Hand History – Pocket Sixes
As usual, watch the play unfold if you’d like.
Stakes: $0.05 / $0.10 NL Hold’em (6-max)
Location: Encinitas
Hero: VoightKampf
Stack: $16.78
Preflop
I was dealt 6♣ 6♦.
Under the Gun folded and Hijack folded
Sitting in the Cutoff, I raised to $0.40.
The Button called and the Small Blind folded.
The big blind called.
Flop ($1.25)
7♦ 4♠ Q♣
The big blind bet $0.10.
I called $0.10.
The cutoff raised to $1.65.
The big blind folded.
I folded.
The pot was awarded without showdown.
Coach Analysis
Great hand to review. This one is subtle, and the mistakes aren’t dramatic — but they’re systematic, which means fixing them adds real EV.
I’ll go street by street and be very explicit about what went wrong, why it went wrong, and what the better default should be.
Quick Recap
- Stakes: $0.05 / $0.10
- Hero: VoightKampf
- Hand: 66
- Line: Raise → call donk → fold to raise
You lost only $0.50, but the decision quality matters.
Preflop — ✔️ Mostly Good, One Small Tweak
You raised to $0.40 with pocket sixes.
This is good:
- You raised (not limped)
- You applied pressure
- You kept initiative
One note:
- If this was from early position, $0.40 is fine
- If this was from CO/BTN, it’s also fine
- The sizing itself is not the problem
Preflop is not where this hand went wrong.
Flop — The First Real Mistake
Flop: Q-7-4 rainbow
Pot: $1.25
Big blind donk-bets $0.10.
This bet is extremely weak.
At microstakes, a 1/12-pot donk bet usually means:
- Weak pair
- Ace-high
- “Please don’t bet big” blocker
Your Call Is the Problem
Calling feels harmless, but it’s actually the worst option here.
Ask the key question:
“What am I hoping happens if I call?”
- You don’t improve often
- You don’t deny equity
- You invite exactly what happened next: a raise behind you
You gave up initiative and position leverage.
What You Should Do Instead (Two Better Options)
✅ Option 1: Raise the Donk Bet (Best Default)
Raise to ~$0.50–$0.60.
Why this is strong:
- You isolate the donk bettor
- You charge worse hands
- You deny equity
- You often win immediately
Most donk bettors fold to aggression.
⚠️ Option 2: Fold Immediately (Acceptable)
This is totally fine if:
- You don’t want to play a big pot with a middle pair
- You respect that the board hits callers well
Folding is far better than calling.
Why Calling Is the Leak (Core Theme)
Calling here:
- Caps your range
- Signals weakness
- Makes your next decision harder
And it worked against you immediately.
Facing the Raise — ✔️ Good Fold
After you call, the cutoff raises to $1.65.
Now ask:
“What worse hands are raising here?”
Answer:
- Almost none
This is:
- Qx
- Sets
- Occasionally 77/44
- Rare bluffs
Your fold is 100% correct.
But notice:
- You folded because you were forced to
- Not because you planned to
That’s reactive poker.
The Real Mistake (Very Important)
You didn’t misplay 66.
You misplayed initiative.
Once you raise preflop, you must:
- Either continue aggressively
- Or consciously give up
Calling is the worst middle ground.
The Rule You Should Adopt
Write this down and use it every time:
When I face a weak donk bet, I either raise or fold. I almost never call.
This single rule will fix multiple leaks at once.
Why This Matters Given Your Main Leak
You told me earlier:
“I call too much.”
This hand is a perfect example:
- The call feels cautious
- But it’s actually passive
- And it leads to being pushed off your equity
Raising simplifies poker.
Calling complicates it.
What a Cleaner Line Looks Like
Best Line
- Raise preflop (good)
- Raise flop donk
- Fold if 3-bet
Conservative Line
- Raise preflop
- Fold to donk bet
Both are higher EV than what you chose.
Final Takeaway (One Sentence)
If I’m strong enough to call a flop bet, I’m strong enough to raise it — otherwise I should fold.