V1 (MP, $400): Straightforward player, doesn't put a lot of money in without the goods

Hero (HJ, $500ish): tough aggressive image, covers the table.

V2 (BTN, $210): losing reg, super loose pre (anything remotely suited or connected), doesn't like folding or giving up on pots.


$5 btn straddle, BB and EP calls, V1 raises to $16, I call w/AJ, V2 calls, EP calls.

Flop (Pot $65)
K44

check, check, check, V2 bets $30, fold, fold, I call

Turn (Pot $125)
J

hero checks, V2 bets $50 after a few seconds, hero calls

River (Pot $225)
2

hero checks, V2 thinks for a little bit and bets $100 leaving himself with ~$25 behind, hero calls.


I call preflop b/c I think I can outplay V1 if we are HU/3way and I don't mind seeing a flop multiway. I probably fold AJo. I called flop because I think I'm good most of the time and there are a lot of good turn cards that I can work with. He can definitely have flopped trips although I read his turn bet size as weakness. Thoughts?

Is this right? You said you called preflop cause you thought you could outplay V1 but V1 called preflop from MP after you in HJ? Isn't V2 last to act preflop?

I think this is pretty bad. If he is intelligent at all he should know you are rarely folding the river with a king (which it looks like you have) so bluffing is pointless. I think he has a king or a 4 the vast majority of the time. The other times hes just being a moron.

Oops yeah, V2 was btn. V1 was the pf raiser. probably could have made that less confusing. fixed now

PF is ok, although i prefer a 3b here most of the time.
AP i'd fold flop, trying to outplay villains at this level is burning money; and if his range is ATC, how often is this villain folding Kx?

Preflop fine.

It's close but i fold flop. The chance of us improving OOP on the turn are so low and I don't count on A high winning for us. Another club on turn helps of course but not enough IMO.

Fold the flop. He bet into 3 players and can easily have a K or a 4. I make calls like this more than i should and it costs way more money than it makes.

In General: You're getting way too fancy for 1-2. You're winning the money at this game by getting fat value from good hands and getting thin value from decent hands, not by getting tricky with floats OOP than calling off with middle pair.

For this Hand: I would've probably folded or 3-bet since I want to play the straightforward guy heads up IP instead of being OOP of the guy with a mystery hand in a multiway pot. That's not too big of a mistake though. On the flop you should probably fold, the guy could easily have a 4 here (not to mention the king), and I really just don't like floats OOP. It leads to **** lines like call/call/call (which btw as played you need to call riv). If you were heads up in a 3-bet pot with him and you had top pair, than ya fine call/raise whatever, but it kinda looks like you're just getting towned by the baddie. If you really think he's bluffing flop, just check raise, he's very unlikely to call with air. As played you really don't know if he's just barreling turn with air.

since v1 "has the goods" more often than not you're either losing money when he has a better ace or he's folding when you flop something. just fold pre imo.

Once villain bombs river I think he doesn't have Kx. range polarization.

I think I also call preflop. Our relative position to the raiser ain't great (I'd rather have coldcallers between him and us), but at least we'll have position. The kicker for me is that we have a decent multiway hand and there's a good chance this goes 5ways with some deeper stacks involved.

I fold the flop. Sure, V2 could be taking a stab at things when 3 people check to him but I think it's more likely he's actually taking a stab with a hand that is ahead of us. Plus we're OOP so we'll probably have to most likely check the turn (where he can then bet again). Plus a J might be expensive, and even an A might not be great either.

GcluelessNLnoobG

yeah, I felt it was air or 4x and he wouldn't leave himself with chips behind if he wanted to get called.

I called, villain shook his head, I show and win. Agree with you guys that flop is spew, thanks for the shaming

I think I am late to the party but...

I would probably fold this preflop due to the fact that AJ does not play well in a multi way pot combined with our terrible relative position to the raiser.
If I did call to see a flop, I am not floating this. There are no draws, we have A hi, and we're OOP vs V2.

Sometimes I raise to something smallish, like $75-80 and shove turns where I pick up equity. But usually just folding flop, particularly vs described villain.

And 3bet V1 all day with this hand & these stacks when he makes it only $16 after a $5 straddle and 2 callers.