You Sank My Battleship!

Fullhouse over fullhouse is one of those situations where a lot of money is going into the middle. If you get all your money in on a boat and loose to a higher boat, it seems like that is just the way it goes sometimes in poker. Hopefully, these situations will even out in the long term. The question is, can I recognize that my boat may be beaten? Will my battleship get sunk? This is some real basic stuff here, but is often overlooked in the heat of battle. First off, the boat with the higher 3 of a kind always wins. You want the 3 of a kind side you have to be the highest available or the highest likely. If your boat has a small 3 of a kind, especially when you are using only one of your cards to get the three of a kind you could be in serious trouble. The hand below illustrates the problems you can have with a mini-boat.

FullTiltPoker Game #405852162: Table Camino Entrada - $0.50/$1 - No Limit Hold'em - 15:09:25 ET - 2006/01/27
Seat 1: Ciceronian ($77.50)
Seat 2: Blinders ($92)
Seat 3: Lisaluck ($83.80)
Seat 4: The_Headlina ($96.25)
Seat 5: JO-L77 ($46.75)
Seat 6: Ifeel4ya ($72.50)
Seat 7: amanda leigh ($56)
Seat 8: Jrum ($21.30)
Seat 9: 15outs ($38.70)
15outs posts the small blind of $0.50
Ciceronian is sitting out
Blinders posts the big blind of $1
The button is in seat #8
*** HOLE CARDS ***Dealt to Blinders [6d 2c]

The mini-hammer, sweet, plus a free look

Lisaluck folds
The_Headlina folds
Ciceronian stands up
JO-L77 calls $1
Ifeel4ya foldsamanda leigh folds
Jrum folds15outs calls $0.50
Blinders checks*** FLOP *** [2d 2s 7c]

wow, good flop for me, even better for the hammer. I decide for an ill advised slowplay, although I probably would not be able to bet the guy off this flop.

15outs checks
Blinders checks
JO-L77 checks

*** TURN *** [2d 2s 7c] [3d]

Turn looks ok, I must still be in the lead. I make a small bet to see if anyone has a piece.

15outs checks
Blinders bets $1
JO-L77 calls $1
15outs folds

**! * RIVER *** [2d 2s 7c 3d] [6s]

There is my boat, and I have to think I am in the lead here, but this is definitely a mini-boat. I have the smallest possible 3 of a kind. I lose to any set (77, 33, 66) or the hammer 72. Lets start building a pot.

Blinders bets $3
JO-L77 raises to $10

Wow, this guy finally thinks he has something. I got a free look from the BB, he has to be afraid I have a 2. What is he raising with here? I reraise him back.

Blinders raises to $22
JO-L77 raises to $40

Well he only has $4.75 left, and I am not laying my boat down. Might as well put him in for his last $4.

Blinders raises to $90, and is all in
JO-L77 calls $4.75, and is all in
Uncalled bet of $45.25 returned to Blinders
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Blinders shows [6d 2c] (a full house, Twos full of Sixes)
JO-L77 shows [3c 3s] (a full house, Threes full of Twos)
JO-L77 wins the pot ($91.50) with a full house, Threes full of Twos
*** SUMMARY ***Total pot $94.50 Rake $3Board: [2d 2s 7c 3d 6s]
Seat 2: Blinders (big blind) showed [6d 2c] and lost with a full house, Twos full of Sixes
Seat 5: JO-L77 showed [3c 3s] and won ($91.50) with a full house, Threes full of Twos

Yes, he had the bigger boat. Not sure if I could have played this differently considering this guy was a little short. I could have just called the reraise to $10 on the river, but not likely. Probably should have only called at the end and saved me the $4.75. Basically when the 6 hit on the river I figured I was good, but did not look at how exposed I was. Take your time, even when you have a boat, especially if you have a mini-boat.