This is not an actual hand, but rather be trying to learn not to be a loser and along the way I have found a couple pieces of advice that seem to contradict each other so hopefully you can shed some light on this for me.

The two pieces of advice are:

1. Players at 1/3 don't bluff enough/very often
2. Learning to play against someones range instead of a specific hand

Let's assume for each board it's a new table, no reads, $300 stacks and I raised to $18 from MP over one limper with KK and only the limper calls.

Flop is A92r and the limper leads out for $25. While I have been learning to play against someones entire range and not specifically Ax it seems like the only hand he's betting here contains an A, right? Most players will slow play a set out of position so it's not likely 99,22 (though it could be). While JJ TT 88 77 are all in his preflop range he's going to check call any of those he wants to continue with so folding the K's is ok and actually I should be happy I lost the minimum with that hand, right?

Second board, same preflop situation, A 7 8 with two diamonds. Again I get bet into on the flop but this time it's much closer as to whether or not I can continue because of all the draws available that hit his preflop range. People love suited cards in these games as well as a hand like 9T and even 56 aren't out of the question. OK to call or even raise here?

If I do call the second board and he checks a brick on the turn is it OK to bet for value?


Am I understanding the situations correctly?

Thanks for any help.

Situation 2 can be a flat but only against an opponent capable of donking a draw. A lot of V at 1-3 would NOT lead without top pair or better. But aggro players will so its important to differentiate the two quickly.

Being good at profiling an unknown is super important in live poker. Age, how their dressed, alcohol, how much they bought in for are all quick heuristics to look for.

Def shouldnt raise the donk lead for value, youd be turning your hand into a bluff. If checked to on the turn just check back. Too many Ax in their range.

If the draws brick and V leads its a soul read. Mostly folding if its an old guy or passive player.

These two pieces of advice are not contradictory at all. The key is that you have to range players correctly. #2 is general advice about playing against ranges instead of one hand, and #1 is specific advice about how to assign those ranges.

If you are playing against a range that is all strong hands, you should be folding often.

You can't continue in either spot with KK. Just fold it and move on to the next hand. You'll have so many AX hands and sets that you just don't have to defend KK when you so rarely will see showdown and win.

You have the right idea. But the two examples you give are sort of odd hands. In the first it would be odd to actually donk a AX into the preflop raiser on a dry board but unless you know villain is likely to test the water with other hands it's a fold. The second is closer but still generally a fold because your hand isn't good enough to stand up on the turn.

A better example of an easy fold is having AK on a Q73 rainbow board. The donk is likely to be a queen or a middle pair and either way you don't have a hand. At the other end having KK on a 8d7d3c board is an easy flop call because donking a draw, 8X or weak over pair is more likely and you beat all of those hands.

Playing *your* range:
Let's say you raise UTG with 99, and you get one or two callers. The flop comes AJTr. What do you do?

If you're playing your hand, you had a high pocket pair which now is an underpair to three overs on the flop. You should check.
However, if you're playing your range, you have several combos of Ax, AK, AQ, AJ, AT, JT, KQ etc., which will hit this flop hard and continue betting. Therefore you should bet.

When you do bet here, you're playing your range and it will be difficult for your opponent(s) to continue. Also, when you do bet here, you're bluffing. Construct your ranges appropriately to balance bluffs and value and you'll start on the path towards playing GTO.

Profiling players is a key skill. The best way to profile them is by watching their hands at showdown and analyzing their thought process in the hand. Most 1/3 players play their hand. Some play their range. Identify the ones that play their range and you can play back at them if you choose.

Thank you all for the replies.

I think you're misunderstanding GTO. "Playing your range" doesn't mean trying to disguise your now weak 4th pair into a monster. It means that you should be betting at least 70% of your range as it hits the flop, with a mixture of both value hands and semi-bluffs.

On this flop, 99 is down way into the bottom third of a typical UTG raising range. Against competent opponents, this is probably a check-fold, unless we think our opponent(s) has a low PP which will auto-fold to a bet.