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Poker Plays with Pokerpeaker - Bet Your Monsters

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I am playing Pineapple on Ultimate Bet at a .10/.25 NL table.

Pineapple, in case you don't know, is just like 'Hold Em, except you are dealt three cards instead of two. You then discard one of the cards before the flop. Crazy Pineapple plays the same way except you discard after the flop.

Anyway, I'm dealt {K-Diamonds} - {K-Hearts} - {7-Clubs}.

You can probably guess which two cards I kept.

I raise to $2. It's a large raise but I don't mind trying to get heads-up with my big pair, especially in a game with another card in the mix. It's more likely someone has a hand good enough to call a raise, so I either want to make them pay or really think about it.
I get two callers in an 8-handed game.

OK, perfect.

The flop comes {6-Clubs} - {8-Spades} - {K-Spades}.

OK, perfect.

I do not screw around. There are straight and flush draws out there, and again, that third card increases the chances that someone has a draw or a hand to call my bet, even if you discard it before the flop.

So I bet. I bet the pot, $5. Both call.

Interesting.

The turn brings the {A-Diamonds}. I still think I'm ahead. If someone had A-A, I'm pretty sure I would have been re-raised. But I check anyway.

The second player bets $5, and the third player calls it.

I raise to $15.

They both call my raise.

I know on the river I'm shoving unless a third spade hits, and even then, I might consider a call. I don't have much left and the pot is pretty huge, and I really like my hand.

The river brings the {6-Spades}.

This is perfect. That card may have made someone's flush, and it just made my full house.

I go all-in right there. There's no reason to mess around anymore. Even if I don't get another caller, I like the pot, and I'm pretty sure I'll get at least one.

In fact, both call me.

The amazing thing is both also had a full house. One guy showed A-6, and the other guy showed a pair of 8s in the hole.

Lesson learned: Sometimes it's perfectly fine to bet your monsters, especially if you see draws out there. Slow-playing this hand may have cost me some money, though it's doubtful. But let's say that third spade came down, and we all checked the river. If I had slow-played up until that point, I wouldn't have the nice pot.

Plus one of the guys said in the chat box, "There's no way I put you on a set of Kings because you bet it."

Sometimes betting is the most deceiving play when you have a monster, as more and more players understand slow-playing these days, especially online, and not only understand it, but expect it from you.

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