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Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak

Sky_DaveSky_Dave Member Posts: 3,288
edited September 2010 in The Poker Clinic
Folks,

I thought I'd start off a new series of threads every now and then where we dissect the play of some of the pros and see how we feel about their lines. Our first hand up for examination is one from High Stakes Poker which involves Phil Laak UTG, Patrik Antonius defending his straddle and Howard Lederer caught somewhere in the middle with a medium pocket pair.

Phil Laak vs Patrik Antonius: High Stakes Poker (YouTube link)

Questions we're going to try and tackle are:

1) Pre-flop play: What do you think of Laak, Lederer and Antonius' respective pre-flop action? If you disagree with any of them, how do you think it changes the actions of the other players? Does PA defend his straddle if HL folds, for instance?

2) Flop play: Is PA right to check/call the flop? What do you think of the bet sizing from Laak? What hands do you think Laak is trying to represent?

3) Turn play: How do you think this card alters the hand ranges Laak is representing? Do you think there's an argument for PA leading or check-raising the turn here?

4) River play: PA's call is pretty incredible. Which hands do you think he put Laak on to make this call? What part of Laak's play do you think gave away his hand strength? Do you agree with Gabe Kaplan's verdict that it was PL's bet speed rather than size that gave him away?

Feel free to raise other questions as and when they come to you: our aim is to break the hand down and try and factor in things such as perceived table image - we all know Antonius is loose-aggressive, Laak is a bit nitty and Lederer hasn't played a hand to the river since 2006, so this should be factored into the discussions where possible :)

As an added bonus, I've actually managed to interview Phil Laak about this hand in the past and he gave me some analysis on what he thought was going on during the hand, which I'll add to the end of this thread as a kind of summary from one half of the story.

Have fun!
Sky Dave
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Comments

  • YOUNG_GUNYOUNG_GUN Member Posts: 8,948
    edited August 2010
    nice feature, at work so will have a go later
  • waynecwaynec Member Posts: 1,023
    edited August 2010
    Great thread will read with interest but wont try and 2nd guess players of this quality Im sticlking to the rail.
  • The_Don90The_Don90 Member Posts: 9,814
    edited August 2010
    Ill take a stab to get my head chopped off in the few seconds.

    Lederer if m in his shoes i re-raise the flop.

    After that the Laak Antonious battle i dont see much that id do differnent. Although if in Patrick i make the wrong fold on the river.
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    HH for those who cant get on youtube.


    Blinds 400/800/200 1600 straddle is in play.

    Antonius is in the straddle.

    Laak opens utg 6k. AhJd.


    Folds to Coward Folderer in the CO who flats with 8s8d.


    folds back to the straddle and PA calls with Ts4s.

    (20.8k in the pot) flop: 4h 3s 2h

    PA checks, PL bets 16k, HL nit folds, PA calls.

    (52.8k) turn: Ks

    PA checks PL bets 37.3k, PA calls.

    (127.4k) river: Qd

    PA checks PL quickly bets 80k, PA calls.


    287.4k pot, 1 pair 4's > A high.




    1) pre is all around standard.

    2) PL is utg and 'repping' a strong range, especially since he's so tight and bad. Laak bets big otf and is basically repping OP's and possibly sets, maybe a strong combo draw deffo has big card air especially those hands with Ax as they have gutshots. PA's flop peel is fine he's ahead of some, has outs and is very deep against a player who wont bet for thin value.

    3) Cant see any arguments for PA doing anything but c/c on the turn, leading would be illogical and c/r would be turning our hand into a semi bluff when we sometimes don't need to and sometimes will get blown off the hand which would suck massively being so deep. The K can have hit Laak so he continues to fire and represent his strong range.

    4) Laak normally bets weird numbers which is one odd part of his river bet, normally 87.7 rather than 80 straight. Similarly on the Q river card Laak now has to still have the strongest parts of his flop cbetting range as the hands he's betting for value.

    IMO if he has AQhh he isn't betting this river and especially not so hard, he might not even bet AK because he's so bad and plays so timidly against the player who outclass him. Now PA beats all combo draws that missed, AJ. Laaks hand could be aces though he may not vbet that bcos he's bad so 44/33/22 (1/2 the combos of 4's are gone with the 4s in PA's hand) KK  (though PL checked his op's on the flop alot when he's playing in these deepstacked cash games on tv because he didn't want to stack off with them in general).

    I'm not sure if there is much merit to PA c/r the river because the only better hands you could fold out would be 4x or 55 that's bluffing with the best hand.




