POKER HAND #24

TOM MCEVOY QUIZ: Let's try to see if I can match Tom's knowledge on this hand that he dissected in a recent Card Player column.

"With two tables left, I was in first place with $34,000 in chips, and the lowest stack had $2,000," he continued. "The player directly to my left had raised every time I had tried to limp into a pot. Luckily, I had just knocked him out of the tournament after making a good call, hitting the nuts, and check-raising him all in. On the very next hand, I was in the big blind and looked down to see the Kd Qd. Only one player had called and the small blind had folded."

How Would You Play This Hand Before the Flop?

a. Just call

b. Raise

That's an obvious raise. It tells you so much about what kind of hand your opponent is on. If he plays back at you, watch out. If he just calls, you're probably not up against A-Q or A-K, the hands you most fear.

Here's How Rich Played It

"I decided I could finally limp into a pot safely," he said. "The player who had called had about $9,000 in chips and was in jeopardy of not making the final table. The flop came down Ad 10d 7d! I had made the nut flush."

How Would You Play This Hand on the Flop?

a. Bet and hope your opponent calls

b. Check with the intention of raising if your opponent bets

This is why you wanted to raise before the flop, to find out what to do here. But I'd bet it anyway.

Here's How Rich Played It

"I checked, he bet, and I raised. He called. The turn was the 2. Again, I bet, but this time he raised. I reraised him all in. He showed his 7-7 (for a set) and I showed my nut flush. You guessed it — the river brought the 2 to make a 'boat' (a full house) for my all-in opponent, and I went from first to fifth place in a blink. I'm not sure there was any better way for me to have played this hand. I suppose I could have raised before the flop, but would he have folded pocket sevens in a limit tournament? I guess I also could have bet the flush on the flop, but would he have laid down a set? He was only one more bet from being all in, so even if he was chasing, I figured he would go all in no matter what. What's your opinion, Tom?"

My Analysis

Before the flop in limit hold'em, a single raise against a limper would not have induced him to fold his pocket sevens. After the flop, it didn't really matter how you played the hand — as all the money was going in one way or the other. Your lucky opponent would never have folded a set on the flop when heads up, no matter what you did. I think you played it correctly after the flop. Just hope for better luck next time.

If your connectors hold up and you can overcome a bad beat here and there, perhaps you and I will meet limit hold'em expert Negreanu one day soon at the final table.

If this were no-limit, the play of this hand wouldn't have been much different.