Hi all, after about 6 years off, I just started playing poker regularly again in January, and it's mainly been live. I did play here and there during my "time off" but was not playing much.

I've been beating the local $1/$3 NLH game with ease, but I find myself in some spots that I don't think should be very trivial spots, but I can't help but think I'm either not maximizing my equity, or I'm not minimizing my losses.

It's extremely frustrating because I believe I am making the correct decision in other situations that some people might say are tougher spots to be in, but then some simple spots like these I feel like any move is wrong.


Hand 1.

Villain is UTG+1 and just sat down with $200. This is the 3rd hand he was dealt and he folded the first two PF. I don't recognize him and have no read, but EVERYONE else at the table is LOLBAD. Take me out of the equation and there was on average 1 PF raise every 10 hands.

$300 max 1/3 NLH - 9 handed

UTG (---)
UTG+1 ($200)
UTG+2 (---)
HERO MP1 ($625)
EVERYONE ELSE (----)

UTG Calls $3
UTG + 1 Calls $3
UTG + 2 Calls $3
HERO A K raises to $20
Folds to UTG+1
UTG+1 Calls $20
UTG+2 folds

FLOP 10 Q K

UTG checks
HERO bets $30
UTG raises to $80
HERO ???
--------------------------

Hand 2

This hand happened earlier while we were 6 handed. Villain is UTG and was limping almost every hand from UTG (not so much from other positions, which was very odd). 2 orbits before this he limped UTG. I check from the BB with 3 9 and flopped two pair. He calls bets on the flop, turn, and river, and mucks at showdown when I show 2 pair.

$300 max 1/3 NLH - 6 handed

SB (---)
HERO BB ($400)
UTG - ($175)
OTHER 3 (---)

UTG calls $3
MP Calls $3
CO folds
BTN Calls $3
SB Calls $3
HERO Checks K 7

Flop A 3 T

SB Checks
HERO Checks
UTG bets $15
Folds to HERO
HERO ???

How do I maximize equity here?

I know EXACTLY how I would have played both of these hands when I was 21 and just started playing live, but what are your thoughts?

Over 3 EP limpers, I'm raising to more than $20 in the first hand. Flop is a good b/f.

In the K7ss, it's better to just lead out because a c/r looks exactly like what it is and will fold out a lot of the hands that would otherwise call your bet.

I'd fold hand 1 and not tell anyone. He basically always has at least two pair. A lot of players at this level wouldn't c/r without a straight or set here. If he outplayed us, good for him. Hand 2 I definitely lead out. I want to build the pot and don't want to scare anyone with a c/r. As played prolly call and donk the turn. A turn donk looks scary too, but I would cry if the turn got checked though.

#1 - instamuck.

#2 - just call flop. lead all non-spade turns. if a spade falls, check and hope he bets.

Hand 1 sizing is a little on the small side, both pre and on the flop. I'd prefer $25ish pre and 3/4 PSB on the flop. Since you are effectively readless vs. V1 I would give him the benefit of the doubt this time. Realistically, you flopped TPTK in a pot with an SPR of 3 so you shouldn't be folding here.

I think his EP limp range could be small pocket pairs, AJ, KQ, Axs. Stuff that people are hesitant to raise in EP but like to limp it along (something I used to do and have since cut out of my game). The raise size looks to be pure value setting up a turn shove and the flop seems to hit a weak tight EP limp/call range, so fold but don't tell anyone. After you have a read on him, this could turn into a snap call based on his tendencies.

Hand 2 I probably just take a bet/bet/bet line I think. It's unlikely you are going to make much money here in a limped pot. Best you can hope for is someone else flopped a smaller flush (unlikely) or someone limped 33 and hit a set. Don't be surprised if you bet pot on the flop and it folds through however. Check/call may get you a bet on the flop, but I think over an infinite number of trials, leading out is superior to check/calling.

Hand 1: $74 [raked] in the pot b4 V raises to $80. $50 to us to call a $154 pot. I call & assess the situation after the turn card is revealed & V chooses the size of his bet.

Hand 2: Raise $15 & donk turn [absent a spade] for 3/4 the pot. 3/4 pot size on river. Not much chance of getting much more. He has to have the Qs.

If a spade comes on either street, check & hope he bets.

Grunch.

Fold hand 1, lead flop in hand 2. Checking was a mistake IMO. I mean, look at your situation now... You really don't want to c/r because it reveals the strength of your hand and you will get folds from Ax and stuff which you have crushed. Leading is the easiest way to build the pot without blowing everyone out of the water.

Hand 1: flat and see how things evolve. Limp/call puts him around QJ, JT, T9. You aren't quite committed yet but it's close and if money goes in the middle OTT you are. You could fold but it's likely V has a combo draw so we don't want to give up that much equity by folding. Bet all in if V checks OTT no matter the card. If he bets fold.

Hand 2: you will maximize value by leading that flop. As played flat flop, check/call turn, lead river. If the turn pairs the board you might consider leading.

With $200 effective stacks, he is committed to the hand if he calls the flop raise. $80 raise + $20 pre = $100 would be in the middle, 50% of effective stacks, thus committing yourself on all but the worst of turns. It's a marginal spot readless meaning OP can likely find a better spot in the near future while developing a read on V.

Thanks for the thoughts, many of which reflect my own thoughts, which is comforting.

Hand 1 - I folded after about 20 seconds.

Hand 2 - I check/raised and he folded. I wasn't happy with my line, even before he folded. In fact, as I was checking the flop, I thought to myself, "what am I doing??"

H1:

Preflop is dependent on other stack sizes and dynamics of those behind us. But in the end, we got Villain to put in 10% of his stack preflop HU OOP, created an SPR of ~4.5, and flopped TP on a drawy board. We're 100% committed, imo. I would have overbet the pot to like ~$50 in order to setup a turn shove. I really dislike the $30 bet as that creates a ~$100 pot with an awkward ~$150 left for the turn (a big bet to shove). As played, obviously getting check/raised sucks but the board is uber drawy so there's still a chance we are best, plus we have some outs if behind. Easy shove for me at this point. If he sucked out on us getting in 10% of his stack preflop, nice hand sir.

ETA: I disagree with most everyone on this hand. I'll agree that this board does smash a lot of limp/calling ranges, but it also has a bunch of draws and we simply shouldn't, in general, be creating big pots like this to fold TPTK with this small an SPR. Also, if we hadda just went ahead and bet a more appropriate amount on the flop to setup the turn shove we woulda been even more easily committed (and we bascially committed ourselves preflop if we hit TP).

H2:

Ug, I hate the flop check. Just bet/bet/bet to build the pot so that we can hopefully play for stacks by the river; I woulda potted the flop. As played, I would check/raise now before a 4th spade comes to kill the action; if we made it $50 that would leave us about a PSB left to shove on the turn, which I think would be my plan at this point. But bet/bet/betting nuttish hands is just so much better a line.

GcluelessNLnoobG

Hand 1 is an insta-shove. If he covered you I could see a fold. If you get 10% of effective stacks in pre, and hit your hand, then folding is a bad idea. The hand history is a little confusing since someone is playing flop who didn't call pre. If you had more than one caller pre-flop, then bet closer to pot on the flop.

Hand 2 bet/bet/bet. If you don't lead the flop, then don't check-raise.

OP -- you said you know exactly how you would have played these hands X years ago.

How would you have played them, and why (if) are you playing them differently?