3 Parts. One hand.

PT. 1 Trap setting without the nuts
Against the right players you don't need the nuts to set a trap. Against some players, in some situations your hand can be pretty awful but you can still set a trap. I'll get in to that more but first I'll introduce you to part 2.

PT. 2 Trapping without checking/calling.
A weak bet often looks like free money to a player who loves aggression and is reckless. So it's often easier to trap a player like this by betting and giving him something to get greedy over.

Pt. 3 Never say Never.
There are some things I generally don't do playing poker. This includes minraising preflop. However rules are made to be broken. If you found perfect poker rules to follow you'd be pretty predictable. This isn't blackjack. However if you break these rules you're gonna need a plan and you're gonna need a reason.


Putting all 3 parts into play.
In this hand I had seen this player severely overplay A6s. So when he limps from the SB I assume he's weak, but that doesn't mean he can't overplay whatever his weak holdings are. So I min raise here. Partly because I can afford to miss a flop if he calls and I miss and I lose the hand. Also I think he'll quite possibly pay me off if I hit. Also he may come back over the top with a hand that I'm racing or ahead of. But I don't think I'm gonna be behind here. Even with KQ. Not right now against this guy with his SB limp.


Putting all 3 parts into play.

PokerStars Game #2834326835: Tournament #13953580, Hold'em No Limit - Level IV (50/100) - 2005/10/18 - 16:10:14 (ET)
Table '13953580 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: ekillian (1085 in chips)
Seat 4: McGwire2003 (2415 in chips)
Seat 5: Sbenasse (3180 in chips)
Seat 6: Mad__Money06 (925 in chips)
Seat 7: miloose (1580 in chips)
Seat 8: Amour_Zero (4315 in chips)
Amour_Zero: posts small blind 50
ekillian: posts big blind 100
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ekillian [Qd Kc]
McGwire2003: folds
Sbenasse: folds
Mad__Money06: folds
miloose: folds
Amour_Zero: calls 50
ekillian: raises 100 to 200
Amour_Zero: raises 800 to 1000
ekillian: raises 85 to 1085 and is all-in
Amour_Zero: calls 85
*** FLOP *** [6h 5d 3s]
*** TURN *** [6h 5d 3s] [3h]
*** RIVER *** [6h 5d 3s 3h] [Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Amour_Zero: shows [Ks Js] (two pair, Kings and Threes)
ekillian: shows [Qd Kc] (two pair, Kings and Threes - Queen kicker)
ekillian collected 2170 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2170 | Rake 0
Board [6h 5d 3s 3h Kh]
Seat 2: ekillian (big blind) showed [Qd Kc] and won (2170) with two pair, Kings and Threes
Seat 4: McGwire2003 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Sbenasse folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Mad__Money06 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: miloose (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Amour_Zero (small blind) showed [Ks Js] and lost with two pair, Kings and Threes

Fun hand

The types of hands make my day.

FullTiltPoker Game #249632987: $10 + $1 Sit & Go (1601877), Table 1 - 60/120 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:51:09 ET - 2005/10/12
Seat 1: jbizzle15 (3,154)
Seat 3: ekillian (6,266)
Seat 8: iMaiden1827 (4,080)
iMaiden1827 posts the small blind of 60
jbizzle15 posts the big blind of 120
The button is in seat #3
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ekillian [8h 9s]
ekillian calls 120 my call here is iffy but it gives me a good chance to steal the blinds post flop. His raise just gives me more to steal post flop...
iMaiden1827 raises to 360
jbizzle15 folds
ekillian calls 240 So I call...
*** FLOP *** [7d Tc 5h]
iMaiden1827 bets 480 Ummm I like the price
ekillian calls 480
*** TURN *** [7d Tc 5h] [4d]
iMaiden1827 checks Here's a chance for a fee card... But damn that's a weak check.
ekillian bets 1,500
iMaiden1827 folds
Uncalled bet of 1,500 returned to ekillian
ekillian mucks
ekillian wins the pot (1,800)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,800 | Rake 0
Board: [7d Tc 5h 4d]
Seat 1: jbizzle15 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: ekillian (button) collected (1,800), mucked
Seat 8: iMaiden1827 (small blind) folded on the Turn


Hooray. Then I doubled the guy up with my JJ vs his AQ.

I knew...

This may not be the prettiest hand ever but I was ahead on the turn... And I knew that 6c was coming.

PokerStars Game #2746932585: Tournament #13485904, Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2005/10/07 - 12:55:58 (ET)
Table '13485904 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: shakes3232 (1670 in chips)
Seat 3: Uncle Robo (3040 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: kjeffsky (1105 in chips)
Seat 5: reno01 (980 in chips)
Seat 6: dominguez9 (2935 in chips)
Seat 7: ekillian (2605 in chips)
Seat 8: DxAxNxK (1165 in chips) is sitting out
dominguez9: posts small blind 75
ekillian: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ekillian [5c 7c]
DxAxNxK: folds
shakes3232: folds
Uncle Robo: folds
kjeffsky: folds
DxAxNxK has returned
reno01: folds
dominguez9: calls 75
ekillian: checks
*** FLOP *** [4c Qs 3c]
dominguez9: bets 400
ekillian: calls 400
*** TURN *** [4c Qs 3c] [5s]
dominguez9: bets 400
ekillian: calls 400
*** RIVER *** [4c Qs 3c 5s] [6c]
dominguez9: bets 400
Uncle Robo has returned
ekillian: raises 500 to 900
dominguez9: calls 500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ekillian: shows [5c 7c] (a straight flush, Three to Seven)
dominguez9: shows [7s 9s] (a straight, Three to Seven)
ekillian collected 3700 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3700 | Rake 0
Board [4c Qs 3c 5s 6c]
Seat 2: shakes3232 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Uncle Robo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: kjeffsky folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: reno01 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: dominguez9 (small blind) showed [7s 9s] and lost with a straight, Three to Seven
Seat 7: ekillian (big blind) showed [5c 7c] and won (3700) with a straight flush, Three to Seven
Seat 8: DxAxNxK folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I went on to win.

