Crazy spot with 3rd nuts in WPT Borgata.

[Aaron Bartley]

I agree with everyone that you pretty much have to fold this mainly b/c you are beat so often of the time.

My question is, after witnessing this play, is it possible to use that information against that specific player later on?

Let's say you fold, and make it very obvious that it is a begrudging fold. Not necessarily showing what you have but belaboring the point and generally whining about it. Nothing to dramatic. Let's say play goes on for another hour or so and you find yourself with the nuts against this same player, first to act.

Now I'd usually either check to hopefully checkraise, or (most of the time) bet out 1/2-3/4 pot. If I think the player likes his hand or I think he feels that I bluff 'to much', I may be a little more, like a potish bet since he is more likely to call. But what if I shove? Will his line of reasoning be 'well when I do that, I have the nuts, so I have to fold', or will it be 'well I did that vs him and made him fold a good hand so he's probably doing it to me hoping I fold a good hand, so I have to call'?

I can't recall being in that spot live, although I think it's happened a few times online. I'm really unsure how much thought the average person who is playing these tournaments is putting into past actions.

[Daniel Negreanu]

I wouldn't have taken this line on any of the streets especially in a deep stacked tournament. The key reason you were in this situation on the river was the decision to over bet the flop with air, then raise the turn, thus making the pot too big in a spot where your opponent might just have you drawing dead if he has Ax of diamonds.

I know I beat to death the concept of small ball in tournaments but this is a good example of a hand where I'd have an easier call on the river because the size of the bet wouldn't put my stack at risk.

If I was going to look to isolate pre-flop I'd likely make it 250-300. On the flop I'd bet closer to 50% of the pot. On the turn, when an older middle eastern guy leads out, I'd never consider trying to get him off the hand.

Based on the way you played the hand, the fact that you should still have plenty of chips to make a run in the tournament if you fold, that would be the best play, IMO.