So I'm at the Venetian, and I sit down at an 8/16 must move table. The table is playing shorthanded and the other 3 players are just waiting to get into the main game. They seem to be competent or decent full ring players but seem to have little clue on how to adjust to shorthanded. I've been running over them and having fun. When it was 3-handed for a while I kept straddling my button and driving them crazy.
They're not steaming or anything though and respect my game.

Hero has 9s8s in BB

Pre(1.5 sb):

CO raises, BTN calls, SB folds, Hero calls


CO's raising range is pretty tight for his position. 88+, suited broadways, big off-suit broadways. BTN is actually a pretty weak player.

Flop (6sb): 9h 8h 6c

Hero bets...


CO tends not to cbet a lot here; plan is to b/3b if Btn cold calls as he's likely to with any peice of the flop, or call and c/r turn if he folds.


...CO raises, BTN folds, Hero calls.


Turn (5 BB): 6s

Hero checks, CO bets, hero?

I'm getting 2:7 odds on calldown which means I need 22% equity to proceed. CO's range here is basically AA-88 of which there are 32 combinations and AhKh-JhTh of which there are 10. Plus those hands have a lot of outs to beat me. So I'm thinking fold? But this seems to way too nitty heads up with top 2.

i still call down here. it's shorthanded and people may widen up their preflop/flop ranges esp. if you've been running them over. A9s/A8s, T9s, 77 may all be in his range. With more action PF or on the flop, I might fold this turn.

Also you donk bet the flop which can be interpreted to be weak, a lot of TAGfish raise AK/AQ here against donk bets, and some of them continue to bet them on the turn.

3b the flop anyway

def 3ball the flop.
as played don't fold.

if you're going to donk the flop with your Very Strong Hand then i don't see why you're not going to 3bet it

3bet flop and if you get raises on the turn call down.
whats wrong with checkraising the flop instead of donking???

well if this guy isn't going to cbet whiffed overcards, and probably will just calldown after a 3bet then c/raising the turn after he raises a flop donk is probably fine, as is betting the flop.

I'd still 3bet the flop though, since I'd feel like donking half the turn cards anyways and I do think these guys will raise for a free turn with lots of their crap anyways. I do like donking though.

As for the hand you'd need a pretty strong read to fold this turn... if you have it then go for it.

3 ball flop and donk turn. If you are inimproved on the river c/c seems ok. You are very probably behind on the turn because, based on your description, I don't think this guy would raise with just overs. The read though cannot be strong enough to give it up.

Not 3betting the flop in a live game is a mistake. An over pair is calling down close to 100%. As played call down.

I three-bet this flop approximately 100% of the time.

Betting the turn and calling down again most players is obvious because they will have a big range of hands that you still beat.

Against a very tight player, 6 is actually not among your best cards though as you are beat if he has an pocket overpair, as a very tight player might have here (he's represented it so far). Even still betting the turn might not be a sin. Based on his past play, is he likely to raise you on the flop with AK? KQ?

3! the flop and if he plays back, go into calldown mode. As played, calling down is fine.