    Basically Laak isn't very good and always gets owned on tv and looks stupid (he also wastes time but w/e tv poker is all about the personalities not the poker). Antonius is quality and doesn't care about money. And Coward Folderer is an absolute disgrace, played some of the worst poker that's been televised that i've ever seen including when amateurs are on tv, folding the flop is partially acceptable because he essentially believes PL and could always be c/r off his hand on this board by PA. Coward Folderer is terrible, how he still wins tournies is beyond me.
  • BrownnDogBrownnDog Member Posts: 729
    edited August 2010
    Don't be blunt
  • BrownnDogBrownnDog Member Posts: 729
    edited August 2010
    I vaguely remember when Lederer butchered that AK vs Dwan on HSP. Yeah he sucks. 
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    I vaguely remember when Lederer butchered that AK vs Dwan on HSP. Yeah he sucks. 
    Posted by BrownnDog


    HI MY NAME IS COWARD FOLDERER


    I HAVE A SISTER WHO IS GOOD AT B JS


    I PLAY VERY TIGHT


    I PLAY VERY BAD


    BUT I HAVE A STAKE IN A MASSIVELY PROFITABLE PRETTY MUCH UNREGULATED SKANKATHON

    I CAN KEEP PLAYING BAD I'M LIFE ROLLED THROUGH THAT INVESTMENT LOL LOL LOL


    OMG THAT YOUNG GUY HAS 4 BET ME. I HAVE ACE AND KING PAIR DRAW. BETTER FLAT CALL AND ASSUME THAT HE 4BETS AK AND CHECKS IT DOWN BECAUSE THAT'S LIKELY. SURELY IF HE IS LOOSE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO FLAT THE 4 BET YOU CAN SHOVE U NUMPTY, IF ACE OR KING PAIR DRAW COMES IN YOU WONT WIN ANY MONEY



    ARRRRGHHGHHGHGHGHGHH YOU SUCK SO BAD COWARD 



    DIEIEIEIEIEIEIE
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    why do you always make me go off topic BD?!?
  • BrownnDogBrownnDog Member Posts: 729
    edited August 2010
    hahahaha lol it amuses me
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    hahahaha lol it amuses me
    Posted by BrownnDog

    does it 'amuse' you to watch coward folderer on televised poker just snap laying down like KQs to a single open and stuff?


    or does it fill you with hatred like it does me? all these morons who have no idea this is a game that isn't just about folding to the end it's so tilting.


    Imagine knowing 1/10th of what you know now 5-8 years ago. you'd be a mirrionairre in like 5 and a half hours. god it's so tilting.
  • ybyb Member Posts: 1,471
    edited August 2010
    That hand by lederer against dwan is pretty lol

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thl33IbbqyU
  • Sky_DaveSky_Dave Member Posts: 3,288
    edited August 2010
    Started well, moved slightly off topic. Keep your eye on the prize folks... ;)

  • TommyDTommyD Member Posts: 4,389
    edited August 2010
    1)  I don't like playing the AJo from UTG on this table, just because you will be called by someone at this table and you will have to play a weak hand (even if you hit) well out of position usually).  AJo is a losing hand from the first two seats on a 9/10 handed cash table IMO.  Pretty much ok with the other two.  Ledderer knows that any raise will probably be at least flatted by Laak or a bloated pot might interest someone to squeeze light and now he doesn't know where he is.

    2)  Personally I hate PA's check/call here.  Calling here PA obviously has Laak correctly on a big ace so why not through in a raise to take it down there and then.  Any paint has got to scare you.  I think PA was calling to reassess on the turn, probably with the intention to lead any non ace (this suddenly changes when the flushing card comes down).  Laak is continuing the story of a big pair and the roughly 3/4 pot bet I think is bang on for this.  I hate Ledderer's fold by the way, Laak is always C-Betting that board with a massive range, I know PA is to act again behind but just raise there and find out what's going on.

    3)  Laak not slowing down starts to flag that he's got air.  PA will know that Laak knows the straddle will flat with a huge range and on a flop of 234 the straddle could have flopped the nuts/near nuts easily.  The turn card narrows Laak's range to AA, AK, KK.  As I was hinting to earlier, I think PA was intending a play on this street, but the flush card turns PA from raise to call as in his mind his hand can improve nicely now.

