Betting into a Dry Side Pot : Poker Thoughts With Frank

 Betting into a Dry Side Pot

In poker, there are many times when you should just make the standard best play in a hand. There are, however, definitely times when you should try something different. This is especially true if you play with the same people often. The people that play the same way all the time think that others do the same thing. For example, if they always continuation bet with top pair, they think that all other players continuation bet with top pair. If they always check raise when they hit a set, they think all other players will check raise when they hit a set. You get the idea. I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that you must vary your play when playing against competent players. Additionally, you need to vary your play when you play against the same players frequently.

This hand is from a $2/$5 cash game that I play in regularly so I have played against the 2 opponents in this hand several times and I think that I have a pretty good feel for their game. The UTG player limps in for $5. He had recently lost a few hands and was down to about $120 in chips. A few players fold then the cut off makes it $20. It folds to me on the button and I have KJhh. I’m not a huge fan of the hand nor the fact that I could get squeezed out of the hand by one of the blinds or the original limper, but I decide to call because I am in position. The blinds both fold and UTG shoves his $120. The original raiser pretty quickly calls. I take my time to think about it. I know that the original raiser would definitely reraise with a big hand. I consider folding, but decide to call feeling good about my read on the player and being in position. The flop comes out Q53 rainbow and he quickly checks and looks up at me. I know that he is just looking to showdown at this point, but might not go away too easily and I decide to check behind. Another Q hits on the turn and he quickly checks again and looks at me like he wants to check it down. I’m guessing he has some sort of Ace high hand which obviously beats me. I also glance at the all in player who doesn’t look particularly happy so I decide to bet about 40% of the pot. The other player looks at me and says, “that Queen couldn’t have helped you.” I reply, “the Queen didn’t help me”. He begrudgingly calls the bet. The river pairs the 5 so the final board is Q53Q5. He checks to me. I have about $350 left in my stack and he has me covered. I take my time and bet $200. I think shoving looks more like I am bluffing. Betting $200 looks more like I am value betting a hand like 77, 88 or 99. He starts squirming in his chair. He wants to call, but if I have Ace high, he is just chopping. He can only beat a bluff. He is also thinking that he will see my hand either way so he ends up folding what he claims to be Ace high. I turn over my KJhh. The all in player tables KT and we chop the main pot and I win the side pot.

As if this wasn’t good enough, him seeing my bluff sent him instantly on tilt. He started complaining about how he should have called and how can I bluff him in that spot. He proceeded to play super loose after that and ran what was about an $800-$900 stack down to about $150 in approximately 10-12 hands. I then raised ATdd and he called along with 2 other players. The flop comes out A86. I put out a continuation bet and he shoved the rest of his chips in. The other players folded and I snap called knowing that he was on tilt. He had A3 offsuit. The board runs out clean and I got the rest of his chips. He then stormed off the table still talking to himself.

I realize that based off of his actions that he will most likely call me down lighter the next time that we are in a hand, but I am ready to adjust my strategy as needed. I rarely ever show a bluff, but I knew that I would need to in this case since there was another player all in. I will gladly take the money in this spot and adjust as needed with that player for future hands.

Frank DiRe (@FLD15 on X)

My fellow Nerdthusiast poker player Anthony Cicali AKA Eat a Hoagie decided to submit this hand history for a GTO (Game Theory Optimal) analysis and here is what he got back:

You (Button) call with KhJh: 

• GTO wise, suited KJ is often a mix between flatting and folding here depending on stack depth and tendencies.

• In position and deep stacked against raiser, it’s a fine call.

• UTG shoves $120: Limp/shove from UTG is almost never nutted. Usually small pairs (22-77), weak aces (A2-A9), sometimes garbage.

• Raiser calls: suggests he’s not super strong. Likely AK, AQ, AJ, 99-TT type hand.

• You close the action and call. Very defensible given the pot odds, position and reads. GTO probably folds KJ off here, but KJs is a reasonable call against two wide ranges.

• Pot: ~$370

• Raiser checks to you:

• GTO: against two players (one all-in), checking here with hand is standard. You’ve got decent showdown value and no real equity to build a pot.

• Exploitative: his check and body language screams weakness, which you picked up on.

• He checks again, looks at you:

• Very likely weak ace-high or mid pocket pair. He’s now checked twice and is giving off live tells.

• You bet 40% of pot:

• GTO would likely check again here with KJ, but this is a great exploitative probe. You’re repping thin value or mid strength (like 88-JJ, some Qx combos).

• Good sizing-small enough to get called by worse, large enough to fold out ace highs.

• Board: Qc5d3sQd5c

• Pot : ~$510

• You bet $200 into ~$510

• GTO: Once you bet turn, you’d often continue river here with value or as a bluff. KJ is near the bottom of your range, so bluffing makes sense.

• Exploitative: Love the $200 bet. It’s polarizing without jamming, which gives it more credibility.

• Great psychological line: betting like you want value while knowing he’ll fold due to ego or curiosity.

• You force a fold from ace-high and win the side pot and half of the main pot.

• You tilt the opponent, which increases your long-term EV-arguably more valuable than just the pot.

• You exploited his desire to see your cards, knowing he’d be folding in front of the table.

Flop: Qc5d3s (rainbow)

Turn: Qd

River:5c

Results and Meta Game Impact

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