2/5: Light 3bets flopped middling made hands
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 298
2/5, Friday night, 9-handed.
The table is generally competent, although most players do not play at "pro" levels. There is little to no open limping.
Hand 1:
Folded to Villain (30yo female, 20/15, $900) who raises to $20 in CO.
Hero ($500) 3-bets to $65 with A-5ss
Everyone else folds except Villain who calls. Villain is generally aggressive post-flop.
Flop ($134): A-10-3r
Villain checks. What do you do?
Hand 2:
It's folded to the same Villain again (who now has $1200)
Hero ($650) 3-bets to $65 with 10-9cc in the SB
Everyone folds to except Villain who calls.
Flop ($133): K-10-4r
What do you do?
Moreover, when you 3-bet light and still get called anyway, and then flop a marginal made hand/bluff-catcher, what are some general principles regarding postflop play?
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,220
Both hand 1 and hand 2 are straight forward bet situations on the flop. You 3 bet preflop, representing a strong hand. You hit part of the flop on a board that hits a strong straight forward 3 betting range.
Not betting just sets you up for bad situations latter. If you don't bet and villain does bet you will have no idea where you stand.
In hand 1 the plan is generally bet/check/evaluate with an eye towards calling one bet from a competent aggressive opponent. Hand 2 hero would really appreciate if villain gives up on the flop. Being OOP with second pair is ugly, you have a hand just a bit too good to just give up but not likely best against strong action. If villain doesn't fold flop then mix between betting again and checking/calling turn. Either way check river unless you improve, you will need to evaluate the run out closely.
In general if you 3 bet light and catch some part of the flop you want to bet flop and then play carefully. If your find yourself in this situation too often then your 3 betting light to often.
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 14,932
Hand 1:
3bet a little bigger pf.
As played on flop
Bet 50.
Hand 2:
3bet a lot bigger PF.
Bet 50 and prepare to empty the clip
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,099
How the first hand went heavily influences hand two. In general, bet H1 ~40 on the flop, x turn, call river; occasionally check flop, bet turn, check river (calling two streets usually if lead into). The check back line is best vs villains who snap put you on KK when you check back an A high flop after PF 3bet.
H2 I'm fine with a bet/bet or a check/give up, we have so many strong flop bet candidates for double barreling, are unable to protect our equity well (AQ/AJ isn't folding to a bet), and depending on how you construct your 3bet range, you should have Kx type hands that are gonna check back the flop and protect your checking back range so villain can't just fire (whether those hands are like KJo/KQo or K9s-K7s)
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 242
A good rule of thumb is you're allowed to c-bet 100% of range on these boards where we have a clear range advantage.
On a more middling connected board I might choose to check some of our marginal range as villain is allowed to have some c/r bluffs as well as value.
Last edited by ggodd; 01-12-2020 at 06:16 PM.
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5,411
Hand one: I like the 3 bet and sizing. I x this flop back. I don't want to bloat the pot with A-rag, and it disguises our hand well/protects our checking range.
Hand two: I don't mind the 3 bet, but I'm folding here more times than not. However, I don't like the sizing since we're OOP. $80 is as low as I'm going here. AP, I go $65 again otf for protection, and I'm honestly rooting for a fold.
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,248
Some good advice in this thread.
In general, I'd just add to be conscious of commitment levels, i.e. SPR, after 3b when 100 bbs eff. Also, H2 OOP is a handicap so larger pre, at least $80ish.
As played, $45-55 on each flop.