Split Boards

I was planning to talk a bit about how I encountered a brutal series of solid SNG tables this weekend (one nearly made it to level 4 with all 10 players still alive), but I just witnessed perhaps the most ridiculous hand I've seen yet. So I'll talk about that instead.

It's early in a SNG and I get a pair of deuces near the button and limp in for the 15 chips, hoping to catch a set on the flop. The flop comes AAA, giving me the weakest full house possible, and it's entirely also possible that one of my two opponents has the case Ace. It's checked to me, suprise-suprise. So now I'm doubting the possibility that either of my opponents have a pocket pair, but one could easily be slowplaying quad Aces (as would nearly always be the correct play here). I contemplate for just a second, and fire out a 2/3-pot bet (which wasn't much at this point)... if neither has the remaining Ace, hey, I might get them to fold. Consider also that both opponents were SB and BB respectively, which means they're more likely to be playing junk or connectors, etc. If I get called, I'm almost certain to ditch the hand unless the turn is another 2, because any other card can possibly give my opponents a better full. I get called by both opponents. Bad. Looking back, this is a low percentage play with little expected value. I should have probably checked.

The turn is the case Ace, and I now hold a pair of the weakest possible kickers. SB bets, BB calls, and I fold faster than a newspaper in a tornado. The river card is a King, giving the board the nuts. SB checks, BB goes all-in, and then the SB folds. After several others and I offer exclamations, SB reveals that he had QQ (who know's if he did or not... it's a mute point) and admitted that he had "no guts". More like no brains, which we also pointed out, and I doubt that he makes this rookie mistake again anytime soon.

Going all-in, or betting big when the board has the nuts is a play that I have often made myself, for this very reason. Most of the time your opponent will call and the split will be made, but it's a zero risk play that sometimes pays off.

Possible Nut/Split Boards:

1. Any Royal Flush, duh. (AKQJT suited)
2. Any 4-of-a-kind where the fifth card is the best kicker possible. (AAAAK, KKKKA, 3333A...)
3. Any broadway straight, with no more than 2 cards of any suit. (AKQJT)

Another similar point, is against the typical low buy-in SNG players, when you have the absolute nuts on a board that a novice might mistake for a split, go all-in. Let's say the board makes 4 Tens, and a Queen, and you're holding an Ace. If you push all-in, there's the possibility that you'll get called by someone who also has an Ace kicker (again, zero risk), but you might get a novice who has paired the Queen to call thinking he has the best hand. It does happen, and I've seen it several times. You'd also be suprised how many times your all-in will get called when you have a high flush, but the board shows a broadway straight, although I'd argue that a value bet, or a check-raise if your opponent has been betting recklessly, is the best play. (And don't forget that even if your flush is Ace-high, you could be up against a straight flush, but I doubt you're going to ever lay down your flush anyway, and neither am I.)

Also, when the flop comes 3-of-a-kind, and you hold a low pair, proceed with caution. In the above example I only dumped 45 chips on the hand (15 to see the flop, and then 30 on the flop), so I can't say it was a horrible play, but under the circumstances I should have let it go. Betting the flop would make a lot more sense shorthanded, or heads-up. If you limp with a low pocket pair, you're looking for trips.