2 SnGs - 2 interesting hands

Ok this hand is interesting because I've been wanting to try this. "This" being showing aggression on the flop when I think I'm ahead and then weakness on the turn while I still think I'm ahead. I was mainly willing to do this because there was almost no way I was gonna fold after the flop. The turn card was a perfect card for me to follow through with what I wanted to do.


FullTiltPoker Game #242044550: $20 + $2 Sit & Go (1550350), Table 1 - 25/50 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:53:48 ET - 2005/10/05
Seat 1: cyber (2,575)
Seat 2: ekillian (1,125)
Seat 3: jneff24 (2,150)
Seat 4: ISMOKEROKZ (840)
Seat 5: Budda22 (2,150)
Seat 6: bluesman13 (1,380)
Seat 7: mrmet64215 (1,950)
Seat 9: OUfootball1 (1,330)
cyber posts the small blind of 25
ekillian posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ekillian [9d Jh]
jneff24 folds
ISMOKEROKZ calls 50
Budda22 folds
bluesman13 folds
mrmet64215 folds
OUfootball1 folds
cyber folds
ekillian checks
*** FLOP *** [9s 5h 3c]
ekillian bets 100
ISMOKEROKZ calls 100
*** TURN *** [9s 5h 3c] [Jc]
ekillian checks
ISMOKEROKZ bets 200
ekillian raises to 700
ISMOKEROKZ calls 490, and is all in
ekillian shows [9d Jh]
ISMOKEROKZ shows [Ac 4c]
Uncalled bet of 10 returned to ekillian
*** RIVER *** [9s 5h 3c Jc] [8h]
ekillian shows two pair, Jacks and Nines
ISMOKEROKZ shows Ace Jack high
ekillian wins the pot (1,705) with two pair, Jacks and Nines
OUfootball1: jeez
ISMOKEROKZ stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,705 | Rake 0
Board: [9s 5h 3c Jc 8h]
Seat 1: cyber (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: ekillian (big blind) showed [9d Jh] and won (1,705) with two pair, Jacks and Nines
Seat 3: jneff24 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: ISMOKEROKZ showed [Ac 4c] and lost with Ace Jack high
Seat 5: Budda22 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: bluesman13 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: mrmet64215 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: OUfootball1 (button) didn't bet (folded)


And this hand was fun because it's been awhile since I've checked an underflop. I don't know why the hell the guy played his hand like this. But it was beautiful for me.

PokerStars Game #2733554604: Tournament #13413884, Hold'em No Limit - Level III (25/50) - 2005/10/05 - 16:57:43 (ET)
Table '13413884 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: skibum413 (1525 in chips)
Seat 2: jdizzledang (2145 in chips)
Seat 3: Bailey020205 (2185 in chips)
Seat 4: ziggityzance (1570 in chips)
Seat 5: ekillian (2045 in chips)
Seat 7: dishmasters (1710 in chips)
Seat 8: Auf Achse (1370 in chips)
Seat 9: DooManiC (950 in chips)
ziggityzance: posts small blind 25
ekillian: posts big blind 50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ekillian [Kh Ks]
Bailey020205 said, "this is taking a long time"
dishmasters: raises 50 to 100
Auf Achse: folds
DooManiC: folds
skibum413: folds
jdizzledang: folds
Bailey020205: folds
Auf Achse is sitting out
ziggityzance: folds
ekillian: raises 250 to 350
dishmasters said, "why complain you got a nice stack"
dishmasters: calls 250
*** FLOP *** [2d 4s 8h]
Auf Achse is connected
Auf Achse has returned
ekillian: checks
dishmasters: bets 1360 and is all-in
ekillian: calls 1360
dishmasters said, "ouch"
ekillian said, "lol"
Bailey020205 said, "lol"
dishmasters said, " n1 gg"
*** TURN *** [2d 4s 8h] [7c]
ekillian said, "9"
*** RIVER *** [2d 4s 8h 7c] [Qh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
ekillian: shows [Kh Ks] (a pair of Kings)
dishmasters: shows [Tc 6c] (high card Queen)
ekillian said, "gg"
ekillian collected 3445 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3445 | Rake 0
Board [2d 4s 8h 7c Qh]
Seat 1: skibum413 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: jdizzledang folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Bailey020205 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: ziggityzance (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: ekillian (big blind) showed [Kh Ks] and won (3445) with a pair of Kings
Seat 7: dishmasters showed [Tc 6c] and lost with high card Queen
Seat 8: Auf Achse folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: DooManiC folded before Flop (didn't bet)