Hero Stack (BTN): 400
V Stack (BB): 450
V2 Stack (MP): 70
V3 Stack (SB): 200

V is an extremely loose player. I have played with this individual a lot. V has shown the capability to bluff and to call all-ins with one pair (not even top pair) holdings and to go all-in on draws (and call all-ins with draws). Problem is, V plays something like 60% of hands (basically, if ATC is suited then they are getting played by V). I always welcome V at my table as V seems to have deep pockets and loves to gamble.

V2 and V3 are extremely loose / passive players. V2 is extremely short stacked.

Action begins with V2 limping from MP. The CO also limps.

Hero on the BTN raises to $10 with AT.
SB calls. V in the BB calls. Limper in MP calls. The CO folds. (Yeah, the player with the most pot odds folds. Don't ask.)

Flop: 985 All 's! (Pot: $47)

Action checks to hero. Hero bets $25. SB folds. BB calls. MP calls.

Hero Bet Sizing: So, typically, when I have been making TPTK hands during this session, I was typically betting nearly pot. That is generally because there are 4+ players post flop, the pot gets inflated because of how many callers, and I try to charge people for their draws as much as possible. However, in this hand, I was afraid of scaring the small diamonds away and I wanted to keep them in. I thought about checking back but I know if these folks have a diamond in their hand then they will continue so I wanted them in there. So, I decided to bet a little smaller to keep them in and they decide to stay in.

Turn: 9 (Board: 9859) (Pot: $122)

BB checks. MP goes all in for $35. Hero calls.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand this is where it gets dicey. BB raises $75 on top ($110 total). I honestly have no idea how to even interpret this raise. Is it a boat? Is it trips? All I know is that I have the best possible flush (except for a straight flush but if V has that then fooey, V gets my money) so I decide to call and see what happens on the river.

River: 2 (Board: 98592) (Pot: $377)

BB bets $75.

Well... I guess I am never folding for that amount. I don't understand this river bet at all when V has something like $300 behind. But, V is just a really weird player who just tries to make hands and then does really weird betting that doesn't seem to make any sense.

But, the question is this:

Should I go all-in here? At the bare minimum, I am calling this tiny river bet. How do others interpret this bet? Is this a "I have a full house so please call me with your flush"-type of bet?

I get put in these types of situations a lot with these loose players and I often wonder if I should literally just stop trying to analyze these hands and just say "I have a very good hand so I am calling anything you are doing because you have all *kinds* of stupid junk in your range."

I know these hands are probably trivial for most on here but this is just stuff I run into when I'm playing and I get bit a LOT and I am just curious what I need to do to adjust my thinking (if any).

I would shove. It sounds like V plays based on his hand strength, not based on relative strength for a board. Yes he will have a house sometimes, but will also call with flushes, straight, and 3 of a kind enough that it is +EV. I also think he would be scared of a 4th flush card coming with 2pair or a set on the flop so would raise those fairly often on the flop.

If the player is good thinking/winning loose then give respect and just call. If the player is "just" loose basically roughly count hands you beat that you think he calls with and hands he would have that beat you. If you win more often then cross your fingers and bet it.

I think it is a shove.

From the sounds of it V would have played two pair / a set faster on the flop. (I don't know if that's right or not, but that is what it feels like based on your reads. If you think differently please say.)

Apart from that we lose to 92 and the straight flush so I think it is a pretty safe shove.

I'd shove too. With villains like the one you descibe you'll get called by trips, lower flushes, overpairs, and occasionally 2 pair and/or draws. Sometimes they'll have the boat but I think you just chalk that up to a cooler and move on.

An example I had was similar to this.

I had KT at Borgata Thursday night with a board of A36.

A villain very similar to how you describe donked into me even though I raised preflop. I raised her on the flop, she donked the turn I raised her on the turn, and then she checked and I shoved on the river when the board paired another 6. She tanked but eventually called the all-in with just AJ. Many low stakes players really overvalue their hand or they don't believe you or they just want to see what you have.

Definitely not a thinking player. V just likes to make hands. Has very little regard for what other players are doing.

As another example, Hero in the SB with TT. V is in BB. Whole table limps and hero makes it $36. V calls. Flop is 33K. Hero Cbet the flop for 40. V calls. Turn is a 4. It goes check, check. River is an A. Hero checks. V bets 90. Hero calls and V has 23s.

So, yeah, V just likes to make hands and try to beat better holdings. Seen this a thousand times from V. I just wasn't sure if going for max value is correct on a paired board.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

I think that it is weird you mentioned 92 but not 98. Any particular reason? I honestly think 92s could be in V's range here. But, so could all the other 9's that are more likely.

I am just curious if folks think that a loose V who has aggressive tendencies would take a line like this with anything less than a boat.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

I don't like a shove here. V has shown strength by CR the turn and then leads the river. The sizing to me looks like value and since you hold the best flush (and he can't have the 9 in his hand for trips and a FD), I think a boat is much more likely. Additionally, unless you believe that he calls all bets no matter what with his whole made hand range on the river, you won't be called enough by hands you beat to make it a +EV shove IMO.

Agree. Just calling river here.

Easy call.

Villain dynamic includes "any two suited" which also means any two suited connectors like 67. So combos of 67, smaller flush, all boats, some trips, king high flush, and some tt's.

Results?

Raise more preflop. 10 is too small with two limpers in front. Make it 15~20 and fold to any 3bet other than a minraise.

Flop bet sizing is probably fine.

On the turn, the call is fine, in fact it looks like we induced someone to try and isolate us.

On the river, I'm now 75% sure we have the best hand but with 2 players already allin I'm not sure what hands he would call a raise with.

If you think he calls a raise with trips then shove otherwise calling is fine.

I'm mainly putting villian on trips with a diamond, a smaller flush or a boat.

This is how I see villain's range:

Smaller flushes: 36 out of 80 combos
Full houses: 14 out of 80 combos
Trips: 40 out of 80 combos

But is he going to call a jam with trips and flushes?

I’m assuming V raises the flop with two pair

Thanks for the analysis.

I ultimately just settled on a call. My reason being was I believe that V would not call with trips but V would call with smaller flushes and obviously boats so I decided to play it safe.

V had QJ and V2 who went all in on the turn had K9.

Nogyong: I obviously did not do all of the various combo math when I decided on a call. I put it in Equilab and I am getting like 90 combos so I'm curious what you took out. I would copy and paste the range I have for V here but it is... gigantic...

Vomit9000: Yeah, that's why I'm bad. V would have definitely raised that (quite possibly even going all-in on the flop).