Layne Flack

Layne Flack at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic

Two years ago, at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, pro player Layne Flack was playing a $1,500 buy-in, No Limit event with 471 other players.

With the blinds at $500/$1,000 plus a $200 ante, fellow pro Nick Binger made it $3,600 to go with A-J. Flack, sitting in the big blind with Qs-8s, called for $2,600 more.

The flop came Q-8-2. Both players checked.

The 10d fell on the turn and Layne led out for $9,000. Binger studied for a while then moved all-in for $30,000. Layne quickly called. Binger needed a nine or a king to complete his straight. Indeed, the river card was a king.

Binger's opening raise of $3,600 with A-J was standard. Flack's call with Qs-8s was a bit loose for my taste but a player of his caliber has enough talent to overcome a few loose calls.

I like both players' checks on the flop.

On the turn, Layne had to ponder poker's eternal question: Do I bet or check my super-strong hand? Too often, a bet in this situation causes everyone else to fold so you don't get full value out of your hand. Conversely, checking can cause you to lose the pot when an opponent outdraws you for free.

I like Layneís $9,000 overbet on the turn as it protects his hand against an opponent with a drawing hand. Had Layne checked instead, Binger might have been induced to make a bet of his own.

I donít like Binger's all-in bet for $30,000 but I do recognize that it was a judgment call on his part. If he strongly believed that Layne couldnít call a big raise, then Iíd agree that it was the correct play.

Otherwise, Binger should have folded his hand because he wasn't getting the right odds to call. Why risk $30,000 chips -- an above-average stack -- on a bluff against a great player like Layne Flack?

Another interesting hand played out two deals later.

Binger opened for $3,500 with 7h-6h. Flack called with A-10 and pro player James Van Alstyne called with 10-10 in the big blind.

The flop came 9h-7s-3h. Flack and Van Alstyne both checked and Binger bet $9,000. Flack folded. Van Alstyne studied for a long time and then moved all-in for $59,000.

Binger called. The turn card was no help to Nick but the river was the 5h and he had his flush.

Binger's pre-flop raise with 7h-6h was fine. Hold 'em is like martial arts -- you never want to be pushed around. Thatís why an occasional raise with 7h-6h might be considered an acceptable play. Calling a raise with 7h-6h, however, is not advised.

Both Flack's call with A-10 and Van Alstyne's call with 10-10 were reasonable although it would have been more like Van Alstyne to reraise with pocket tens, which, by the way, would have worked perfectly.

I like Flack's and Van Alstyne's checks on the flop and also like Binger's $9,000 bet.

Alternatively, Binger could have checked the flop but that would have given his opponents a chance to outdraw him. Also, by checking in this situation, Binger would have given himself a free shot to hit his drawing hand without risking all of his chips on a possible reraise.

Van Alstyne's $49,000 raise was a solid play. He correctly reasoned that Binger didn't have an overpair or trips. Of course, if Binger did have A-A, K-K or Q-Q, Van Alstyne's raise would have been horrendous. But it was simply a strong read by Van Alstyne, and a strong read like that can easily justify a lot of marginal plays.