1/2 NL

Hero has been sitting @ table for approx 30 minutes and has only folded or limped every hand dealt thus far. Hero is not well known at this casino but has played there on a number of occasions, which typically results in a few nods from time to time. Hero has previously sparred with 3 of the villains at this table, no one else.

Full ring, 10 handed.

Hero (EP) - male, mid-thirties, wearing hoodie & bandana, no sunglasses. $300 behind, initial buy-in.

Villain #1 (MP) - not important re this hand

Villain #2 (HJ) - not important re this hand

Villain #3 (BTN) - hero has never engaged this older gentleman, probably early 60ish. Has about $650 behind. Hero notices he almost always bets flop if he was initial pf raiser. Hero overhears another player tell Villain 3 he has never seen him losing at table.

Hero looks down at 67 and raises to $10. Villains 1 and 2 both call, Villain 3 also calls, both blinds fold.

$40 effective pot.

Flop: AK3

Hero c-bets $21, villains 1 and 2 fold, villain 3 smooth calls after about 10 seconds.

Pot now $80.

Turn: 8
Hero checks, villain 3 checks behind.

River: 4

???? no idea what to do here. will post what actually happen towards end of thread.

Before you all tell me, I know, I know. I should have bet turn... how much tho? What cards am I bluffing on river, if any? If I do bluff, what's the right amount?

Any help here would be more than appreciated. Thanks.

Check flop with that many ppl in the hand. For that price at low stakes games you are def getting called by any ace, and king, and any gutshot. Which means you've basically induced a ton of floats and made your cbet very unprofitable.

If I got to this spot on the turn I'd barrel off though.

edit: I'd bet any non broadway river. but I don't really think you want to be looking for that many spots to cbet and barrel off backdoor draws in these games, these guys call too much. And if you are betting 67 here with just a backdoor flush draw then you are def setting up to bluff too much in these types of games.

Fold pf.

/thread.

Seriously, wtf are you raising for? You've played at best 15 hands so far or about 1.5 orbits. Nobody has you pegged as a nit, especially if you've limped a couple of times. As played, as soon as he calls on an AKxr flop, you're done. He's got something and is not going to fold on the river. He's never folding TP as played, nor should he.

If you want to open up your game, start on the button.

I don't hate the raise with 67 suited. But you have to realize that this hand is typically not going to win by making the best hand, and that you are forcing yourself to play a big hand out of position. But your perceived range should be skewed to big pairs / AK / AQ. - I'd raise bigger if i'm making this play and I would fold the 67 suited 8 or 9 out of 10 times in early position.

Ok so we got our worst case scenario on the flop, multiway out of position. Check fold should be seriously considered. If we do elect to try and win this hand with a pure bluff, try and make it convincing. If you flopped top two or sets of aces or kings you would surely bet bigger or look to check raise. In nearly every situation, firing half pot out of position into three pre-flop callers is lighting money on fire.

On the turn ask yourself two things:
1. Why did I bet the flop - If bet correctly you are representing a big pair
2. What could my opponent call with and is he likely to lay it down to a turn bet.

If villian calls and is older like this he has an ace nearly every time going up to really strong hands like top two, and i guess as low as KQ and KJ

Point is you have two options now:
1. Check fold
2. Continue to barrel like you did have the hand you represented by raising from EP and firing into 3 opponents on the turn. Here I'm betting somewhere between $55 - $85, whatever's most credible - but again pre and on the flop need to be bigger.

On the river:
His check on the turn tells me any medium aces and kings. he's not going to fold to many bets here. Sure, you can only win with a bluff, but that does not give you a reason to bet - your bluff will not be convincing...

Yeah in hindsight I think I really missed an opportunity on turn to bet. I pegged villain 3 as nitty enough to fold without an Ace, and maybe even without Aces up, esp if I barrel all 3 streets. I'm not usually over the top aggressive, I just felt like I could win this hand against this particular player.

Agreed. In hindsight, I should've made a decision to either shut it down after his flop call, or barrel all 3 streets. And based on his holdings, my gut tells me he would've folded if I barreled all the way. But you're right, shut it down after flop call (or just check/fold flop). I didn't have any solid soul-reads on this guy anyway.

Thanks. I need to be more patient.

Agreed, worst case scenario flop. Check raising flop is an interesting play. I think he's def calling a check raise, and waiting to see if he improves on turn, which isn't all that bad for me, depending on my turn options. Check / fold was probably the right play for this point in the session.

And I certainly didn't make my story convincing by checking the turn.

"In nearly every situation, firing half pot out of position into three pre-flop callers is lighting money on fire." Well said. I need to be more patient.

My pre-flop raises have been standardized over time to about 5x - 5.5x - 6x BB. Based on limpers I adjust the size. I like your idea of a bigger pf raise to make story more believable in case worst case scenario flop hits.

He had A9. And no, you're exactly right, he didn't fold to my $75 river bet.

Firstly sizing preflop should be dependant on the table
Flop, check and fold once you get so many callers
Turn, this is the only spot where I might consider barreling as played
River, as played check and fold

Oh boy, you gotta plan ahead.

From front to back you have no plan. Get one. That's really what you need to take away from this hand.

There is never a reason to play 67s utg. At higher stakes some % of the time you play them to make you harder to read..but at LSNL...they don't read you anyway.

Flop...check fold your oop against 3 players. i only c-bet in situation like this when I can conceive a large number of cards I would want to double barrel with. Here at bets you have 9 diamonds, and truthfully there not that good to continue with.

Turn...well we hit equity...its about time. Problem is on A high boards unless there preflop calling range is supper wide...a large % of there hands when they call the flop include in A. My guess here its between 50% and 65% depending on the range you give him. So betting your equity is ? at best.

River...well having checked the turn, I'm done with the hand. I would not bet the turn..but if I did, it would be with the plan that I might be able to get him off an A, and I might tripple barrel. But I really don't make plans around that, it just not worth it.

Fold preflop, if you get too much action playing SC's OOP just burns money.

Don't cbet with no equity into 3 villains on A-high flop
After called just c/f turn and river.

As previously stated make sure you have a plan.

This. We need a read on the table before we start getting frisky in EP, especially when we see the flop 4 ways.

Agreed. Check / fold flop. Wait for better spot. Thanks!

Am working on getting a plan . Reading professional NL Holdem vol 1. Plan in progress. Thanks JHair

Agreed. In this situation, C-bet when were planning to double barrel, I like it. Unless we have more equity, shut it down, wait for better spot. Thanks for the comments blue

Get a plan. Got it thanks i4betfold

More substantial reads. More patience. Got it. Thanks!