Hero: $650, others in the hand cover
V1: younger Asian male, no history (1st time playing with him) - seems like he gets into more hands than average but haven't seen him do anything crazy in his time at the table
V2: regular, we have played together before. He sees me as pretty tight. I'm also not very talkative.

Earlier hand I 3-bet out of a blind with JJ to $160 (there was a raise to $25 and 3 calls before I acted). Both villains were there (not in the hand) - hand completed out when I flopped top set and held to a flush draw.

On to hand - V1 raises to $20 from MP. V2 calls from SB. We 3 bet JJ to $85 from BB. Both call.

Flop: 345 (pot $255)

SB checks, I bet $130, MP folds. SB thinks and calls.

Turn: 9 (pot $515). I have just under $450 left. SB checks, I check.

What do you think about my play throughout, and on the turn? My reasoning on the turn was I felt he likely had a pair + straight draw, maybe overpair to the 5 or better (straight, set) but didn't feel the better hands were more likely based on how he played the hand.

You absolutely must shove this turn

So I would size higher on the flop (at least $190, as high high as $225) and also bet the turn (which with my sizing is likely a shove). If he has a set or 76 so be it.

You saying that you think he had a pair + fd on the turn yet you chose not to bet does not compute. Instead you let him draw to his 13 outer for free?

AP, you still need to bet this turn, but since you sized smaller on the flop, you can potentially b/f something like $200.

Yea just bet, gii turn. Flop I want some value so 130 good. Also like a little more pre from bb.

3b to $100 pre.

Bigger on flop, $150.

Shove turn, why on Earth are you checking?


Did you see Hero’s stack size?

I did and why I said "potentially".

So, you think you have the best hand on the turn and he's drawing, so you check?

More on flop, shove turn.

Looks good until turn, which I think is a bet. Since opponent views u as tight, maybe $200-$225, as I think a shove is not getting called by worse.

There’s no scope to bet/fold turn after investing so much IMO. If you’re scared you’re behind, just check.

You could probably overbet shove flop too 3 ways. Might do that w AK/Q as well around this stack depth. That’s what makes a slightly larger pf sizing more appealing.

I am not scared and would have sized flop higher to shove turn more comfortably (see my first reply). Just commenting on how Hero played flop.

Interesting. So we rep AA/KK with that line, have equity to stupid end of str8 if called and just fade the fact that most likely no one has a set?

Essentially yes, but no need to account for sets just becaaue they are in opponents’ ranges and never ours - That’s only a concern in spots where their calling ranges are mostly comprised of sets when facing an overbet, like say A86r where we have AK. Here, with the most likely best 1p hand, their calling ranges facing a shove can/should expand to a lot of pairs and pairs+draw. And yeah, our bluffs w Ax have OP+gutter equity often when called... it’s just extremely tough to play against. When stacks quickly get shallow in 3b pots, being hard to play against/making good plays translates to winning money.

Shoving isn’t necessarily the best play, but I like shove OR bet small a lot more than everything in between.

Solidly in the shove turn camp. I think the hand was well played until now.

Thanks for the feedback - my gut said he didn't have it OTT, but I still checked for the famous 'pot control and see the river and evaluate' line. It was getting later in my session and I was starting to tire (and was still recovering from set over set, on the bad end, from an orbit prior).

River came a 7, he led out and ended up having 68 for the nuts. Let him get there, knew it, and still paid it off.

General feedback of betting a bit more pre, post flop and definitely bet the turn. I've been looking at betting a little smaller (while still hopefully giving incorrect odds to draw) as % of pots post flop in order to potentially keep my range wider

Thanks for this. I agree and this is something I am working on...looking for spots to merge with bd equity on boards where the most likely hand is 1 pair or at best pair+draw where we know our overs are most likely good. This board qualifies (except for the possible exception of bd diamonds).