Hero: I've been playing for 4 hours in my local $3-5 $500 capped game and just starting to feel the edge of fatigue creeping in. I've been running well this session - I've turned my initial $300 buy-in to just shy of $2k. My image is pretty solid tonight. I've haven't played a lot of hands, but won most of the ones I played on various streets and have only lost one river showdown after betting action - have c/f several missed draws on the river. I've decided to play the blinds and button and then go as my friend is waiting.

V1: Not terribly interesting - nothing stands out but he has $500 which is what he bought-in for when he sat down 2 hours ago.

V2: I play with him enough - he's local regular. I'd describe him as loose-weak. He tends to play a few hands more than most - nothing super junky like high-lo suited - but he tries to see a lot of flops cheaply, limping in with any two Broadway regardless of position as well as any suited Ace. He does often open for 2-3X with any blackjack Ace and once his limp is raised, he tends to call to 'see the flop'. I'd say his post flop play is also weak making him one of my targets for the night. As part of the meta-game for this session he has paid me off twice by c/c'g with one pair (ATo and AJo) when I held a better Ace in one hand a set in the other. Both times I pushed for a the max value on the river and was surprised he called the second time after appearing visibly stung when his AJo was runner-up to my set of 10s. He did river the nut flush in a multi-way pot and now has $800


8-handed:
HJ: V2 - limps
CO: fold
BTN: Hero (Q-J) raise to $20
SB: V1 calls
BB: fold
CO: V2 calls raise

V2's open limp is just asking to be isolated, especially in position. His range is wide here, but I don't ready any strength as he's not ignorant of how to play the most basic ABC with big hands. I'm a little surprised by V1's call, but now trying to factor his call range especially from SB.


Flop: T-9-5 ($65)
V2: Bets $25
Hero: Raise to $80
V1: fold
V2: calls

I'm not expecting V2 to donk out, especially on this board even though it hits his range more often than mine. I decide to raise in position with my draw. After V1 checks, I'm not expecting him call the raise and figure my raise will ensure I get HU with V2. I also am hoping to regain control of the hand and rep a strong ten or an overpair - V2 might even suspect a set of 10s, but over-pair or top pair is more fitting. I know my raise will not get V2 to fold if he has any draw, but I do think that he may fold a weak 10 or 8 here some 15%-20% of the time so the semi-bluff is worth a try.


Turn: 4 ($225)
V2: check
Hero: Bets $125
V2: call

I realize the pot has quickly swelled with my flop raise. Short of making my hand, I'm planning to check most turns and take a free card. I'll even check any Q or J as V2 can easily open weak with QT and JT. I'd use the pair either for show down value or value betting on the end depending on the river card and how the rest of the hand plays out.

A non-straight heart is the only card that gives me pause - with 15 outs to a straight or flush and four of those being clean to the nut straight, I'll conservatively factor in 2 more outs for a pair and calculate for 12 outs.

I decide to bet and put more pressure on V2. I'm prepared to fold if V2 CRAI or c/r 300+ ($625 for $175 is 7:2) as I would then be looking more the straight and need to have V2 call a $250+-sized value bet on river to justify calling - odds get worse for CRAI. But I'm not expecting this move.

As it stands, V2's call now makes me feel like I have to consider A-9, A-5, and K-9 as part of his possible holdings, but will still call most of his river bet/jam if the hearts get there.


River: A ($475)
V2: check
Hero: bets $275

I've completely missed and am confident that Q-high is not the winner. V2 has checked, which makes me feel that the A has not helped and it falls more toward my range based on all action PF to now. Also V2 is more likely to bet out for value here if he made a flush. I put V2 on a one-pair medium 10.

In trying to improve my game, I realize I'm not balancing my range and play with enough bluffs. It's very rare for me to 3-barrel. As I mentioned, I was planning on checking the turn and conceding the hand for a $100 loss if I missed on the river. But, I think my overall image, history and meta-game (this sessions and others) with V2 helps in this situation. Also I will still book a healthy win regardless of the outcome of the hand - I don't consider it winner's tilt, more using profits to invest in skill building.

I feel like this bet size perfectly represents a strong value bet for a range from JJ-AA and can also include AT or even K-T if he isn't holding a blocker. V2 has $575 of his original $800, but calling and losing puts him at $300 and I suspect will demoralize him into tilt which he knows and knows that I also know this.

Is this a good spot to 3-barrel?
Is the sizing correct?
Does anyone play the hand differently? How? Why?

I would size up on all streets. Preflop seems unlikely to isolate. As a standard I go $25 here and at a lot of tables you could go even higher, although with QJs you shouldn’t mind seeing a flop multiway IP anyway.

If you had a value hand you’d be piling money into the pot on this wet flop. $80 is dinky and not super credible. I’d make it at least $125 and wouldn’t mind overbetting.

If you had made a bigger flop raise I’d recommend overbet jamming the turn. It’s probably still a fine line since villain looks capped and the board is very wet.

On the river you don’t have a great bluff candidate. You block some hands in his folding range like QT/JT/hearts, and don’t block any hands in his calling range. This card is better for his range as AT and a couple other combos made two pair, and he can have a lot of flushes as well. I’d give up. A hand like KsQ would be a great bluff candidate if you ever get to the river this way, or a hand like 7h6h which at least doesn’t block much of his folding range.