    4)  Laak's a nit on the river and PA know's this.  If top set wasn't the nuts I wouldn't be surprised to see Laak check call with it.  Suddenly Laak makes a decent size bet representing a value bet.  Looking at the range Laak was representing on the turn, PA knows Laak will never value bet AA or AK on this board.  It's KK or air.  Knowing how nitty Laak would be PA does a very nice read that Lakk has been betting with air all the way down the streets, can only bet to win and any pair is good.  It's a lovely read.  I don't agree with the 'bet speed' argument in the slightest, it's just Laak's previous river play and image that makes the call.
  • YOUNG_GUNYOUNG_GUN Member Posts: 8,948
    edited August 2010

    lol loving beanies posts in this thread + 1

    Think i seen that, agree Howard Lederer is a nit should have stuck to chess(there is a background to that)
    Phil laak sucks
    Antonious is a beast!

    As for play, pre standard.

    Flop Phil Laak was pre-flop aggressor and has overs so c betting to represent big pair or AK, Antonious has probably put him on overs so has called knowing he's ahead

    Turn dangerous card for antonious, the fact PL is potting(i think) each time or roundabouts seems like he could be bluffing here but could easily have AK here, Antonious has called probably to either check it down, or re-assess on the river

    River another card which could have hit Phil Laaks range, AK< AQ, AJ, JJ,10,10 etc, only one possible hand of his range which antonious beats and through his reads he has got it correct.

    Most the time this play would be spewy, but against Phil Laak who is a bit of a nit so easier to narrow his range here. Still great call and hand reading all the way through, something Tom dwan & Phil Ivey does well also there the top 3 and PA shows why he is so good here

    Cheers beaneh for HH as i didn't get to look last night at the footage although i'm sure i have seen it before

  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    Started well, moved slightly off topic. Keep your eye on the prize folks... ;)
    Posted by Sky_Dave

    Blame ruddy Browndog, he always does this!!!!!
  • DeucesLiveDeucesLive Member Posts: 839
    edited August 2010
    Terrible play all round, Lederer's the only player to come out with any credit. Awful play by Laak, as always, and a terrible call by Antonius, although he lucked out by getting it right. Lederer is a beast of a player, he played those 8's like a dream.
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    Terrible play all round, Lederer's the only player to come out with any credit. Awful play by Laak, as always, and a terrible call by Antonius, although he lucked out by getting it right. Lederer is a beast of a player, he played those 8's like a dream.
    Posted by DeucesLive

    I found this funny, if we had a like button I would press the little thumbs up bit. :)
  • BlackFish3BlackFish3 Member Posts: 2,418
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    2)  Personally I hate PA's check/call here.  Calling here PA obviously has Laak correctly on a big ace so why not through in a raise to take it down there and then.  Any paint has got to scare you.
    Posted by TommyD
    I think calling is better though if he's going to bluff at later streets. I don't get why you would raise in that spot considering you fold out all bluffs and only get called if your behind surely?
  • LadyFingrsLadyFingrs Member Posts: 613
    edited August 2010
    Preflop:

    Laak: Standard
    Led..:Standards
    PA: Seems bad, not sure how deep they are, or if that even matters

    Flop:
    Laak: Kind of good, think if he checks he turns his hand face up, but with how LAP these games play pre, might be c/f
    Led..: ahhahahahahahhahahahah
    PA: Fine probably

    Turn:
    Laak: ehhh, with previous, I think he's repping kind of a narrow range. Even though K's are amazing barrel cards against droolers, PA obv is not a drooler. Not sure how deep into the meta we can get without extensive knowledge that we dont have, but just below the surface this seems like it might be a check back. Sizing is good though if he's trying to rep 55-QQ aswel. Im just not sure PA will give him credit for being able to VB that thin, so whether he is able to is irrelevant.

    PA: if ^ is true, he cant do anything else?

    River:

    Laak: Spose he can have like one more hand, but i guess PA can be like 100% that he is super polarized now. There can also be 2 missed flush draws in his VB range. So he's polarized to like KQ+ or air, that being said, I hate his bluff. Especially because the river being Dx make him have a tonne more air.

    PA: Like it son.





    That being said, its somewhat (very) arrogant of me to slate a river bluff of someone who is far superior. So yeah, just my 2 cents and we do not have the info laak has either so...it's kind of an evaluation based off little-no info. In a vacuum, its bad. But the games not played in a vacuum...wanna know why?

    CUZ ITS TOO SMAL 2 FIT PEEPIL IN LAWL
  • beanehbeaneh Member Posts: 4,079
    edited August 2010
    In Response to Re: Line Check: Patrik Antonius vs Phil Laak:
    In a vacuum, its bad. But the games not played in a vacuum...wanna know why? CUZ ITS TOO SMAL 2 FIT PEEPIL IN LAWL
    Posted by LadyFingrs

    This made me wee myself.


    nh
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