Villain is 42/21/1 over 90~ hands

Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
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BB: $94.50
UTG: $45.10
UTG+1: $25.00
UTG+2: $108.30
MP1: $128.50
MP2: $87.50
Hero (CO): $113.75
BTN: $95.50
SB: $144.80

Pre Flop: Hero is CO with A K
UTG calls $1, UTG+1 calls $1, 3 folds, Hero raises to $7, 1 fold, SB calls $6.50, 2 folds, UTG+1 raises to $25 all in, Hero calls $18, SB calls $18

(I should have snap isolated this, but beyond my huuuge mistake here, help me salvage the hand)


Flop: ($77.00) A 2 4 (3 players - 1 is all in)
SB checks, Hero bets $40, SB raises to $89, Hero calls $48.75 all in

Turn: ($254.50) 9 (3 players - 2 are all in)

River: ($254.50) 6 (3 players - 2 are all in)


Was that big enough for a flop lead? Is this guys range wide enough here for a profitable call?


any thoughts are appreciated

value 4betshove pf

I would snap call that flop considering the odds you're getting plus he can really only have a few hands that beat you and all of them are sort of strange holdings considering the preflop action. I guess if he's playing 42% some of them are in his range but worse aces make up a lot more of his range in my opinion.

Poker Stars $0.50/$1.00 No Limit Hold'em - 9 players
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MP1: $59.00
MP2: $30.00
CO: $130.70
BTN: $97.00
SB: $67.55
BB: $27.70
Hero (UTG): $111.25
UTG+1: $66.75
UTG+2: $37.20

Pre Flop: Hero is UTG with 7 7
Hero raises to $4, UTG+1 calls $4, 7 folds

Flop: ($9.50) A K 7 (2 players)
Hero bets $7, UTG+1 calls $7

Turn: ($23.50) T (2 players)
Hero bets $20, UTG+1 calls $20

River: ($63.50) Q (2 players)
[color=red]Hero ???


He has a 2/3 PSB left behind. Is this a spot where I shove regardless of the river?

EDIT: He's a 19/0/.4 over 80~ hands

Okie Ive played 14k sngs last 2.5 years on stars, and over the past 6 months or so Ive slowly been learning cash. Over the past few months ive been playing more loose then I did to start but its still very taggy at 15/13. I've watched dozens of various cash vids hoping to show me hoo to play more lag. But it hasn't done much with my play style.
Even though I still play micro cash I wanna play alot more lag.

Basically, are their any other sng/cash players with problems like me? I am too a custom to 30 tabling sngs like a super nit, and cant learn how to play LAG in cash.

Im willing to get a coach to help this problem if anyone is willing thanks.. lol

RE: Lipo's 77 hand

There are a few possible two pair hands he could have that you beat plus flush draws and then there is AJ or JJ that beat you, maybe KJ as well.

He doesn't seem likely to bet the 2 pair hands or the whiffed flush draws if you check the river and I doubt he's floated twice with air on this board.

If you believe you have to call a shove if you check the river I think you're better off shoving yourself.

Damn though - I'm not sure. What a sick spot.

BTW - not to nit pick but I would bet a little more on the flop.

I think it's hard to LAG it up a lot in micro stakes and still be as profitable as playing TAG. Is your desire to loosen up because you're not happy with your win rate, or is it just personal reasons you want to play more LAG?

I use almost the same opening standards at nl100 (and so far nl200) as I did at nl25 and my numbers change from something like 16/13 at the lower stakes to 20/17 at nl100 without changing anything. I think it's because without as many limpers as the micro stakes you get chances to open the pot a lot more often.

I know 20/17 isn't LAG but I'm not sure what you're after exactly.

If you really want to play true LAG you need to become an extraordinary hand reader.

Lipo, AK hand I'd shove pre. As played b/c is fine, just hope he's a ****** with an A or something even more ******ed.

Here is a spot where you have to ask your self if you are comfortable c/f. c/c is not a great option (cause I really don't think u can trust this guy to bet a busted fd). Which leaves shoving if you don't like c/f.

This is a really tough spot, because he will normally check back most hands you beat, and value bet better hands. So, if you check and he bets there is such a good chance you are beat....but, he might make hero calls with like AQ, KQ, etc.

Which is better in this spot? I honestly don't know. Flip a coin?

Edit: About preflop, I'd just open limp pps <99 UTG full ring.

Well, it's really just about position. Stealing a lot in unopened pots from MP and late position, and 3-betting and flating late positions opens (more in position than out of position, bad lags play too much oop). I'm not lag, but I have some insight into the mind of a lag from a coach I had, and I too am slowly working it into my game.

But, it's not necessarily something you should be over eager to become. A good lag is tough not only preflop, but because they play very well postflop. I think lags just eventually morph to that style as their confidence in their postflop game grows.

Up until you get to 100nl just focus on playing tag solid poker. Get the fundamentals down and work on improving your hand reading abilities as much as you can. Watching videos are a good way to get into the mind of a winning thinking player but the best way to improve is to take a thing or two you see from a video and try and incorporate it into your game. It is very important however to understand when a certain play works and all the variables that should be taken into account before doing something different than you are used to.

What kind of range are you normally opening with from the CO and BTN? You should have an idea of hands that you're pretty much always going to be opening with as well as the weaker hands you can profitably open when the players left to act are tighter.

Start trying to mold your strategies around the table dynamics that you face. Stack sizes, who's already in the pot, who's still left to act, game flow are all things you should always be aware of and taking into account with each decision that you make.

