FLOP *** [6h 5c 2c]
iRockhoes checks
Gavin Smith checks
John Juanda bets $350
iRockhoes calls $350
Gavin Smith calls $350
I flop the nuts with a backdoor flushdraw. There is a club draw, but other than that I am sitting pretty. With this dream flop against aggressive opponents, I check.
John gives me action on a probable continuation bet. Many times it is right to raise here, to try to trap an over pair or someone overplaying a draw, but I elected to check. The reason for this was two fold: I wanted to conceal the strength of my hand that a check-raise would give away to my astute opponents, and I wanted to give Gavin a chance to make a move. Unfortunately he calls behind with a probable draw.
*** TURN *** [6h 5c 2c] [7h]
iRockhoes bets $1,100
Gavin Smith raises to $4,698, and is all in
John Juanda folds
iRockhoes calls $3,598
Gavin Smith shows [5s 8s]
iRockhoes shows [3h 4h]
The turn comes a 7 of hearts, and I have to move. I am not worried I am beat, but I am worried the river can bring too many scare cards to both beat me and kill my action against weaker holdings. I raise $1100 into a $1500 pot. I hoped to get a reraise from this bet, as I still think I am best. Gavin then comes through. He pushes all-in. John folds and I call. If John called I’d have a huge decision, but I’d probably still call. I now have the low straight and a low flush draw. Not only are these outs if I am beat, but they block higher flush draws Gavin could be semi-bluffing with. Gavin flips 8 5 of spades. This is a dream scenario, as I have him at about a 86/14 dog to win an $11,000 pot.
*** RIVER *** [6h 5c 2c 7h] [4c]
Gavin Smith shows a straight, Eight high
iRockhoes shows a straight, Seven high
Gavin Smith wins the pot ($10,893) with a straight, Eight high*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $10,896 | Rake $3
Board: [6h 5c 2c 7h 4c]
Seat 1: dsindy didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 2: John Juanda (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: iRockhoes (small blind) showed [3h 4h] and lost with a straight, Seven high
Seat 4: Gavin Smith (big blind) showed [5s 8s] and won ($10,893) with a straight, Eight high
Seat 5: lollylu didn’t bet (folded)
Seat 6: tryharderfsh didn’t bet (folded)
The river comes a black 4, and I lose. Although I lost the hand, I played it very well in my opinion. I could have avoided losing this hand by reraising John on the flop, but I probably would have won $1000. By taking a chance at a blank turn and allowing my opponents to make a mistake by overplaying their position, I put myself in position to win an $11,000 pot. Most of the time I reraise John here hoping to get an over pair or other hands a chance to be overplayed, but you need to switch up your play against opponents as they become trickier and trickier.
July 27th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
YEAH WOW, gavin is retarted! middle pair on the flop to an open ender for the all in semi bluff on the turn. what a lucky fish, he always goin all in when i see him play. if jj is on an overpair here he still has to fold when gavin raises all in on the turn right? like to know what jj had
July 27th, 2006 at 6:31 pm
Talk about worst seat in the house….evil gavin…you should give him lessons when ur in vegas lol. I guess all that can be said is Oh well.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:50 am
tryharderfsh, isn’t that Patrik Antonius?
August 10th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
ok i know you are a really good player and all. and do very well at FTP. but i do not see anyway that you do not raise after JJ bets on the flop. yes u do have the nuts, but there are also huge draws out there that could kill you.winning 1k is better then losing 10k
August 10th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
ps
the only way you get any action here would be if someone had an over pair or hit trips, or on a draw, which eventually your opponent hit.