This is the third article in this series where I break down a key hand from each day of my eight-day 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event run. You can read about Day 1 here and Day 2 here.

Also, Ive created video breakdowns of key hands I played, which you can get access free here.

I began Day 3 with just over 200,000 chips, but have already worked my way up to over 350,000 during the first level with a well-timed bluff and by picking up a few solid hands.

The blinds were 1,000/2,500 with a 2,500 big blind ante when the following hand took place.

The Flop

I raised to 5,500 preflop in second position with the QQ, and only the big blind called. With 14,500 in the pot, the flop came down 954 and the villain checked. I bet 4,000 and he called.

This was a great flop for both my hand and my range. I continuation-bet here quite often with both my strong hands (9x and TT+), bluffs that can barrel on good turn cards (JTs, QJs, QTs, KTs,) and with some ace-high hands for protection.

Since I am betting frequently, and I have the queen of diamonds in my hand, making it less likely my opponent has a flush draw, and my hand less vulnerable to a diamond falling on the turn, I elect to use a smaller sizing.

The Turn

With 22,500 in the pot, the dealer burned and turned the K. My opponent snap-checked and then called when I bet 10,000.

My read was that he didnt like the turn. This, combined with having a diamond in my hand, made me quite confident he didnt have a flush. I also knew he didnt have two pair or a set, as he didnt raise me on the flop.

Assuming the above, it would make sense he didnt like the king, as it could improve my hand to a better one than his.

A standard line here is to check for pot control and maintain my position on the river, however I felt like I could get value from his pairs which contained a diamond, as they would call one more time. Holdings like 5x, 66-88 and 9x will all be tempted to call, getting better than 3:1 on the turn.

My thinking was, I have the above hands in very bad shape and want to build a pot while Im ahead. Besides, Ill also be tempted to bluff this turn with big cards that contain a diamond, like AJ, AQ, QJ, or perhaps even a pure bluff with hands like JT and QJ, so my opponent could still put me on air.

Finally, the fact that most people rarely bet this turn makes my bet look suspicious. Being in tune with how people generally play allows you to gain a psychological edge and deviate when you have a read.

The River

With 42,500 in the pot, the river came the 8 and my opponent checked again, opening the door for me to fire 23,000.

Its unlikely the river helped him unless he specifically had 98 or 88. I believed he was capable of calling another bet, justifying it with the logic of his turn flush draw missed. And he wouldnt be crazy to think that.

As for my sizing, I wanted to bet an amount that was big enough that it could feel bluffy. Ironically, a slightly bigger sizing here makes my bet look more polar, meaning I either have a very strong hand or air.

Again, drawing on the collective way that most people play this spot, its rare to see thin value bets here.

People often use their previous experience to reason through what their opponent is most likely holding. In spots like these, most players have two pair, sets, or flushes for value. Otherwise, they have air. Given that range, making a hero call can be profitable assuming Im bluffing with all of my missed diamonds.

He thinks for a short while, and called, mucking when I showed my queens.

That hand brought me up to over 400,000, nearly double where I started the day, and put me in a commanding position to make the money.

Stay tuned for the next article about Day 4, after the money bubble burst, and when things heat up fast.

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Alec Torelli has been playing high-stakes poker professionally since 2006. With over $1,500,000 in tournament winnings and millions more in both live and online cash games, Alec is one of the most respected poker players in the industry today. He has been featured on ESPN, CBS Sports, Travel Channel, Fox Sports, Cigar Aficionado, PokerNews, and many more.

In 2015, Alec founded Conscious Poker to teach poker players how to improve their game, move up in limits, and achieve their poker goals. Since then, Alec has coached nearly a hundred players both in person and virtually, and thousands more have taken his programs to take their game to the next level.

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