Jonathan Little Finds a Fold After a Bad River Card
The 2016 World Series of Poker is about six weeks away, and I’m continuing to review some hands I played at last summer’s WSOP. Today’s hand comes from relatively early in a $1,500 buy-in no-limit hold’em event and involves my being dealt a premium hand, improving after the flop, then having to fold the river.
The hand illustrates the importance of position (as I’m out of position and at a disadvantage). The betting and board give us a chance to discuss how to go about narrowing an opponent’s range of hands. And the hand also presents a challenge to come up with a disciplined laydown when the situation suggests folding is probably the best play.
As you’ll see in the video below, I am dealt A♣K♣ in the big blind and after calling a raise from the tight-aggressive player who raised from under the gun, I flop top pair, top kicker.
Things get even better when I turn the nut flush draw, but somehow I end up finding a fold on the river. Take a look:
Sometimes the absolute worst card comes on the river and you must make a disciplined fold. That being said, if you fold too often, your aggressive opponents will run you over.
Would you ever play this hand in this manner? Let me know in a comment below.
Jonathan Little is a professional poker player and author with over $6,200,000 in live tournament earnings. He writes a weekly educational blog and hosts a podcast at JonathanLittlePoker.com. You can follow him on Twitter @JonathanLittle.
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