Villain is an older gentleman who is sitting at $1/2 but genuinely seems to be bored as he is waiting on the 1/2 list. He is been playing a very goofy style where he calls pre very often and then applies a lot of pressure to the preflop raiser on non-A high boards. (have literally seen it happen 4 times in 3 orbits, the preflop raiser would be a T high or lower board, and V would raise and continually get folds vs these weak passive players). Villain has $400+ and I only have $150 to start the hand. (Yes I should top off).

Villain straddles for $4 UTG and it folds around to me in the SB. I raise to $18 with Aj.

Villain calls.

Flop $35: 778.

Villains range is very wide right now calling out of his straddle and villain expects hero to give up without a pair or draw. Hero bets $20. Villain raises to $75. Hero?? unfortunately effective stacks are only $37 after this raise and if I shove it is risking $112 to win $167 meaning I have to win about 40% of the time for shoving to be break even.. Is this too spewy even vs a relentless flop raiser? His range is probably any pp, any 7, any 8, any f draw, any str8 draw, and a decent amount of complete air.

The more bluffy / check/raisey / etc. this guy is, the less I cbet when I whiff here. We can simply check back the flop and then think about *perhaps* calling down a couple of bets that might not risk our stack (although with this stack / pot size, he might be able to play for stacks by the river). At the very least, we have to have a plan for the check/raise before we bet (which it doesn't really sound like we did).

As played, I haven't stoved the range, but I probably just give up.

GcluelessNLnoobG

We are OOP so can't c/c but I do think check calling flop is better v this guy, means even more air in his range. As played, stove it. Nobody can estimate his range better than you.

Whoops, didn't realize we were OOP. Ya, I agree that I probably like check/calling rather than betting out vs this tricky guy.

Check/fold instead of c-bet. You only have $18 invested....no need to get tricky when you could already be way behind.