I think you're right about playing 8/16+ because of all of the above.
I've seen coldcallers play some very poor hands and some very good hands the same way. It makes me sad to think that in higher games, the loose passives only play 35%.

There's certisnly people that cold call 75% at bigger limits. But I woudknt describe them as loose passive, I would describe them as awful. Loose passive usually means they are cold calling q-10o, suited aces, 22, 10-7s and other stuff that's marginally fun to play. I generally think Q-9o is a good place to draw the line between loose passive and including really bad in our description and that translates to roughly 35%

If anything, we should want to three bet against an open and a cold call wider than just an open. The cold called has a wide/weak range, so we should be happy to implicitly collude against him w/ the original raiser.

That really depends on the cold caller. Many players will routinely cold call, but their range will be a lot stronger than a limp from the same player, and maybe stronger than the open raise range of the first player. Some older players will fold all (or almost all) of their limping range to a raise and cold call all their raising range (except AA and KK which they will typically 3 bet).

Well yes. It's always range dependent. Like if someone is opening a range like this:

then the worst suited ace I three bet him HU with is likely ATs. If we have some nitty old man cold call the raise with a range of:

Then ATs is a trivial fold IMO. AJs probably becomes the threshold hand.

Now if we get a massive fish (like 48/6 types I routinely see poking around low stakes OL), they may cold call with any hand they intended to play, often any pocket pair, any 2 suited, and any ace, minus the top 4 percent or so. Maybe something like:

Now, his range is so weak, that I may opt to implicitly collude against him with the PFR by three betting as low as the bottom of the PFR's open range (so like A8s, 77, etc).

But overall rob, you're right that it's incredibly villain dependent, and you need to know if their cold call means they're padding the pot with crap, or if that's just two spots where your hand is in rough shape.

I'd raise them both. This gets me into trouble sometimes when the limper turns out to be tight passive, but with a read that he's limping lots of hands that T8s and JTo dominate, I like a raise.

The read is that he's limping almost all his broadways and raising his sc's and gappers.

I've never folded either hand in that spot in the past 12 years, but perhaps this is the exception. Postflop skill is likely not enough of a reason to raise against such a strong limping range with T8s and JTo.

Online 6-max $1/$2.

We're in the SB.
44/15/6 UTG (straightforward postflop) raises.
48/21/9 (seems like a good postflop player) HJ coldcalls.
unknown with LP tendencies in CO coldcalls.
BTN folds.

Our cold-calling range is...

These stats have converged due to good sample sizes (or being hypothetical)? Last stat is overall 3 bet %? What's the BB like?

Yup this is important to the decision. If he 3 bets a lot then I'd probably fold T8s, but if he's loose and passive then I'd call T7s. If the big blind is unknown then I'd probably call T8s and fold T7s. I think I've posted enough ranges that you guys can probably extrapolate my range quite well at this point based on how I play those two hands.

Sample sizes are about 200 hands and hero has been paying attention to their postflop tendencies.

Last stat is indeed 3-bet %.

Let's say BB is the type who will only 3-bet JJ+/KQ+ out of the big blind and will defend with almost ATC getting 9 to 1. Let's also say he's passive postflop.

FWIW my 3-betting range in that spot would be 88+,ATs+,KQs,AKo - I calculated that range based on having at least 60% H/C equity against a 15% range, playing conservatively because we're OOP against 3 probably 4 villains.

But yeah, what do I do with 65s-QJs, 75s-KJs, 22-77, A2s-A9s, K9s, KTs? I hate folding such pretty hands in a 5-way pot but I'm having a hard time justifying to myself that they're profitable OOP to 4 villains when I have to put 1.5SB in the pot before the flop.

What else should i be thinking about?

EDITED to say now that I think about it one of the factors has to be how many bets will go into the pot postflop. I can't see UTG c-betting into 4 other villains unless he hits a hand, so I would think that the SCs and SAs are more appealing than the PPs.

So if you call, you're getting 6.7:1 (putting $1.50 into a $10) and you're only getting 3 bet like 5%-7% of the time? If I'm cold calling stuff, I think I'm happy to put in all pocket pairs and set mine -- sets don't mind being OOP.

For one thing, needing 60% hot/cold equity is a lot. I'd consider my immediate equity against both players in the pot and not try to have 60% against the better two hands. Also, your entire range is "pairs and big aces" except for 6 combos.

If I thought all the limpers would call the 3 bet, then I like Dal's 3 bet range, but I might add AQo. If I thought some limpers would fold to the 3 bet, I'd 3 bet wider. Here's an example:

4/8 live with a 4 bet cap

button is the second most aggressive player in the game behind yours truly.

utg straddles, two limps, button 3 bets, I look down at ATo in the small blind.

Oops - my bad - I would DEFINITELY 3-bet AQo there I'm not THAT much of a MUBS .

Let's say to my right is a laggy player. He's opening about 30% from EP. He is basically a calling station post. He can be Mubsy at times but also overvalued hands. Not a good hand reader. Will spew on occasion. His big street raises are usually strong. He slowplays all monsters.

I have been successfully isolating him from LP.

He opens UTG, I am next to act. How lightly can I 3 bet here given my early position. Most players to my left are tight passive. The button is a TAG. The CO gas been loose passive and has cold called raises several times. He called 3 bets once.

I suppose any hand I would open with makes sense. Should I be raising much lighter than this range.

Prob around top 10%, which should basically be what you open from there

Ten handed? I'd probably fold some of the weaker stuff that I'd open with from that position like JTs, KJs, QJs, and KQo cus I think the chances of running into a real hand outweigh the benefits of successfully isolating the lag.

This is what I was thinking.

Thanks!

I play in a 9 handed game. I still think these hands are folds for the reasons you stated, especially against a high showdown player.

Thanks!

So I 4 bet, folds to the button, he calls and we go heads up to the flop for 15 small bets. I thought that was a fine result.

This is an interesting spot. Do you think any of the limpers will fold to a 4 bet? I'm thinking no.

What should the buttons 3 bet range be here?

Does the straddler auto cap? Or raise?

I think I might fold here actually. We will be OOP to buttons stronger range with a hand that doesn't do great MW.

Typical loose passive 4/8 game - I'm in the BB with 77. There are 6 limpers and the SB calls. Check or raise?

I think I have a small equity advantage. While the very wide limp raise of some players may include better hands than mine, I should still be a favorite - but I'm mostly set mining.

If I raise, that will put 16 bets into the pot. If I miss the flop, there probably will be someone who bets and a few callers, so a lot of times I'll have odds to call the flop hoping to hit my 2-outer on the turn. Does that factor into the decision?

I had this hand last night, and just checked my option preflop. I had the quite pleasant flop of A73 and just bet the entire way - very easy to play for a nice pot. But later I wondered if this is one of those cases to raise, to play more of a LAG styles instead of being a TAG.

I think this is a RAISE... just for the reasons that you mentioned. Don't think it's to bad the way it was played. Nice hand..

I'd check. Even when 77 makes an overpair, the board will be low and coordinated, which is right in your opponents' ranges. You're just gonna end up checking tons of flops if you raise anyways so might as well check.