I have trouble with 88-JJ vs calling stations because they'll call with overs and draws, and I'm not sure how to play these vulnerable hands. Advice welcome on all streets

Hero($400) - EP - TsTh
Villain($300) - Button (straddles on the button) - Loose and stationy with any type of drawing hand

$1/2 FR - Button Straddle, so the action starts on the small blind and the SB needs to call $5.

sb folds, bb calls $5, folds, Hero raises to $17, folds around to BTN who flats, BB calls.

Flop( $45 )
9c7c4d
bb checks, I raise to $35, BTN calls, BB folds.

Turn ( $115 )
Js
hero?

Arrrgh, how do I play this. He could have lots of overs in and draws in his calling range. I don't want to lose money if he hit his jack, but I don't want to give him a free card if he has a draw....

Stupid vulnerable TT has me scared.

I've only played a dozen or so hands with villain, but I seen him call PF with AXs, KXs, and broadway connectors/gappers, and then postflop he'll call with GS/draws, and overs almost regardless of bet size.

Bet/fold

Bet/fold

Bet/fold

bet 65. You are more concerned about the overcard and you didn't even notice you picked up a gut shot.

We want people to draw when we bet, because we are putting money in the pot when we are way ahead, and they are calling with incorrect calling odds.

It's not easy to overcome the mubs and being scared but you will really improve your game once you can overcome this hurdle.

Plenty of two-pair hands got there, as did T8 (but we block it). He could have QJcc/KJcc/AJcc but that's a small part of his range. If he's that station-y he's still going to be relatively weak. The J isn't a great card, but it's not close to the worst as we pickup additional equity if we are behind. This is a bet-fold on the turn. On the river, really depends on whether he's capable of turning weakish hands into bluffs (think 9x). Most LLSNL players don't, so I'm okay with a x/fold on the river.

I do like bet/fold too, I have a question, are betting 65ish/folding all turns, clubs, A, etc..?? Maybe give up over card club turns, lol...

Against calling stations, this is bad advice. Most calling stations are willing to just keep on callin and never raise without the stone cold nuts. Their call could be bottom pair, an over card, a gut shot or 2 pair. In this hand, if V has KJ, most calling stations will just call your turn bet.

Use their weakness against them by controlling the pot and play ABC.

In this hand I check turn. The pot is $115. Do we really want to bloat it more with 2nd pair?

Evaluate river.

sure but the bet size will vary tho. We won't need to bet as much with a club to see if he calls or raises us. This is why I would have actually cbet slightly less, so we're not facing such a big pot on the turn/river. You could cbet 25, then instead of 65 on the turn, it would be 50, etc., especially against guys like him.

WE flopped an over pair on a board with a few possible draws and an SPR of 6. Our opponent is a massive calling station. Get the money in.

You said yourself, he will just keep on callin and raise if he makes the nuts. If he's floating almost all broadway hands on the flop, and you're telling me he might go to the felt with A9 here, then a single offsuit jack isn't going to de-rail my plans.

Bet bet bet bet bet bet bet

Bet/fold has to be the order of the day, as against any station. When a station has you beat, he'll let you know.

I hate it when people say this, but bet more pre. You have a calling station who straddled and you have a very good hand against him, plus a caller, so $11 I the pot when it gets to you. Get a little more in there.

As played, I like the bet/fold. I don't like a check on the turn unless you are positive he will check behind unless he has you beat. However, why give him a free card?

If we're ahead of a station's calling range, we should generally be betting for value. If Villain will call with any pair & any draw, TT is easily beating his calling range ott. What to do on the river is the harder decision; that depends on the river card and how likely he is to bluff whiffed draws if we check.

Everything you just said. Is the reasoning for bet/folding. You just said he could be calling anything from gutshot to 2 pair. Only raising nuts.

We are ahead of his range. Bet as much as you think his little heart will call (when behind).

J is a decent card for us. We block the straight. We picked up a gutter. He is unlikely to have a Jack.

Bet fold!!!!!
Get value before a scary river card comes.

Smells like clubs to me. I'd most likely check and hope for a check back. If he bets the turn I'd just call. If no club came on the river I would check/call again.

I'd be worried to bet the turn and quickly build this pot up, since its fat already. Any reasonable hand that called the flop most likely won't fold on the turn to a bet.

I don't think that J hit him though.

It is a mistake to play 88-TT for their value at 1/2 where people call pretty wide. If you have balls, try raising to something like 25. Play 88-TT like you play AA or KK. If you can't, play them for set value. With these hands, you cant play any flop. If a card is broadway, u r scared. If its all smaller than your pp, it would be too wet. Profit in llsnl usually comes from stacking somebody. So set mining is not that bad. Raise to like 10 (14 in straddled pot) and play fit (set) or fold. Never be tempted to get sucked in thinking your overpair or middle pair is good when the action gets hotter. Play small pot if you can. If cant get out.

I'd strongly recommend trying to range opponents rather than automatically getting gun-shy when there's an overcard or a wet board. The beauty of stations is that our marginal hands can still get value from their wide continuing ranges. Are we going to value own ourselves sometimes? Sure. But that's the variance that comes along with getting max EV from them.

I think this is reverse thinking. In low stakes people tend to over value their top pair hands. Like in this case V might think A9 is the nuts.

Raise to like 20 pre, bet 45 on flop, then bet fold turn and check call river depending on what it is. And remember V's who call with overs are what we want. If he calls the flop with KQ then bricks the turn we are printing money.

Wait....so you think he's on a draw and so decide to check back what you currently think is the best hand?!

Why on earth would you do that?

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