Villain is a world class cash game player

Hero is likely perceived as competent non-pro, perhaps on the nitty/weak side

15k effective

Hero raises CO to 300 with KhKs

Villain defends straddle

Flop 255hh

Hero bets 400 Villain raises to 1500 Hero calls

Turn 2

Villain bets 1200 Hero calls

River T offsuit

Villain checks Hero checks

***

Curious about following:

How should I be reacting to this very small turn sizing? He clearly has a range advantage on this board but I’m near top of my range and just flatting here feels exploitable. FWIW, I’ve seen villain use extremely small sizing with value hands in similar spots (where it’s hard for hero to have a strong absolute hand)

Is river checkback too nitty?

Thanks

Smaller otf is usually gonna be better for your range on 552 you wanna bet basically full range for 25/33% here in this spot. He should respond w a fairly decent xr frequency. But i don’t think he’s at some huge r/a here. your range is actually pushing more equity he’s gonna have a bunch of random trash defending his straddle. you guys have almost the same nutty frequency here, he has a slight advantage in 5x but not a whole bunch
Why do you think he has a range adv here?
Rest of the hand is pretty standard. Tho I’m not sure what oop is trying to do w his range w turn Bet for this size. Maybe it’s some weird pio thing that I’m just not on the level? But I don’t think xr, bet turn small on this texture is a thing here.
As for the river I’m not sure
Pio is your friend here. I wouldn’t be surprised if you are supposed to bet this hand for a medium 1/3 thru like 2/3 size and x a bunch of lower pairs vs oops check
If you’re playing 25/50 w some regularity you need to spend 300$ and run pio sims for these spots tho

Looks like you played it fine.

I don't know how the turn bet from villain is good for value or as a bluff. Is this a blocking bet from a flush draw?

I'd be confused too and think both the turn and river are cool spots in a big game against a good player. Nice post.

I play it the same until the river.

I'm trying to find a river bet, but am having a hard time of it with the action and player description.

So yeah, I guess I'm playing it the same, if I was playing 25/50/100 (highest I've played is 10/25)

Can it simply be a blocker bet on the turn?

I disagree that he has a range advantage over you. It was folded to you in the CO. 5x should be in your perceived range. Unless you play one hand per hour, which I seriously doubt.

Agree no range adv.

@lolposting

I’m curious why villain should x/r this texture at a high frequency, and what our 1/3 bet/calling range looks like.

I wouldn’t say at a super hi frequency but xr for oop is def a thing w a few parts of his range.
You’ll wanna defend vs this xr size quite liberally so basically anything w some decent equity. I’m out on a limb here but I’m pretty sure stuff like kq w a backdoor would be getting close to the bottom of a defend range. Like kq /qj w no backdoor would be having to get folded

seriously tho wtf was he doing?

100% he had T9o.

I think he has like 44-88 tbh, you can xr these hands for value/protection to deny equity to random overcards then he bets 1/4 to get a cheap river

This is funny. This is exactly why I asked you. A very good player, prolly top 3 in my pool, recently took this line vs me w/88.

We are 200bb deep and I’m perceived as tight.

He open hj, I 3b btn w/AKss he flats and xr my 1/3 psb on 455dds. I defend. He 2/3 a Tr turn I call. River 2r x/x. I thought it was pretty bad in game but after the tilt wore off I switched to realizing why it’s good.

Should 88 be betting turn and should AK no diamond be defending turn iyo?

(Don’t mean to hijack but it’s similar hand/situation)

I’d fold ak ott in scenario above.
His line is probably ok if you are betting full range on 455 xr hands like 88 starts to look pretty good. Again consult pio for better analysis as I’m guessing A bit based on spots I’ve seen /run sims on

Thanks guys

Fwiw He had 46hh

If he does take this line with like 88 or 9T do you think he calls a bet on the river? Or is that to thin?

It depends how polar he's raising flop and betting turn with. If he's insanely polar to like 22, 5x and total air then when he's checking river it's mostly to simply give up which means yes your KK bet would be too thin.

I also don't get the small turn size from villain.

FWIW I would have played the hand the same way except I agree with lolposting that you should be betting 1/3 pot otf and not this large size.

based on ops description he is a strong reg, and this sizing is def a more mergy kind of a size that allows him to x/r a variety of his range vs a cbet

I think he calls a lot.

I 1/3 pot the river.

And what do you do if raised

Eh, call I guess. I expect it to happen almost never though.

River checkback is too nitty. Both 1/3 and bigger sizings are justifiable.

Nh, villain's turn sizing doesn't make a lot of sense especially since he checked the river. I guess it's more of denying your bet than anything else which is bad.

River is a standard vbet, but vs a world-class player he will correctly fold most of the time and maybe make some sick raises (even for value I guess)

But being able to bet something to protect missed flush draws, ax hands off a chop seems important for hero's overall range

what a weird line when he checks the river, if he had a 5 or 22 he would bomb the river, as well he should have with this bluff.... but what the hell do i know.

I think a world class player checks 5x or 2x a non-zero percentage of the time on the river?

I think a big argument for betting is simply that he may not think you'll be betting for value very often and I wouldn't be shocked to see hands like 66-88 in his range here a lot.