2/5/UTG straddles 10. 8 handed.

Utg limps (550) Loose/passive
utg+1 raise to 35 (660) TAG/reg
UTG+2 calls. (500) tight/passive
CO folds.
but folds.
Hero SB AQo (400) TAG image, just lost a big pot a few hands earlier and could be perceived as tilting
BB (1k) nit
Straddle (2.5k) Bad LAG

Anyone like a shove here?

Does TAG open speculative hands like 65s-QJs at any reasonable freq? Ot 22-66? Then yes, snap shove 40bb deep eff

Low suited connectors seem very unlikely tbh, but I could see small PPs making the play as a sort of blocking bet to prevent a bigger raise.
If we’re getting 27% vs a calling range of AK, AA, KK, QQ (24 combos)
Then we need like 40 combos in his range that fold.
Also the tight passive behind him could have a slow played AK or QQ at some frequency

I’d prefer $150 pre and shoving any flop. I think you get called wider shoving pre and can fold better post that doesn’t like certain flop configurations like Kxx.

+1.

Btw, are you calling it off if you face a 4b pre?

A lot of players will open at least 98s+, even worse when they’re bored esp live. If he opens 65s-QJs even 20% of the time cumulatively and some other junk/spaz when he’s bored (everyone does this unless they’re a true nit, only OP can say what his OR looks like) then AQ is a pretty easy shove.

3b to 150 is ok i guess but i think a shove maxes FE vs 88-1010, maybe some JJ folds but im not counting on that

Gotta call it off. He’s going to be iso shoving pretty much all of his pairs imo.

Given his position, I'd tighten his range. Is this reasonable? Also depends on table dynamics.

http://www.pokerstrategy.com
Equity Win Tie
UTG+1 53.38% 47.11% 6.28% { 88+, ATs+, KQs, QJs, JTs, AJo+ }
SB 46.62% 40.34% 6.28% { AdQh }

I'd go $175, probably gii on most flops. Not too worried about tight-passive since you block the worrisome hands. Probably have fold equity vs. tight-passive AK.

I get these recs to raise half my stack pre all the time on 2+2, but I’ve always dismissed it as a terrible play. Why raise half my stack when I will be committed to calling off with any 2 given the pot odds?

I’ve read lots of Poker books and watched many poker strategy vids, and I have literally never once seen a pro player or author make this play or advocate it.

Hmm, interesting. Ironically I began to widen my 3b range this past month after watching some respectable hand history commentaries/theory. Did it 7 times, took it down pre 6x, the 7th I had to C/F 3-way on a nasty flop texture. KQs/A9s were the lowest rankers.

That’s wayyyy too tight imo. Just look at what a lot of players open here on the forums from EP. e.g 76s/suited wheel aces/QTs/KJo, etc. yeah sure it is shouldnt be included at 100% freq like 1010+, AQo+.

And most of the hands in his range that have good equity have to fold vs a shove, especially if he thinks we arent getting out of line. Even hands as strong as 1010 dont have an easy time calling and most TAGs imo arent going broke here with 1010. almost every live TAG/reg here is going to overfold here vs a 3b shove and arent calling anywhere near MDF

Perhaps. In my experience the EP openers in straddled pots tend to be tighter, thinking 5/T, so raising $ tends to go in more cautiously.

The effective stacks are way to shallow all around for a TAG reg to be opening the speculative hands, especially in a straddled pot.

I really don’t see him folding pairs whether we 3bet non all-in or shove. The benefit to not shoving is we get two chances at folding everyone out. Once pre, which is the ideal scenario, and another on the flop.

When we shove pre we only get one crack at it and ensure villain sees all 5 cards.

But we have AQ not QQ+. Think shoving is better. Not strong enough to 3b and take a flop and always meh when we have to 3b/c. Fold equity more important the first time pre.

You dont see him folding 66-99 vs a 3b shove here for $400? If he doesnt yeah I wouldn’t jam but I think a lot of TAG regs are just snap mucking 66-99 here vs a 3b shove, probably folding 1010 at least 40%+ and maybe JJ 5%. Personally I snap QQ+, begrudingly call JJ always, and 1010/AQs is a decision for me like 35/65 i call

I think he has to at least have some x% of 44-88 opens pre, and SCs/suited broadways. I think if we range him at even 20% total frequencies of SCs, and say 30% 44-88 (obv 44 is less frequent than 88 but let’s give total 30% for simplicity), we have a high FE spot with a shove esp with blockers to AA/AK/QQ and decent equity when called. And i think vs UTG + 2 shoving really maxes FE, say if he had 99-1010 here he might flat and wait for a non A/K flop but if we shove he’s more likely to fold

If we shove here and win uncontested, we added almost 20% to our stack. I mean I think 3b pre and shove flop is fine too, i think both are +EV. Just folding or flatting is out of the question

Shoving > 3betting to $130 > flatting > folding.

Our AQ is a premium hand in this spot and it's a perfect squeeze spot. Our stack size is pretty good for jamming too (maybe slightly shorter would be better, but this is still good).