$350 effective stacks. $1/3 NL

Hero: Been playing fairly tight/normal compared to other drunk wild pp at table. The only hand Hero played directly w/ V is a pot I cbet, then x, x gave up and he won with low pair.

V: Seems rational. Kind of like a TAG, but makes stabs at pots. Middle age man, watching a movie, makes his decisions within 1 second each time.

EP raises $10, MP1 calls, V calls from MP2, I make a loose call w/ 24 in BB.

Flop ($40): AK2. x,x,x, V bets $25. Hero?

I'm not worried about OR as I doubt he is x'ing A or better here 3 handed. MP range is weak and would likely bet AQ- post OR x'ing.

Well first off I shouldn't be playing 24s ha, I know.

I consider him a thinking TAG (nothing great about him, but he's def > average for a $1/3 opponent). So his range here is super capped. He's def 3betting IP the majority, if not all, of his AA,KK, AK type hands. I think this player wouldn't often bet KQ here, maybe some of the time given the weakness. Like 60%+ of the time this V has Ax and more than not a middling Ax.

So seems like a standard x/r with the combo draw, however, the issue running in my head was, what do I rep? Its a thinking V, so V knows I can only rep 22 or maybe A2. That's it. I have a lot of flush draws and maybe some gutters in my x/r range. More than A2, 22. AQ/AJ could get sticky here.

Sorry, prob to much text here, but in essence, I have a V with a capped range, but at same time he has a range advantage vs. me and I rep little. Do we rip it anyways and follow up with barrels repping A2 or 22? Or just take the borning x/c line? ha.

Thanks guys.

This is not the description that we need the most though. The big question is can he, unlike most LLSNL Vs, fold TP?

The other question is what is the combo draw? But I assume we either have 24hh, or flop is actually AKdd2c.

^Crap sorry. Yes 2h4h. Sorry.

The former, good question. So I don't think he is like most LLSNL that he can lay down post barrelling. Prob not to x/r bc I did see him get sticky'ish on flops and turns at times but never really saw his hand. But he seem to be making decent decisions (not just calling 2 bets with bottom pair) and was on the tighter side. More into his movie at times.

But of course, as you know, in LLSNL there is always that WTF button were you think a guy or gal is rational then they call 3 streets to obvious strength with a middling pair.

But even if we assume V is a thinking player, which I did at the time of the analysis, I thought I didn't rep much in V's mind.

OK, I fixed the suits in your OP.

Too bad the pot is small enough/stacks deep enough that a CRAI is a ridic overbet. I kind of like a c/r here anyway, as we're never making much if we flat and the flush hits, given V description, and getting him to fold a bigger FD is great. Even though we already have a pair to go with ours, the RIOs if the flush comes in are bad news. Also, if he calls we might get him pot committed enough to get some IOs with our flushes.

I put $100 on top and likely shove all turns.

I like the check/raise given that V is last to act and could be stabbing at the pot. You rep 22 and A2s here (5 combos). Equity is pretty good when called. I'd make it about $120. Your bluffs are 34hh, 45hh, QJ/JT/QThh. Shouldn't really have suited 2s here except maybe 23hh, but here we are .

If you check/raise all flush draws here, that's going to be way too many bluffs.

Of course, fold pre.

Garick. I mean no offense by this, but your a pretty nitty player in general right? Usually taking the low variance lines?

Are you sure you are not thinking about GG?

Not to answer for Garick, but I have never thought of him as a nit/rock.

O yea your right, that's who I'm thinking of.

Did that look like a nitty line I advised?

Now the nitty part of me will say the obvious about this hand. Fold pre.

Fold pre

/thread

Not going to even comment on postflop. Calling 42s here is literally burning money and it doesnt matter what you do postflop bc you’ll still be -EV, although some lines are less -EV than others

Haha, I had you confused with GG. If you were GG, I was thinking, wow if a nit would take a x/r line it must be w/o a doubt a x/r ha.

I pointed out it was a -EV call. Thanks for your help.

Your missing what can be gained here by saying it doesn't matter what you do postflop. What can be learned, is what to do with a combo draw against a capped thinking V when are range only includes a few strong value hands. Doesn't matter if 78s, 42s, etc. The point is to learn how to play this situation

But you felt the need to not only reply an obvious statement that I pointed out, but you went on for 35 some words why .

You really should never have any combo draws here on this board texture ever besides 54hh/QJhh/QThh But with 54s flop is a pretty clear x/r and turn probably shoving most turns except A where we x/f.

The thing is, your range is also capped so you shouldnt have too many raises here in the first place. You only have A2s here and 22 as your value raises, same goes for Villain. So you are both capped. But AP flop is probably a x/r and shove most turns once PFR checks otf imo, same with your other combo draws.

Though vs a station who cant fold TP calling will be your friend

^Thanks

I generally dislike c/r my weak draws on A-high flops. V much less likely to fold a decent A. Little fold equity which is why you raise draws to begin with. You are going to hate life if you miss on the turn and the pot is bloated. You do block 22, which is a plus. But I still choose the passive route and call hoping to turn trips or the flush then bet for value. C/r seems like compounding the original sin of calling pre.

Suppose we have QJ or something like that - how do you play it postflop? Check/call or c/r/barrel? The interesting thing about this hand is that villain is very likely to have one pair, and at best AQ.

Edit: just saw your follow-up comment.

The read indicates that V won't think through the low likelihood of us having a hand that beats TP, and will follow the money - a c/r followed by a big bet - and fold most of what he bets here.

I fold preflop. We're OOP with a hand that makes nothing but second best "good" hands (which is the worst hand to make).

I think he'll find the one or two hands we can have here (A2/22) enough of the time to make a big check/raise worthwhile. If he calls, we have outs and could perhaps think of barrelling the turn.

GcluelessNLnoobG