1. I'm eliminating or reducing the possibility of AT due to his tendency to at least open raise these hands correctly...that's not to say he can't be holding it on the river. But, does my bet on the turn look more like a made hand or semi-bluff? Obviously, the A on the river removes TPNFD from my holdings on the previous streets, which leaves only K-Q/J/T as logical other contenders for now having made a flush?

2. The PF action only gets $65 in the pot and I'm not upset by MW IP like you said...figure the blinds will fold just as easily for $20 as they would for $25 or $30...but I suppose you could say $20 leaves me vulnerable to a squeeze play move by either SB or BB.

3. Not sure I want to so rapidly bloat pot on flop. Even with JJ or better, I'm still only betting $50-$65 value...I don't see V2 calling much more...even with a draw. The hand that poses most of the real problems for me is if he has J-T or Q-J here.

4. If I raise to $140 (essentially 'potting' it), and V2 calls, the pot would then be $345 and V2 would have $640 remaining. Jamming/shoving the turn might win the $345 outright, but I suspect I'm drawing for 3:2 odds if he calls so I figure he has to fold 1/3 of time to make this profitable because I improve almost 45ish% of the time, but not sure how many of those improvements get me the win. Yes, this is a big bet for him to call, but it's also a big bet for me to have to make here with Q-high only and very little show down value if I miss.

5. I think on the river my bet makes his calling more difficult, especially after having checked. He doesn't try a blocker bet or bet out for value which is what I'm expecting if the A has helped him in any way.

Really interesting hand with your blockers and the runout...Fine with the line up until the turn, where I would take a free card here after he calls a XR on the flop (common line taken with vulnerable TP hands JT, KT, QT, etc). Turn card is not going to scare away vil who calls a XR on the turn. AT and flushes lead the river, so if he checks, I probably bet 2/3 pot and get a fold a lot of the time.

It's V's lead out that threw me off initially. My plan on seeing the flop before V1 bets is to be half+ pot on flop and check down any UI hands and concede small loss.

I admit the turn bet is actually a mistake or at least the sizing is bad - bet bigger or check.

When he checks river, is when I feel more confident that a bluff will work as his hand can't take too much pressure. I think you're right that a 2/3ish sized bet of like $150 or even $175 for the $225 is just as effective (2-2.5:1 in a bad spot) and employs same tactic of river bluff into a smaller pot (because I haven't bloated the turn). This sized-bet is less than my original river bet AND it's a smaller overall loss if bluff unsuccessful), which regardless, I admit I don't do enough of.

It was a good river card to barrel on because all sorts of dangerous hands went into his mind. If it had been 3, he would have looked you up. Even as it was, your story wasn't that good because he nearly called it. I'd have checked the turn which would have made your FD with two overs story more believable. Once he called on the flop, you were behind on this turn.

Yeah, I admit in the cold light of day that my turn play really messed up an opportunity for a more 'eloquent' bluff.

Overall, I give myself a C+, as I don't see a lot of 2 to 3 stack bluffs on the river by most of the players in my area; usually these are bets are for value. I think before Christmas I recall seeing a guy c/c the river for $300 with 66 on a QJ-high board with a blown FD. Bluffer had AK which is just about all the PP is beating - point is, its not something I see a lot of...(doesn't mean it's not happening when I'm not there).

Pre: 25-30
Flop AP: 100-125
Turn AP: 200
River AP: 300-350

Your line still definitely has merit, and it all worked out with that great river for your range, but just the bet on the turn doesn't accomplish much vs this player type.


That hero call by 66 is a very rare and unprofitable move at live low stakes unless the PFR is super aggro and shown down bluffs frequently. If you happened to get called there by KT I would chalk it up to an exception and player dependent, and I would definitely look to value bet the hell out of him going forward.

If he calls the river, I'm reserving him a seat in First Class on the Value Town Express, so either way, I guess I have gained.

Turn play is the key here from what I've gathered from the many responses.

Like I said, I just felt I needed more experience executing this move. And if practice is the way to get to Carnegie Hall, then I'm ok starting by putting my nose to the grindstone.

I like your play. I think I like a larger sizing on the river but everything else seems good. The runout and river is very good as you have a big range advantage on the river. This hand is a textbook spot where you should triple barrel.

I disagree, I bet those hands on the turn as well. Sets, overpairs, flush draws/combo draws. Are you going to check any overpair on this turn? Any sets? Doubt it.

QJh is probably the best hand to fire off 3 times with when the 4 of hearts hits the turn, regardless of the runout. You can rep spades pretty easily, you make your hand on hearts and don't really get credit for it, on brick rivers you just show up with an overpair so often that 10's will fold at a decent frequency.

I like flop raise size personally, you're gonna have bluffs and you don't want to just punish yourself. If he has a flush draw he's not getting proper odds on the street itself.

Turn I would make it 160 at least, 125 looks like you don't have it imo. It's a little thing but I would notice it, people don't usually go half pot on the turn into that sort of board.

River I think the size is good, maybe could even go a little smaller. Soooo many hands that you were bluffing with just got there, you really have the only one that didn't get there.

3 barrel is fine here, but bet bigger since youre trying to rep an overpair. Donkbets are just some trash pair a fish is leading out with in a desperate attempt to "find out where he's at", so tell him he's behind with relentless betting and raising. Realizing this you need to adjust your range assessment of him, he's not really going to have all this backdoor equity to compete with you against.