Apologies for the length.

A hand from a 1/3 NL game (playing like 2/5) got me thinking about how best to get the money in when we hit our draw or otherwise drastically improve equity. The outcome was favorable but I am not sure if the line was optimal. Feel free to roast pre-flop and flop play, but the turn decision is most interesting, in my opinion.

V1 (~450, UTG +1): new to the table, seems fairly loose but passive

V2 (~500, Button): rejoined the table to everyone’s delight. Spewing, aggressive maniac that ran up a big stack then left before I got there. Seems to have a decent understanding and is much more aggressive than the other Vs. Definitely seen some questionable raises from him.

Hero (~1100, SB): perceived TAG image, typically more loose but table dynamics (several weak players that have been overvaluing hands) and a dry spell for cards.

As cards are being dealt, V2 jokes to the table about how H only plays good hands and bets big (I had just taken down a pot heads up against him on the turn; 3-bet his $25 open to $75 with KK and kept firing next two streets then showed). I definitely wanted to show some looser play after this (I know, not the best reason but I don’t want to tip anyone’s mind that I am basically just value betting a small range).

OTTH

6 handed

V1 limps, folds to V2 on Button who limps (his move has been to open $25 or limp/call, few fold pre)

H sees 84 in SB and raises to $25 in hopes of isolating at least one of the two

BB folds, V1 and V2 call

Flop ($75, after rake): T 9 7

H leads for $50 with OESD and backdoor heart draw

V1 calls

V2 raises to $100

H thinks for a bit, realizes V1 will probably flat or fold and calls

V1 calls

Turn ($375): J

What is Hero’s best move here for max value?

I think my recent love affair with PLO influenced the line I took: donk for slightly over pot ($375) to put opponents all in. Feel free to roast my thought process:

Reasons for large lead: we are big favorites now unless we are against Q8 (possible), no opponent can have another 8 with a flush draw so I free roll against those, most likely at least one opponent has a spade draw and I can’t risk them drawing for free, the lead of this size looks polarized

Reasons to check: can’t imagine V2 will slow down with at least one pair, one of them probably has 2 pair or a set and will give value here or on a brick river

Reasons to bet smaller: hard to find any in my opinion. SPR is 1 at this point and a smaller bet gives odds that are too good for a spade draw, especially with other outs.

Thoughts? What does our range look like with a lead like this? Does that matter?

As I'm sure you know, pre-flop is terrible. You are out of position with a terrible hand and you know at least one of them will call. This is not the hand for "isolating." There is absolutely no reason to give yourself a "looser" image by doing this. None. (And stop showing your hands.)

As played, just bet big again and gii. You got extremely lucky so just go for it. Pray they can't fold a set or two pair (and don't have better) and they don't bink.

You tried isolating pre with this trash OOP vs an aggro maniac and loose passive (and they both called!!??)

Its just completely unnecessary to get this OOL preflop

We have zero FE preflop and decide to attempt to isolate a difficult deepish player OOP with 8 high? I can't stand preflop. Trivial fold for me (I hate 3 gappers due to RIO).

I probably just check the flop. Against loose and aggro guys we just don't have very much FE and we hate facing a raise, especially OOP. A check can look tarping so maybe we get a free card (which we're perfectly happy with).

We probably have to sigh call the flop raise due to immediate odds but it's really gross due to all our outs not always being good (high RIO on some), tough getting paid off OOP on a 4-to-a-straight (our IO suck), sometimes we chop profits (our IO *really* suck), we could get reraised, etc.

With no more than a PSB left, I also just shove turn. Checking thru OOP would be a disaster, we could be freerolling someone, sometimes it's tough for people to lay down sets / two pear, etc.

GnotafanofearlystreetsG

Turn is the only street that seems like we’re not lighting money on fire

but it was sooted
turn is good