Villain (UTG) is a good TAG, likely the best player currently in the game. He is a 5/10 regular and I played with him @ 5/10 before one time (he is the villain from http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/11...-deep-1117493/).

The dynamics is that there are several solid players taking advantage of a couple of fish. I have a tight image and am up, so felt that my image would be clean/good to the solid players playing attention. I don't believe the villain in the hand has ever seen me bluff big.

Stacks: I have $1,200 and villain covers.

Game: 2/5 $800 max @ Mohegan, most people are playing $1k+ stacks so playing more like 5/10 with a number of players who play both games, so thought this forum is the right place for it.

This is a hand where I am really unsure if I played all streets well or most streets poorly, which is rare for me as usually I either know that I played it well/not well or am only confused about one decision. So all constructive feedback is welcome.

Pre-flop: Villain opens in UTG to $25. Bad LAG in MP calls (one of the fish), I call OTB with AQ. Mega-fish in the SB calls.

Thoughts on pre-flop: I thinking calling is fine here because I don't think that UTG is only opening such a tight range that AQ becomes completely RIO and I have position, but I obviously don't know his EP range so a case can be made for folding, but with position on one known fish and the whale likely to call very wide, I think the flat is the best option.

Flop ($105). KT9

SB checks, UTG bets $70, MP folds, I call, SB folds.

Thoughts on the flop: This could be spewy, but the reason I called is that I thought his range was decently strong (e.g. good TP+) so that if I hit my gutshot I had good implied odds. I also thought that I could use position to represent the flush if it came in, and thought he was definitely a good enough player to lay-down a good portion of his flop betting range if hearts came in.

Turn: ($245): KT9J

Villain thinks a little, looks like he is taking chips to bet then checks, I take a bit of time and bet $225. He quickly calls.

Thoughts on the turn: I hit gin, it's disguised and I want to try to get max value before a scare card comes.

River ($695): KT9JK

Villain checks, hero ??

Questions:

1. Is floating flop with my plan as outlined bad/spewy or a decent play?
2. What is villain's range after he c/c's turn?
3. What is his range after he checks river?
4. Should I value-bet and if so how much? What is the range that calls me if you think I should value bet?

1. Villain prob has a strong range to cbet this flop so i think floating is fine if you have a decent image and if you plan on repping hearts as well. I'm a fan of 3 betting this pre if villain opens wide which I'm assuming a good tag does especially this deep. On top of that you can bloat the pot in position against the fish who could wind up having a dominated A.

2. Villains check calling range here is usually 2 pair or a flush draw. AK is possible but he should prob be check folding 1 pair hands that don't have a draw. KQh is also possible bc he's not scared of anything but I'd think he'd want to bet and free roll someone w a Q here. Checking that hand would be pretty bad IMO

3. When he checks the river I think he either has a full house that's going for the cr or a kx suited hand like AKh as far as made hands go. Other hands are missed flush draws.

4. Based on above I think this may be a check behind since anything that calls here has you chopping or beat outside of a hero AK hand. Against a bad fish I'd vbet 325 bc they'll most likely lead fh and will never check raise

I obv forgot to mention sets which add to the combos that beat us

1. I think floating the flop isn't a bad idea, but not because you had a gutshot. I don't think the implied odds are big enough since he won't pay you off if you hit your straight since it isn't that disguised (4 to a straight, plus flush draw out). Like you said, you can represent a lot of hands if a scare card hits.

2. His range on the turn could very well include TPTK, 2 pair, a set, or a FD/pair+FD. You can easily have a Q in your range with hands like KQs or QTs, and he might want to see a river as his hand can still win.
He would probably c/r if he held the inferior straight with just the Q (even though he is most likely to lead out with a straight), since the board is very draw heavy at that point. So I would discount a straight from his range.

3. **Edit**
I originally said AK, a counterfeit 2 pair like JTs, or a busted FD/pair+FD. Now that I think about it more, and since the board was so draw heavy, he could be putting you on a busted FD and is checking with a boat to induce a bluff from you. So his range is still kind of hard to narrow down, but I think you beat a lot of it on the river. However, I would still check it after getting checked to.

4. It would be a very thin value bet if you made it, since you only really beat a lower straight and AK. I don't think he's ever calling you with worse so I would check it. Even though I never thought he was looking to c/r for value on that river, he could still be making a play like that.

1) If you've played with him before and even posted hands, then you should have an idea of his EP opening range, and certainly be able to guess why he's opening 5x(eg. if he's insecure with a hand like TT/AK and wanted to open bigger to deter multiway, or if he's looking to build a bigger pot with AA/KK etc)

2) Is he the type who would cbet or barrel into multiple opponents with a wide range, or is he cautious esp. OOP against several players? That should factor into whether you 3bet, because then most likely you're playing HU IP vs him. How does he like playing a big pot vs you OOP?

3) AQ is not a drawing hand and doesn't get much value from AJ/AT postflop but could lose a lot to AK, however on the button with 1 flatcaller it is far too strong to fold, therefore right there along with previous point would make me lean towards 3betting. And don't think of this as a bluff.. unless his hand is superstrong(and if it is and he's OOP he's likely 4betting which would define his hand clearly), then if he calls and the fish calls as well that's a lot of dead money/value right there added to the pot, with you holding initiative and in position.

I'm definitely betting for value and getting looked up by AK a bunch

I'm definitely folding to a check/raise

If villain is a 5/10 player I 3b/f pre.

1. Floating flop is fine if your going to rep hearts. Not spewy at all vs this player.

2. His c/c range is sets and 2pair. If he opens light he might have QJ. I discounted AK because villain should b/f turn. 2 flush draws and a straight out there.

3. River checking range:fullhouses, missed fd's.

4. No value in betting, your bet ott reps a strong range. Your vulnerable to a c/r from his entire checking range.

Raising flop seems way better than floating flop. I'd probably just fold though.

For those advocating a 3-bet preflop, I thought it was inferior to flatting for a few reasons:

- we lower the chances of the whale in SB coming along
- we allow UTG to fold hands we dominate (he is good and shouldn't be calling 3-bets OOP with much worse) rather than letting him keep hands we dominate like KQ, QJ and AJ in his range

If your plan is to float flop instead of playing fit or fold otf. Then you want AQs not AQo.

3betting for value makes the hand much easier to play otf. A whale is going to call with any "decent hand" in his eyes anyway. So don't worry about him folding. If he wants to call the 2bet he will call a 3bet and we can push out the good player and play vs 2 fish.

.

3bet (usually) or flat pre, fold flop, bet turn, check back river (he has no straights in his range and he's not paying off with worse).

Grunch:

I like the way you played this hand, although I think villains range is strong on the turn, To me it really seems as tho he really wants to get to showdown. I would b/f something like 375-425 otr. The stack sizes are somewhat awkward by now and betting that size will allow you to fold to a ship knowing villain can't expect you to fold and therefore he can't be bluffing when he ships, IE always a FH+. His hand really looks to me like 2 aces or AK, KQ, or some kind of draw, that obviously wiffed. So bet for value... Hopefully he has KQ or QJ and will pay you off

River bet seems bad.

Jesus christ I wish mods would start banning for this.

Posting a 4 word reply with no thought process is completely pointless and just takes up space. If you cannot or will not explain your thought process behind your play just don't post at all.