That oughta teach him

I've been increasingly annoyed by my PartyPoker opponents' growing tendency to not raise preflop with AA or KK. I think that they are misapplying a no-limit concept to the limit game. In no-limit, it is sometimes a good move to just call the blind in early position with a big hand in hopes that someone will raise you from behind, and then you get to put in a massive reraise. But in fixed limit games, especially games where you are unlikely to see the same opponents ever again, I think that anything other than raising with these hands is horrible poker.

Really, I'm glad that my opponents are grossly misplaying their hands, but the deceptive nature of this move has cost me a few bets recently. So that, plus my general disdain for mindless trendy idiots has me pretty worked up about this issue. Tonight I got some revenge on one of these assholes.

In a $5/10 Hold'em game on Party, "asshole" called my $5 big blind in early position.

Asshole: K♠K♣

Everyone folded to me in the big blind, and I checked.

Me: A♣ 3♠

I would have folded if he had raised. Instead, I saw a free flop with $12 in the pot.

Flop ($12): 9♥, 7♣, Q♦

I check because I have nothing, and the asshole checks because he's an asshole. I would have folded if he had bet, but instead we saw a free turn card.

Turn ($12): A♦

Now I have a pair of Aces but no kicker. I check because the pot is small and I won't know what to do if I get raised, but also because he'd be likely to bet a lot of hands worse than mine at this point, which is what happens. Asshole bets $10 because he's an asshole and I call it.

River ($32): 6♠

I check for the same reasons, he bets again for the same reason, and I call and win the $49.50 pot (net of the $2.50 rake) with my pair of Aces.

Lets review my opponent's four decisions this hand.

Preflop
Call, instead of raising and winning the blinds uncontested

Flop
Check, instead of betting and winning the pot

Turn
Bet at a tiny pot with the worst hand

River
Bet at a small pot with the worst hand



Yup, he misplayed every single action. Seriously, you should sign up for Party Poker.