[beautifulrock]

A BOOK OF REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY KING 9


CHAPTER 1 BOTTOM 2 TRAPS YOU

This happened to me recently in an online tournament.

I was in the big blind with king 9 suited spades and the table(9 handed) folded around to the button, who made a standard raise about 3 1/2 times the big blind. Since I was getting about 2 to 1 odds on my money to call and people tend to try and steal on the button, I decided to call.
The flop came

AS KH 9H

Now I had done it. I had gone and flopped bottom two pair with an ace and a flush draw on board. Not wanting to let a draw or a bad ace draw cheaply, I made a pot sized bet, about 10% of my stack, and he came over the top for the minimum. This bet confused me. It showed a lot of strength because it didn't seem like he was trying to blow me off the hand. I guessed he probably had a hand like AQ or AJ of hearts and was on top pair, nut flush draw. So I flat called and decided to see the turn in case a heart, or another ace fell (counterfeiting my hand) and the turn came a 2 of spades giving me the nut flush draw in spades. At this point I concluded that I probably had the best hand and a nut flush draw as a back-up plan in case I didn't. I didnt want to risk seeing the river so I pushed all in.
My opponent pondered for a long time and begrudgingly called showing the A6 of hearts. He had top pair with a weak kicker and the nut flush draw in hearts.

I counted his outs: 6 of clubs, 6 of diamonds (the 6 of spades gives me the nut flush), 2 of diamonds, 2 of clubs, (these hands counterfeit my two pair giving him aces up)
ace of clubs, ace of diamonds(also counterfeitting my two pair giving him a set)
and his flush outs QH,JH,TH,8H,7H,5H,4H,3H,2H (DON'T COUNT THE 2H TWICE!)
so thats 15 OUTS X 2.25% = 34% not a good % to be facing with your entire stack on the line. 2 to 1 can be ugly friends and when the deuce of hearts showed up on the river I quite simply wanted to puke. I mean shit he beat twice with the same card!

this story isn't a direct attack on king 9, really, but is one scenario with the board A K 9 in which the "dawg" hand can get you in trouble. this story is more an outline of the dangers of bottom two pair, which I recommend playing fast and strong early to protect your hand. bottom 2 pair is a hand that can go to shit easily.

coming soon CHAPTER 2 MAYDAY! MAYDAY! KICKER TROUBLES!