December’s Hand of the Month

We hope you had a great festive season and a wonderful New Year, but 2018 isn’t quite over until we wrap up our December Hand of the Month contest!  

Thanks to all of you who sent in submissions. Before we make our announcement, we have a couple of shoutouts to Maya- and narench for their entries — it was tough to choose between the two of you and our winner!

The winner for December’s Hand of the Month is … puggywug!

https://www.replaypoker.com/hand/replay/458291160

Picture the scene — it’s down to four players in a 25,000 buy-in Sit and Go. One more to go and the bubble will burst. With 104,062 chips on the line for first place and nothing for fourth place, every decision is crucial.

Pre-Flop

With the blinds at 150/300 and an ante of 30, everyone is feeling the pressure. No one wants to be the bubble person, yet everyone wants to win, so there are conflicting goals for all.

This hand begins with the following: noridehome limps Under The Gun for 300 and SharonSmarty, who is the chip leader, folds on the button. In the Small Blind, bringalunch has their action and they complete the Small Blind.

puggywug is in the Big Blind, with Q4 suited. What would you do in puggywug’s shoes? Would you check or raise and why?

puggywug checks and we are off to the flop!

The Flop

The flop brings the King of Diamonds, Ten of Hearts, and Jack of Diamonds, giving puggywug an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw, which is a monster holding.

bringalunch is first to act and checks. How do you play this huge draw if you are puggywug? Do you check intending to raise or call? Do you bet and why?

puggywug bets 510, around half of the pot, and is called by noridehome, while bringalunch folds when the action returns to them.

What kind of holdings do you put noridehome on?

The Turn

The turn brings the Ace of Clubs into play, which is a gin card for puggywug, as it completes their broadway straight.

How do you play the turn as puggywug and why? Is there merit to checking over betting?

puggywug fires out 2,040 into the pot and is called once again by noridehome, leaving 1,050 in their stack.

What do you think noridehome has now and why?

The River

The river brings an interesting card, the Ten of Diamonds, meaning that if puggywug was chopping on the turn, they are now ahead of nearly all other straights.

What do you do as puggywug on the river? You have 3,808 left in your stack and your opponent has 1,050 left.

puggywug moves all-in on the river with their flush and is called by noridehome … who has JTs for a rivered full house!

Can anyone find a fold on the river as puggywug, or is this an unavoidable cooler?

puggywug had this to say about that river: “The River is a Ten of diamonds, giving me a Q-high flush, and I think I’m even better. I shove, enough to put my opponent all-in, and am called, and for the showdown I see he’s holding JsTs – he has Tens full of Jacks! The river improved us both, but it was a mirage for me. Any other diamond, except the Jack, and I would have had the nuts!”

Thanks to all of you who participated in our Hand of the Month contests! We’d love to see what you have to say about this hand in our comments section below. Share your thoughts, then keep an eye out on our promotions page for other exciting opportunities to win chips!