2/5 - Defending against blind squeezes
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,334
The game I've been playing, it feels like certain player types have gotten a bit squeeze happy from the blinds. This especially affects my opens, as I tend to open a bit wider than most. However, I'm starting to get the sense that these guys are doing it too much - maybe with up to like 8% or more of their range against a loose open with one or more callers. It's becoming more and more common to see them show up with hands like AQo, A4s, 55, and occasionally stuff like 68s.... (It's only a couple really laggy types that are showing up with mid SCs though).
Again, this is only certain player types - the young regs that have learnt that 3bet squeezing pre = $, and it's easier than seeing a flop OOP.
Say we're 200BBs effective (1k stacks). I raise to $20 in HJ (in a spot where I'm probably opening like 15-20%+ of my range), get two callers, and BB makes it (a) $95, (b) $120. If I expect that they're doing this much lighter than QQ+/AK, what's my play? What hands do I flat, what hands do I 4bet?
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 11,335
if it's heads up, 4bet/fold your entire range but once there are multiple callers, just let it go since the 4 bet would need to be higher unless you have a better hand. And we're not trying to fold them out pre flop, we want their ego's to flat their little suited connectors so we make more money post flop.
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,662
Sounds like the regs have been reading some online strategy posts about playing out the blinds..... I would say it's time to start getting some 4bet bluffs in there, mixed with some flats from ak/ qq+.... This is where you need to start thinking about balancing your range properly....best 4bet bluffs are going to be suited a2-a5, then unsuited a2-a5... Don't get to crazy with middle sc though, as they just don't play that well in 4bet pots...
You can start to flat the 3bet wider also, but make sure that your flatting range isn't capped so add in some aa-qq and AK to your flatting range.....
When I played on line I used a simple system of flatting if I was holding a club for a big pp or ak... It's not perfect, but it's close enough....