Don't fret that you aren't playing 21/18 poker. If you play a very standard tag game at 100 and below you should be a decent winner. If you aren't then there are leaks in your current game that you should try to address and fix before trying to open up more. gl.

19/0/.4 is so passive. I think he calls with two pair for sure and his version of a hero call is A6. A jack is only in a small percentage of the hands he can call with on the flop. He never bets a worse hand and rarely bluffs.

Shove and consider it a cooler if he has a Jack.

Just getting back into the flow of things. Standard?
Villain is 33/8 w/ a flop AF of 2.

Full Tilt Poker $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold'em - 5 players
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SB: $40.10
BB: $102.15
UTG: $128.75
CO: $100.00
Hero (BTN): $125.00

Pre Flop: Hero is BTN with 4 A
1 fold, CO checks, Hero raises to $4.50, 2 folds, CO calls $4.50

Flop: ($10.50) 2 2 Q (2 players)
CO bets $10.50, Hero raises to $35

I think it's fine. So, is just calling and being happy to get to a cheap SD because I think your hand is good enough unimproved.

You are a tard for not mentioning he Poasted and then checked over AIM when you butchered this hand in telling me.
As it Really Was, looks good, but I could def just call and bluff hard if a K came and valuetown if an A or flush came. He don't have no 2 or strong Q like KQ, AQ very often.

BOMB THOSE DONK BETS!!!

This gets a fold like 75% of the time HU but I suck at 6 max.

nothing left for me to say

not being LAG is not a problem...

UTG only 9 hands...CO is 51/34/2.5 over a large sample...SB is weak

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
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Hero (BB): $200.00
UTG: $191.00
MP: $199.00
CO: $1410.95
BTN: $209.75
SB: $142.40

Pre Flop: Hero is BB with A 4
UTG raises to $8, 1 fold, CO calls $8, 1 fold, SB calls $7, Hero calls $6

Flop: ($32.00) 8 5 7 (4 players)
SB checks, Hero checks, UTG bets $22, CO calls $22, SB folds, Hero raises to $192 all in

How's the call PF? I normally don't call Axs from the blinds, but here there are a couple of really loose and weak players in this 4 player hand. Once I do and I get this flop, I'm going to continue.

Which is better, bet/shove, or c/rai, or c/r less than all in? I didn't even consider flat calling. I c/rai to maximize my current equity with two cards to come as opposed to calling or leading since an unimproved turn kills me and I often don't get paid when I do hit. But an all in so often "screams of a draw" but also should give me the most FE.

How are my thoughts here?

mike, i think it's fine. you have an absolute ton of equity with 2 to come.

preflop, with probably 1 less person i wouldn't like it, but i don't mind taking a cheap flop 4 ways with a suited ace.

also, CRAI > bet/3bet > CR less than allin imo

With the flop bet and caller, the pot seems to be the right size for an all in raise to make sense. I dont like raising less than all in vs two players. Your FE should be good here and you should have lots of outs if called, so your pot equity is also good. I like it as played.

I think you could raise less if no one called the bet, but then you need to get there on the turn if your c/r gets called, or probably commit your stack if you don't get there. I dont think thats a great spot to be in. I'm not sure whats best if CO didnt come along for the ride.

mike, I like the hand all around.

The reason i like a c/r is because of your relative position. Being immediately left of the pfr gives you the best relative position. He's the most likely to bet. The other are the most likely to make loose calls, and then you trap a lot of money (that can't call a c/shove) with a monster draw.

Poker Stars $0.10/$0.25 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players
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UTG: $13.95
MP: $5.50
CO: $31.90
Hero (BTN): $25.90
SB: $24.00
BB: $43.15

Pre Flop: Hero is BTN with A 9
3 folds, Hero raises to $1, 1 fold, BB raises to $3.50, Hero calls $2.50

Flop: ($7.10) A 8 6 (2 players)
BB bets $5.25, Hero raises to $22.40 all in, BB folds

Villain is a regular multitabling TAG, a consistent winning player at 25nl, and after 3k hands with him, I have a nice read: after the third or 4th steal attempt, he 3 bets the next steal. I'm putting him on a range as wide as Ax, any PP, any SC 56+, any two broadway and I think this range is too narrow. I decided pre-steal (!) that I was going to call a 3 bet and shove flop. Now it all worked fine, but given that I had the A with A on flop, did I lose value shoving flop? Would it be better to call flop and call a turn shove?

I agree that against any other 25nl nit this would be a spew: I'm only making the move against this player.

Well, I don't like the hand you picked to make a stand with. At least pick something that can flop overs, straight draws, or flushdraws (preferably 2 of the 3).

As played, just flat the flop and let him do something stupid on the turn. Shoving lets him play perfectly.

peru - no idea, its your read so go w/ it.

why would you play a table at 25nl with a TAG reg?

eh, i don't like preflop. pretty much the worst possible type of hand to be calling 3bets with...

i don't like shoving the flop. what's giving you action besides AT+?

IMO, "call pre and shove any flop" is a poor adjustment to make to a light BB 3better. tightening up pre or loosening you calling standards are good adjustments, but you should be thinking and reevaluating the situation at every juncture of the hand. i'm not saying don't think ahead to future streets, but ignoring all factors and blinding shoving 100% of flops isn't good.

i actually remember thinking/playing exactly like this in similar spots when i first started playing cash, but it isn't good poker. far and away the best option is to raise pre and fold to the 3bet and if you don't do that, just call the flop.