1/2 NLHE $200 max BI Cincinnati Horseshoe. Brand new table draw. I recognize 2 players and this hand is about an hour in. Hero is down 1 BI. Flopped top 2 vs bottom set. HERO didnt show hand so players may think I am just playing for fun and losing but just won a decent pot (Stack $260)

EP Villain - never played with him before but he has lost $25 playing a lot of pots and only started with $100 (Stack $75)
Button Villain - 1/2 Grinder. Plays at least as many hours as I do weekly (40). 25 years old. Baseball cap. Jordan attire. Rarely at the same table because I play mainly PLO so I have no reads. Has won a small pot without showdown ($275 stack)


EP Villain ($75) limps
Button Villain raises to $8
SB folds.
Hero in BB calls with Qd9d. $6 more to call.
EP Villain calls.

Flop ($25) 8h Th Jd................

Obviously a great flop for HERO. Considering my options here, I felt that if I donk lead here I can get a ton of value so I lead for $20.

Both call.

Turn ($85) Qs...........

Very bad card for HERO, now chopping with any 9 and lose to AK but ultimately it will kill most of my action, I would think.....

HERO checks..... I probably should have led here again but I think if I check, it can induce bluffs a good enough frequency.

EP goes all in for $47.

Button Villain calls......

HERO??????

Obviously confused by Button's actions. He has $185 effective behind.

Shove to price out hearts.

Ship it in ... we should be beat here so infrequently. For B to show up with AK here would be fairly odd.

Calling is pretty bad bc we allow B to realize his equity here / miss value.

You're an hour in and have no reads? Or you've been playing for an hour and these are new players?

Absent reads, pre is meh. Could make the case to fold, call, or 3-bet depending on the PFR's tendencies. My default is to fold until I have stronger reads.

Love the donk in a vacuum. We can get action from all types of hands draws and worse made hands.

Bet the turn, as it hits ranges really hard.

AP, flat the turn and evaluate river. Even two pair is gonna check back the river UI (esp if hearts come in) so if it blanks I'm going for a b/f on the river for $65 to get looked up by worse.

I had a hand like this once where I had JTo, flop came 789r and a guy called me down with Q3. Turn: T, River: J. I like everything you did but I'd probably call the turn and if the river blanks lead for some solid 'where am I at?' amount and fold to any aggression.

shove

Not sure why we wouldn't shove in this spot I think we are usually ahead of both villains here and we have to charge the button if he is on a draw.

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