Poker Quiz Question #43

Q#43: You're in a tournament. Blinds are T300/T600 with a T75 ante. Nine handed. The SB is a well-known tourney pro and has T60K in chips. A weak-tight player UTG with T100K chips limps in. It folds around to the SB, who completes. The big blind with T12K checks. Flop is 8s-6s-3d. Both blinds check to the UTG, who bets T3K. SB calls, and the BB X/R's to T6K. UTG re-raises to T12K. After long consideration, the SB calls and the BB calls all-in. Turn is the Kh. SB checks. UTG checks. River is the 3s. SB bets T10K into the T40K pot. UTG quickly calls. What did all three players hold?

1. SB=AA; BB=Set; UTG=Flush Draw
2. SB=Draw; BB=2 Pair on Flop; UTG=AA
3. SB=Set; BB=99+; UTG=Flush Draw
4. SB=2 Pair on Flop; BB=Draw; UTG=A8

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A#43: It seems like the best way to attack this relatively complicated question is by the process of elimination. Let's just look at each answer and see if there is/are valid reason/s why an answer does or doesn't make sense.

Answer 1: SB=AA; BB=Set; UTG=Flush Draw. This one seems obviously incorrect to me. I just can't imagine a "tourney pro" that is 100 big blinds deep not re-raising with AA preflop multiway. Further, a weak-tight player is generally not limping into a 9-handed pot UTG with two suited cards (unless they're something like AKs and he was going to limp-RR), nor is he the tyep to be betting a draw on the flop. Bzzzzt.

Answer 2: SB=Draw; BB=2 Pair on Flop; UTG=AA. This one actually sounds semi-reasonable. Completing the SB against an UTG limper with a hand like AXs is solidly in the SB's range. His teaser "come hither" bet of 1/4 of the pot on the river when the flush comes in seems like it fits, too. The min-X/R of the BB also makes sense if he got a big blind special and hit two pair on this fairly dry board. Finally, the limp UTG by the weak-tight could easily be AA PF, as these guys are the ones who tend to limp-RR rockets and cowboys pre. This one is possible.

Answer 3: SB=Set; BB=99+; UTG=Flush Draw. It's hard to imagine the SB not reraising the flop and/or betting his set on the turn, especially MW. Further, it's hard to see the BB not reraising pre with this strong of a range to isolate, nor (as stated above in Answer 1) is it plausible that the UTG is limping into a pot UTG with just two suited cards and then betting a draw on the flop. Bzzzzt.

Answer 4: SB=2 Pair on Flop; BB=Draw; UTG=A8. Two pair is basically the nuts on this flop, so it really makes no sense that the SB wouldn't be pushing a lot harder, especially given the action he's getting from the BB. Similarly, a min-X/R on the flop with a flush draw is just plain silly multi-way for the BB. Finally, a limp UTG w/ A8 is not likely for a weak-tight player PF. Bzzzzt.

Final Answer: Answer 2.

All-in for now...
-Bug