2/5, $1000 deep

UTG straddle, UTG1 limp, V (MP reg Asian-has been inactive or late, raises to $50), Hero flats black 77 next to act, limper calls

Flop ($165): T54ddd
Check, Check, Hero bets $80, fold, V calls

Turn ($325): Ks
Check, Hero bets $150, V calls

River ($625): Qs
V checks, Hero checks

Line okay?

My flop stab is for thin value after PFR checks hoping the UTG limper’s uncapped range surrenders to my bet, which he does. Not a bad situation. Once V calls, he probably has some broadway Ax with a diamond or maybe a pot controlling pair like 66-99, JJ although I expect that to be less likely because of how he’s been playing.

OTT, the Ks is an ugly card since AK gets there, and although I could probably check, I feel like betting because:

a) it may get 99-88, maybe even JJ to fold.
b) it denies equity to some Ax with a diamond hands like AQ/AJ that we still beat.
c) it avoids putting us in a tough spot on blank rivers if he decides to bet after we show weakness OTT.

River obv worst card ever since we can’t even beat anything now, give up.

What I dislike is the bet sizing in this hand. It is too small to represent a TP type of hand (which is going to want to chase out FD and over cards) or a made hand (which is going to check the flop). It does represent exactly what you do have: A weak made hand that is afraid it is beat.

Seems like unnecessary FPS to barrel off here. We didn't hit a set and there are much better boards for us to go for value. It sounds like you are value-bluffing which is rarely a good thing. I check back flop and am giving up. There are a few ok turns we can stab on if they check to us OTT so we still have some options.

Yep this. +1

I'd maybe bet the flop but would check back the turn though I see your argument for the "value-bluff" bet. However K hits the villain's range a lot, if the turn was a brick like 4c then I would see myself betting for thin value against overcards with Ad or Kd.

Let's assume the villain is taking this line with all the overcards:
AdK (3), AdQ (4), AdJ (4)
AKd(3), KdQ (3)
17 combos on the turn

As we can see, more than 50% of these hand have a King and make a top pair on the turn. So betting to deny equity to 8 remaining combos is too thin for my taste.

If you think their checks are unprotected and they don’t bluff raise much then stab flop is solid. I probably check turn.

This was exactly my thinking. It’s usually this way at 1/2 and 2/5. They’re so unbalanced and will never check an overpair or better here.

When I check back turn, it’s just so hard for me to decide if I face a river bet (which I probably will).

Yea we will be in some tough river spots but if we check turn we can decide to call river and if he bets $150 and then we lose the same amount anyway if we are beat.

I don’t hate the turn bet against wide and unprotected ranges, but we are more than doubling down on our exploitative assumption that he doesn’t check call hands like 99/JT and he won’t bluff raise turn.

Also, if you are confident he’s not protecting his checks, and you are confident we will face a river bet, then we can pick off a lot of bluffs right?

Check flop, your hand sucks

Even though PFR has checked flop and made it obvious he doesn’t beat 77?

There are plenty of hands that beat (especially black) 77 here, that are also check/calling or check/raising this flop.
It’s a little shortsighted to assume you’re ahead of a PFR just because they check on the flop.

Vs a good/balanced reg flop is an extremely awful bet. But since most regs arent balanced here then bet is probably slightly bad at worst. I think it’s somewhat ok but i wouldnt default to betting here without a diamond, its pretty bleh

Ott is obvious mega spew

Against a very good 5/10 player, yes. But this is 2/5. He rarely beats 77 when he checks this flop. Because it’s standard to bet JJ+/ATs/even 88-99 here.

And let’s be honest, he’s xraising me close to 0% here.

Standard doesn’t mean it happens near 100% frequency.
And there’s hands outside of your given range here that could x/raise as a semi-bluff as well. It’s also important to note that this is a four way pot, so a player checking early can assume that it’s less likely action will check all the way through.
Also, as Minatorr pointed out, if flop isn’t defined spew, turn is defined spew.

It’s 3-way.

Should we just fold pre for $50 from EP?

Ok, so then check turn and fold to a river bet. If he checks river, you get to check and win. That's not a hard decision.

I definitely don't mind that option but calling to set mine can't be too bad. As I mentioned earlier we have other ways of winning as well so it's not just a pure set mine btw.

With the straddle the effective stacks aren't that deep really so I probably just pitch this pre-flop. Sounds like the opener is pretty tight as well. And we could end up OOP if we have players calling behind so a tight fold is probably good here.

Oh, check. I was reading the flop description a bit different.
It’s still basically the same deal though.
And betting on the turn to avoid making a difficult river decision isn’t really a reason to bet turn.
P.S. the river decision shouldn’t have to be that tough regardless of a turn check.

Why not? Wdyd if he bets river?

He will bomb AQ/AJ with a diamond OTR if I check back turn. But he will also be bombing say AK.

If I pitched it, I would get flamed for folding getting >20:1.

OK so then when he bet's riv (after you check turn) you have the easiest fold in the world - When he checks you can bet 1/10th pot and hope he heroes or raises (since he bets AK/Q/J).


This is like a dream world of easy decisions, not hard ones.

You wouldn't get flamed by me for folding 77 to a ninja making it 50. Quiet types don't go after dead money all of a sudden when the straddle is on.

How is it the easiest fold if he’s bombing as a bluff or value OTR? Bluffs: AQ/J...value: AK.